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Explore every episode of the podcast Craft on Tap, Growth Marketing for RIAs

Dive into the complete episode list for Craft on Tap, Growth Marketing for RIAs. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

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TitlePub. DateDuration
Why Google Reviews still matter for your RIA (and how to get more) | Ep 2426 Jan 202600:32:52

Is your firm's Google profile helping or ruining your first impression?

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber give real examples of why & how Google Reviews remain a make-or-break marketing asset for financial advisory firms. Plus, they share practical ways to build yours up without running into compliance issues.

We cover:

  • Why Google is still the gateway for prospects checking out your firm (even in the age of AI)

  • How star ratings influence both Google Search and LLMs like ChatGPT

  • Compliance-friendly approaches to soliciting reviews from your clients

  • Simple systems to bake review requests into your existing client meetings

  • What to do if you have negative reviews dragging down your profile

⏱️ Timestamps:

(0:00) Welcome & why Google Reviews matter

(2:15) How prospects use Google to validate referrals

(3:45) The impact of reviews on search rankings and AI results

(5:30) Real examples: negative reviews and first impressions

(8:00) How ChatGPT and other LLMs use Google Review data

(12:00) Compliance-friendly strategies to request reviews

(16:00) Building review requests into your client service process

(19:30) Multi-email follow-up campaigns that work

(22:00) Repurposing Google Reviews on your website

(25:00) Managing multiple office locations and Google Profiles

(28:00) Optimizing your Google Business Profile beyond reviews

Whether you're starting from zero reviews or trying to offset a few old blemishes on your profile, this episode gives you a practical playbook for turning Google Reviews into a marketing asset that works for your firm.

Craft Impact is a growth marketing agency that helps financial advisors reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing.

Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Craft on Tap on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and learn more about our growth marketing services at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠craftimpact.com


LinkedIn growth hacks for financial advisors (2026) | Ep 2317 Dec 202500:59:50

Is your LinkedIn strategy falling behind the platform's latest changes?

In this latest Craft on Tap Podcast episode, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber discuss what's working (and what's not) on LinkedIn heading into 2026, including practical tips that independent financial advisors can implement right away.

We cover:

  • Why LinkedIn reduced organic reach and what you can do about it
  • The commenting strategy that beats posting (yes, really)
  • How to use the "Waffle House/Walmart" approach to grow your following
  • Profile optimization fundamentals that most advisors miss
  • The marketing waiting room vs. sales waiting room framework for content
  • Current LinkedIn algorithm insights from November 2025
  • Best practices for posting frequency, timing, and format
  • How to determine if LinkedIn should even be a priority channel for your target audience

⏱️ Timestamps:

(03:25) Why LinkedIn is still the best platform for certain audiences

(08:05) Using Spark Toro to identify where your audience actually lives online

(12:00) Profile optimization fundamentals (follow first, headline, banner)

(17:15) The "15-minute Friday" strategy for growing your network

(26:40) The power of commenting over posting

(27:45) The "Waffle House/Walmart" commenting strategy explained

(37:05) What to post on personal vs company accounts

(39:10) Marketing waiting room vs sales waiting room content

(46:40) Post timing, frequency, and format best practices

(50:40) Latest algorithm updates from November 2025


Whether you're a social media rookie or looking to up your LinkedIn strategy game for 2026, this episode offers actionable social media marketing and branding tips for building your professional brand and attracting the right prospects (dad jokes included).

Craft Impact is a growth marketing agency that helps financial advisors reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Craft on Tap on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and learn more about our services at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠craftimpact.com


Personal vs firm branding: what should advisors focus on? | Ep 1415 Aug 202500:37:51

Should financial advisors focus on personal branding or firm branding? 

The answer depends on your firm's size, goals, and growth stage.

In this episode of the Craft On Tap Podcast, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber discuss this common marketing dilemma.

They cover:

  • Which accounts get better engagement, personal vs company
  • What smaller advisors should focus on
  • How to blend firm & personal branding
  • Specific “what to post” ideas for LinkedIn company vs personal accounts 

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction: The LinkedIn posting dilemma 

(2:14) What gets the most engagement?

