What is the Most Powerful Word in Financial Advisor Copywriting?

most powerful word in financial advisor copywriting
Most every financial services firm has a well-designed website, yet, one simple thing often stands in the way of them actually generating leads:  that’s poor financial copywriting.

Every financial services firm has a website today.  Most are attractively designed with one purpose in mind:  to attract new clients.  Yet, one simple thing often stands in the way of them actually generating leads:  that’s poor financial advisor copywriting.  All too often, the website content is full of industry jargon and talks primarily about the firm and its services and products.

Unfortunately, financial advisor copywriting is not the same as other types of writing.  Just writing formal, report-style information about your firm won’t cut it.  What is required is taking an entirely different perspective.

In this article, we’ll let you in on a little secret that can take your financial copywriting from average to powerful.  And it’s a simple tip: just start to incorporate one simple word:  YOU.

Stay Focused on the Reader

Small financial firms love to talk about their organization in their financial copywriting:  who they are, what they do, the individual services they provide.  Eventually, a website visitor may want and need to know all that. However, if everything focuses on the firm from the start, there’s little chance the reader will stick around.

What will capture a website visitor’s attention?  Easy!  What’s in it for them?

Describe how they will benefit from working with your firm.  Always remember, the purpose of your website copy is to connect with a prospective client.

What are the benefits of working with your firm?  Not the factual benefits in your eyes, such as being better diversified.  Instead, focus on the feelings:

  • More financial peace of mind
  • Feeling organized
  • Creating a more secure future

Even better, you should zero in on your specific reader and their pain points.  Do you target retired people?  Or young physicians?  Each segment’s pain points will likely be different.  Write about those.

Here’s an example about how to put this “you” focus into action:

Take this phrase, which you might see on a small firm’s website:

Our firm has been providing personalized wealth management services to affluent families in Acme County since 200 BC.    

Okay, great.  Yes, it’s factual, and it does emphasize you’ve been in business a long time, which is good.  However, it is all about your firm, not the client.

Contrast it with this approach:

ACME Wealth Management helps you and your family make the most of your resources, so you can feel more confident about your future.  We’ve been helping successful people like you in Acme County, PA since 200 BC. 

See the difference?  Yes, you slip in what your firm does, but the focus is always on the reader.  That’s the power of “you.”

It’s Psych 101

It’s simple psychology.  That’s because, as humans, we naturally look from one viewpoint primarily:  what’s in it for me?

That’s why all these firms writing about themselves are not attracting the attention they’d like.

But by using YOU, you’re writing to the reader.  You’re engaging them.  You’re putting their needs before your own and helping them understand what you can do for them—a big difference.

The Importance of a Conversational Tone

At the same time, utilizing “YOU” in your copy creates a more conversational tone.  That’s critical in financial copywriting, where you should write like you talk.

Otherwise, you can get the dreaded “financial speak.” That’s the dry and dull stuff that most people don’t want to read.

If that’s what they find, they often quickly leave your site.  And what happens next? They end up finding something more appealing on a competitor’s website.

Writing with “You” Offers Powerful Results

“You” is considered a “money” word in copywriting.  That’s because it is a word that gets results.

Now that you know this, take an inventory of your financial website content.  Use the following steps to transform your website and any current copy you’ve written into something more client-focused:

  • Note the number of times you say “we” or “I”
  • Rewrite the copy using “you” instead as much as possible

This simple exercise helps you gauge how well you’ve done in the past. More importantly, it helps you position your website for better results going forward.

Final Thoughts

If you take anything away from this article, just remember that the word “You” is key. It engages the reader and helps minimize the boring copy that focuses only on the firm and NOT potential clients.

Of course, financial copywriting is something you should take seriously.  Unless you have a copywriter on staff, it’s often wise to outsource.  As a one-time expense, it is usually well worth the investment to do it right.

Once you’ve got the right words, you’re positioning your firm for online success.

Looking for help creating website copy that differentiates your firm and attracts your ideal clients? At Wavelength, we’ve developed engaging content for many clients, including over 85 Registered Investment Advisory firms. Contact us to see if we can help you achieve your goals.

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