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We identified investor education as one of six hot topics. Why? Because we think teaching your clients about investing will help you build trust.
But what kind of education should you offer? What do your clients want? Here are three tips to improve your investor education efforts.
1. Start at the beginning
Where are you going to start? Even before explaining a mutual fund, examine the importance of saving.
“Why is saving so important?” is an important question that many current and would-be investors don’t have a clear answer to. An added bonus is that you can speak about this subject without getting into technical language.
Lay a strong foundation in “Saving 101” and then build your way up to mutual funds.
Suggestion: Create a microsite with videos and accompanying one-page brochures.
2. Engage them
How are you going to engage your clients and prospects? Try “gamification.”
Doesn’t it seem like we learned a lot more and a lot faster when we were children? One reason why was that we were learning in a much more interactive manner.
Enter gamification – interactive learning that is fun, challenging and goals-based. Sites like www.khanacademy.org use design elements and the mechanics of games to improve learning, helping people retain more information and offering a better user experience.
Suggestion: Create quizzes built around a story – and make sure you reward people with points and certificates.
3. Stick with them
How are you going to do this? By planning for the long term.
Investor education isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. A three-month education campaign just isn’t enough because if people see that you are light on content, they may question the value of getting involved.
Educating your clients will take time and cost money, but we believe it is an unmatched opportunity for financial services firms to build trust and get their clients engaged in their businesses.
Suggestion: Create a detailed editorial calendar , and be prepared to produce comprehensive briefs and find data to back up your requests.
To provide top-notch investor education to your clients and prospects, provide truly informative material, deliver it in a creative and engaging way, and stick by their sides for the long haul.