Rene Lacape is the Marketing Manager at eQuote Life Insurance. She says that media professionals are faced with a range of challenges and must work within strict deadlines. They are often required to cover a wide range of topics, even those they don’t know much about. They are constantly subject to criticism from politicians, professionals, and the general public, despite their best efforts.
Their voices are being heard by larger audiences, which means that their power is being used as a direct link to the public’s ears. This is good news for financial professionals. You can use the power of the media to grow your practice, no matter how long you’ve been in the business. On a professional level, the media’s shortcomings can be used to your advantage.
The biggest competitors in this industry are not financial planners, stockbrokers, financial professionals, financial advisors, insurance agents, or financial planners. The media is the real biggest competitor, which is quite interesting. People tend to focus on their competitors, the financial advisors within the industry. But there is a lot of business out there. The real challenge is getting the information to the public, despite all the media’s efforts to lead them astray.
How is it that the media have gained such power? Rene Lacape says, “I have seen a number of successful partnerships with the media.” It makes everything more important and more valuable to read something in print or see it on television.
As an example, think about reality TV. People feel that their reality is too boring so they look to the television for entertainment. There is much more to media appeal than just fun and games. Because of the inherent accountability, there is a high degree of credibility when one commits his words to print.
Rene Lacape explains that the recognition of a face on television creates trust and expectation. Why is the media so powerful, you ask? This is not the right question to ask. Instead, think about how you can capitalize on it.
These are 8 amazing ways you can gain credibility by working with the media.
1 – Write an opinion paper or a short piece about a topic you are passionate about or that is frequently discussed in your practice. You can either print the paper as a newsletter or add a cover letter to the front. Your clients will be able to access your opinion if they ask. Your paper is more credible than just telling clients what you feel.
2 – Create a quarterly newsletter or monthly newsletter. Print it, mail it, or send it over the Internet.
3. Write a letter to an editor in one of your favorite newspapers or trade journals. These are great places to leave comments or letters that might be published in a future issue.
4. Write letters to other authors, especially if you find an article you like. Comment on their article and offer your expertise as a resource on similar topics.
5 – Write a column in a company newsletter, local newspaper, bulletin at church, trade journal, or other publication that could be of interest to potential clients. Editors are always looking for talented writers.
6 – Make yourself an expert by telling local journalists that you are an expert in a specific subject matter or several related subjects. Numerous websites are looking for interviewees in order to create high-quality content. You may be remembered next time you do a story about something you are a specialist in.
7 – Write a book. Nothing builds credibility faster than being published. If you don’t have the time or motivation for writing, you can hire a ghostwriter.
8 – You can finance your own program via a blog, television or radio, which is usually cost-effective and convenient.
It is a sign that you are an expert or authority and willing to spend the time to inform the public. Exposure to media is a great way to show that you are credible. Rene Lacape concludes, “Even if only a few of these strategies are used it will build your credibility over time.”
