Party On, Evidence-Based Advisors: 2015 Communication Resources: Part(y) One

owlIt used to be, if the evidence-based advisor community threw a party for all of the specialized providers assisting them with their corporate communications, the chip dip would form a surface crust long before it needed to be replenished. Fortunately, if one keeps on partying, the world eventually joins in.

Here is a partial list of some communication support services and resources available to evidence-based advisors these days. The list is by no means exhaustive. Some are silvery new, while others are old, golden friends. Either way, chances are you’ll discover at least one new possibility worth exploring.

Which resources do you depend on? Navigate over to where this piece is posted on LinkedIn, and you can add your favorite resources there in the comments area. Let’s keep the party growing.

Content

Wendy J. Cook Communications. Who is available to help you with writing or editing your communications? Well, me, for starters. I offer custom writing and editing to an exclusive group of evidence-based advisors as well as a Content-Sharing Library with more affordable materials for a similar audience. Library content is best used in e-newsletters, flyers, letters or similar pieces going out to specific audiences. It’s not as effective for blog posts or similar venues where custom content is best used, to avoid confusion for human and search engine visitors.

NEW IN 2015: Sensible Investing TV Multimedia Content. I’m particularly excited that my friends at Sensible Investing TV are now offering their wealth of top-notch multimedia content on a subscription basis, including videos, blog posts, podcasts and graphics. Complement their materials with mine, add your personalized branding, and you just may have nearly everything covered. (Bonus material: On the branding front, check out TactiBrand’s 2015 complimentary webinar series for financial advisors.

Others. Other content providers I hear evidence-based advisors turning to include Bob Veres’ Inside Information Client Articles, Nick Murray’s newsletter, Morningstar Newsletter Builder and Broadridge/Forefield. While these providers’ content isn’t necessarily crafted specifically for evidence-based advisors, the work is solid and may fit the bill, depending on your goals.

Susan B. Weiner Investment Writing. Susan’s book, presentations and publications are worthy resources for those who prefer to write their own content (especially blog posts) but could use some practical bursts of inspiration to improve on the form and substance of their work.

Social Media

I know, many of you are still hoping that this silly infatuation with social media would just go away. Trust me, it’s more likely that Carl Richards of www.BehaviorGap.com would abandon his Sharpies(r). (As in, fat chance; he has a lifetime stash and is in excellent health). “The business case for content marketing for financial advisors” offers additional insights on why this is so but, bottom line, it’s time to embrace social media with true love. To help with that …

#EvidenceInvesting Twitter Hashtag. If you’ve been waiting to make yourself at home on Twitter, now is the time, with our very own hashtag out there to serve as your base — a place for your clients and prospects to hang out with you in the Twittersphere, while giving you a steady flow of quality Tweets worth sharing. To post there, simply include #EvidenceInvesting in your Tweet. Boom, done.

Evidence-Based Advisors LinkedIn Group. Make new friends on Twitter, but keep the old on LinkedIn by joining our dedicated Evidence-Based Advisors LinkedIn Group. More than 1,000 advisors strong, this private group remains an excellent forum for engaging with your fellow evidence-based advisors when you have more than 140 characters on your mind.

Social Media Managers. As lovely as it would be to simply hire someone to be you on the Internet, practically speaking, you can only delegate so much of yourself to somebody else. To an extent, social media requires you to be (gasp) social — posting and sharing others’ posts; following up on replies, favorites, follows and likes; and generally making personal use of the buzz you’re seeking to build. You don’t necessarily need to be the Beyonce of the World Wide Web, but neither should you be a Where’s Waldo? (Bonus material: Here’s a helpful webcast hosted by Advisor Perspectives offering tips on finding a sensible middle ground for yourself.)

All this said, there are some services available to assist with some of the logistics. A few that I’m aware of include: Kali Hawlk, Advisor Insight Agency (primarily for help with your e-newsletter distributions), Financial Social Media, Evolutionize, and Rocket Girl Solutions (Note, Belinda, aka Rocket Girl. is more small-business versus specifically advisor-centric, but for social media ops, financial industry acumen may not be as vital as understanding your small-business world.)

Coaching/Advice. For those who do want to engage more fully in their own social media, Wired Advisor is a great resource for learning the ropes. Also for the intrepid do-it-yourselfers, www.lynda.com will teach you just about anything you want to know (and probably a few things you didn’t) for $25/month, with no long-term commitments required.

Whew, I’m winding down and I’ve still got some of the latest evidence-based investment books, website developer alliances and a few other honorable mentions to recommend. Have you found this list handy so far? Contribute your own links and look for my next post, coming soon, for more creative communication ideas.