Financial services brands are showing significantly increased interest in using social networking sites to interact and engage with IFAs, financial planners and direct with consumers.
Online networking technology provides financial services providers with a wealth of opportunity to enhance their image and promote their services, as large numbers of IFAs and consumers sign up to websites like Ecademy, Facebook, li<x>nkedIn, IFA Life, Twitter and many others.
Whilst in the past, IFAs and financial planners have been slow to embrace the Internet, social networking websites have caught the imaginations of many financial advisers, who now use it as a valuable and powerful medium to interact with and add value to clients.
But many financial services brands, suppliers and providers are struggling to engage with IFAs and consumers through social networks, and risk moving further away from them and not hearing what is important to them.
Philip Calvert, founder of social networking website IFA Life said today: “We’re talking to more and more providers every day who are telling us that the time is right to start using social media to engage with IFAs, whether directly or through PR initiatives. But many admit to not having the expertise, time or resource to do it properly. Many don’t understand it either and are very worried about losing control of brand messages in online communities.
“IFAs and consumers are talking about financial providers all the time in social networks, but providers aren’t hearing them and are failing to engage and respond. That’s not good news for any brand.”
Social Media in Financial Services conference In response to growing demand for expertise, IFA Life has launched a new conference to help financial services brands to kick-start their use of social media as a sales, marketing, PR and communication tool.
Social Media in Financial Services will take place on 13th and 14th January 2010 in London and will feature key Internet experts.
Already confirmed to speak at the conference is Google’s senior head of financial services in the UK, the BBC’s head of technology marketing, Ecademy Chairman Thomas Power and Internet Psychologist Graham Jones. He and renowned social networking experts will lead debate and sharing of best practice on how the industry can better engage with IFAs, financial planners and direct with consumers.
Financial advisers will also discover how to use social networking websites and online communities to raise their profile, add value to clients and to enhance the perception of the value they provide.
Philip Calvert continued: “The growth in use of sites like Facebook, Twitter, li<x>nkedIn, Ecademy, YouTube and many others has been staggering, and our industry has a golden opportunity to use social media to engage with consumers, and to build trust and credibility in financial services. But it means embracing, learning and mastering new online communication skills, and Social Media in Financial Services will be an outstanding platform for the financial services industry to network, share best practice and to become more relevant to consumers in the digital age.”
Conference details can be found at http://www.ifalife.com/socialmediaFS
About IFA Life
IFA Life is an award-winning* online business and social networking website dedicated to IFAs, Mortgage Brokers and Financial Planners. IFAs join IFA Life to share best practice, debate industry issues, share resources, get marketing help, provide support to one another and find business development ideas. In conjunction with MyLocalAdviser.co.uk, consumers use the site to find an IFA in their area. Journalists use the site to find IFAs who can provide expert comment for articles.
IFA Life’s founder is Philip Calvert – a high-profile IFA marketing expert, consultant, author and speaker.
