In this episode of Craft on Tap, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber discuss account-based marketing (ABM) for financial advisors. They share client examples of firms creating targeted campaigns for specific job personas, companies, and industries without losing broader appeal.
👇 Watch the full discussion below:
Co-Founder Stephen Beach & Strategist Faustin Weber discuss ABM for financial advisors.
Craft on Tap Ep 25 Podcast Takeaways & Summary
Key Takeaways:
- ABM Solves the Diversification Problem: When you can't niche your entire firm, account-based marketing lets you create targeted campaigns for specific advisors without forcing the whole firm in one direction.
- Start Broader Than You Think: Before jumping to company-specific marketing, test a broader persona approach (like "law firm partners" vs. "paralegals at Smith & Co"). You can always narrow further.
- Interview Clients First: Don't assume you know the challenges. Talk to 2-3 clients who fit the target profile. Their language and concerns become your marketing copy.
- Create Micro-Sites Within Your Website: A dedicated navigation page for "Law Firm Partners" or "Tech Executives at [Company]" lets you speak directly to that audience without overwhelming general visitors.
- Referral Incentives Matter: When you have multiple clients at one company, create a simple referral program. Make it easy for them to introduce you to colleagues.
- Soft Outbound on LinkedIn Works: Connect with prospects at target companies, engage with their posts, and share your company-specific resources. No cold calling required.
Podcast Summary: How Account-Based Marketing Works for Financial Advisory Firms
The advice to pick a niche works brilliantly for solo advisors building from scratch. But when you're managing $500 million or more, you typically have multiple advisors who've each built relationships in different spaces. One works primarily with retirees. Another specializes in business succession planning. A third has deep connections in tech.
You can't suddenly tell your retiree clients, "Sorry, we're pivoting to serve only tech executives now." Account-based marketing solves this problem by creating targeted campaigns for specific opportunities while maintaining your broader positioning.
The Law Firm Partner Example
Craft Impact recently worked with a $1 billion RIA that brought on a new advisor with strong connections among law firm partners. The solution started with research. The team interviewed the advisor to understand what makes law firm partners unique financially: compensation arrives in unpredictable chunks, complex tax situations from partnership structures, permanent capital requirements affecting liquidity, and mandatory retirement plan rules.
Then they interviewed 2-3 clients who were law firm partners. This step is critical because what the advisor thinks clients need and what clients actually value aren't always the same. Clients revealed which challenges kept them up at night and which aspects of financial planning gave them relief.
With this research, Craft Impact built a dedicated page on the firm's website specifically for law firm partners. The page lived in the main navigation but didn't take over the homepage. The messaging spoke directly to this audience: "You've made partner, what comes next?"
This micro-site included specific challenges law firm partners face, educational resources, case studies (without identifying information), and clear next steps for booking a consultation.
Content That Reinforces Expertise
A single landing page isn't enough. The law firm partner campaign included educational blog posts addressing challenges like "Managing variable compensation as a law firm partner," video clips from webinar recordings, LinkedIn positioning where the advisor's profile and posts focused on challenges specific to attorneys, and a simple client referral program.
Moving From Industry to Company-Specific
Once you've established credibility with a broader industry, you can narrow to specific companies. This makes sense when you have 4-5 clients at one firm and see a growth opportunity that aligns with your goals.
Company-specific marketing adds another layer: dedicated landing pages titled "Financial Planning for [Company Name] Employees," content addressing immediate company events (IPOs, mergers, tender offers), and internal social proof ("We work with 12 employees at [Company Name]").
LinkedIn Soft Outbound Strategy
Cold calling doesn't work for high-net-worth professionals. They make too much money and field too many pitches to respond to generic outreach.
The soft outbound approach works better. Connect with all existing clients at your target company on LinkedIn first. When you reach out to their colleagues later, those mutual connections create instant credibility. Find prospects and engage with their content before pitching. Leave thoughtful comments on posts. Be visible and helpful.
When you do send connection requests, lead with value: "We work with several of your colleagues at [Company]. We recently hosted a webinar on equity comp strategies during IPOs. Thought you might find it useful."
Optimize your LinkedIn headline, banner, and About section to clearly state your specialty. Make it obvious to anyone who clicks your profile.
Fifteen minutes per day engaging with 3-5 prospects builds momentum over weeks and months. It generates higher-quality conversations than any amount of cold calling.
Advisor Marketing Made Easy(ier): Webinars as Referral and Lead Generation Tools
Company-specific webinars generate new leads and make existing client referrals effortless.
The format is simple: 30 minutes addressing one specific challenge for employees at your target company. "Equity Compensation Strategies for [Company Name] Employees" or "Preparing for Retirement as a [Company Name] Director."
Record it once, then make it an evergreen on-demand resource. Current clients can forward the invitation to colleagues with zero friction. New prospects who attend get 30 minutes of you explaining exactly how you help people in their situation.
When Paid Ads Make Sense
Most financial advisors waste money on paid ads. Broad campaigns targeting "pre-retirees" compete against firms spending millions annually.
But account-based marketing creates one scenario where ads work: hyper-targeted campaigns to small audiences. Once you've built the foundation (landing page, content, webinars, LinkedIn presence), paid LinkedIn ads can amplify your reach.
Run ads promoting your company-specific webinar to 1,000-2,000 employees at one tech company. Because the audience is narrow and the content relevant, your cost per lead drops dramatically.
The Best Marketing is Well-Timed
The best time for company-specific marketing is when something significant happens, such as an IPO announcement, tender offer, major acquisition, significant equity vesting event, or new executive leadership.
These catalysts create urgent financial planning needs. Employees are actively searching for guidance, and your timing makes your content exponentially more valuable.
Keep Perspective on What Drives Growth
Account-based marketing works, but it requires patience. You won't generate 50 qualified leads in month one. This builds meaningful momentum with high-quality prospects over 6-12 months.
More importantly, it shouldn't replace what already works. Your best source of new clients remains referrals from current clients, centers of influence, and your existing network. Account-based marketing supplements that growth.
Making It Work for Your Firm
The principles apply whether you're targeting law firm partners, tech executives, or healthcare professionals:
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Research thoroughly by interviewing your best clients in this category.
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Create dedicated micro-sites that speak to specific audiences without confusing general visitors.
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Engage consistently through LinkedIn and content creation.
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Remove referral friction by making it easy for happy clients to introduce you to colleagues.
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Use catalysts by timing campaigns around company events.
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Get specific because the more narrow your targeting, the more effective your marketing becomes.
Account-based marketing works when you already have traction with a specific company or industry. Start with research, build dedicated resources, and engage consistently on LinkedIn. The momentum builds over months, not weeks, but the quality of prospects makes it worth the patience.
Shameless plug for Craft on Tap
Whether you're sitting on untapped potential at a specific company or exploring how to grow in a particular industry without a brand redo, account-based marketing might be the answer (if you take the right approach).
For more insights on growing your RIA through digital marketing, listen to Craft on Tap. Available now, wherever you find your podcasts.
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