Success as a Financial Advisor For Dummies

Chapter 19

Raising Your Profile with Networking and Marketing

IN THIS CHAPTER

Building a strong profile on the web

Mingling in the community

Encouraging word-of-mouth advertising

Taking a long-term perspective

I used to hate seeing the words “marketing,” “networking,” and “sales,” used in the context of attracting and acquiring clients, because they all imply self-promotion, a term that carries the connotation of being pushy, arrogant, and insincere, as in the phrase “shameless self-promotion.” To me, these words convey a sense that a person is only in pursuit of the all-mighty dollar and is void of any underlying passion for their profession.

However, I’ve since discovered that all professionals, especially those who are self-employed, must promote themselves at times, especially when they’re just getting started. As long as you’re passionate about what you do and are deeply and personally connected to your profession and devoted to your clients, there is no shame in self-promotion. You just need to figure out how to self-promote sincerely and without being pushy. Even better, ...