(8:40) - Smaller advisors should focus on personal brand

(10:35) Survey data on the importance of personal branding

(13:00) Scaling practices need to weave in building the firm's brand

(18:25) Real client case study: Personal Substack creating leads for firm

(24:00) How to integrate personal & firm branding on a practical level

(28:40) Scaling strategy for larger firms 

(34:43) SEO considerations for personal branding & bio pages


We help financial advisors reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing. Subscribe to Craft on Tap on YouTube and learn more about our services at craftimpact.com



How do I show up in AI search results for LLMs like ChatGPT? | Ep 1331 Jul 202500:44:21

Should you panic about AI search optimization? Are your prospects really finding financial advisors through ChatGPT?

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber discuss the rapidly evolving world of AI search and its implications for financial advisory firms.

We cover:

  • Why Google's AI overview "alligator effect" is crushing traditional website traffic.
  • The 6-step GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) framework that works.
  • Why Reddit gets cited 25% of the time in ChatGPT responses.

⏱️ Timestamps:

(0:00) Welcome & the AI search overview

(2:10) The "alligator effect" destroying traditional search traffic

(4:45) Real client data: AI search leads are increasing (but should you panic?)

(8:15) The two types of people using AI search and why it matters

(11:45) Why only 1% of people click AI search citations

(15:20) The 6-step framework for showing up in AI search results

(23:00) E-E-A-T methodology: Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust

(31:00) Why content distribution across multiple channels is critical

(37:10) Reddit and YouTube: The secret weapons for AI citations

(41:50) Practical steps you can take today (without abandoning what works)

Before you restructure your entire marketing strategy around AI search, listen to this reality check on what's working for financial advisory firms right now.

#FinancialAdvisors #AISearch #SEO #ChatGPT #RIAMarketing #GEO


How do I grow my firm from $85M to $150M?| Ep 1224 Jul 202500:31:59

Find out more about what we do: https://www.craftimpact.com/

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber discuss a real listener question: "We have a wealth management firm that services individuals and families. We need a marketing plan to scale from $85 million AUM to $150 million AUM in five years."

In this episode:

  • How to segment your existing client base to identify your ideal niche
  • The spectrum of positioning strategies (from adding a niche page to going all-in)
  • Why you need to research where your target audience lives online
  • Growth hacking strategies to break into new communities and audiences
  • How to provide value to influencers and community moderators to gain access
  • Real examples of what works (and what doesn't) when targeting specific niches

⏱️ Timestamps:

(0:00) Welcome & The $75M to $150M Challenge

(1:41) Step One: Segment Your Current Client Base by Personas

(4:09) Marketing to Your Clients Before Marketing to Strangers

(4:41) Choosing Your Primary Avatar and Testing Multiple Niches

(10:15) The Positioning Spectrum: From Niche Pages to Full Commitment

(15:12) Social Media Strategy Without Alienating Current Clients

(17:10) Finding Your Audience: Where Do They Actually Consume Content?

(19:40) Using AI Tools to Research Community Questions and Challenges

(21:00) Thinking From the Buyer's Perspective: Standing Out from Competition

(23:00) Growth Hacking Your Way to Awareness

(25:45) Real Case Study: The Dentist Niche That Struggled

(29:00) COI Marketing Beyond Traditional Referral Partners

(30:00) How to Approach Influencers and Community Leaders

(31:35) Conclusion: The Path to $150M AUM

We've worked with RIAs at every stage of growth. This episode provides a systematic approach to scaling your practice through strategic positioning and smart growth tactics.

How does your team handle copywriting & capturing my firm’s brand voice? | Ep 1116 Jul 202500:15:42

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber answer the question"How can you write compelling copy about complex financial topics when you're not financial experts yourselves?"

And how do you capture my firm’s brand voice in terms of style and tone?

In this episode, we break down:

  • The interview-based copywriting approach that extracts your expertise efficiently

  • Why hiring good writers who can write simply and persuasively is step one

  • How messaging guides and brand workshops capture your firm's unique voice

  • The role of AI tools like Claude and ChatGPT in our copywriting process

  • Brand voice worksheets that help position your firm on the spectrum from serious to playful

  • Real examples of how we've gotten better at financial copywriting over 5+ years

⏱️ Timestamps:

(0:00) Welcome & The Copywriting Challenge for Non-Experts

(1:49) Step One: Hiring Good Writers Who Can Write Simply & Persuasively

(6:11) The Interview-Based Copywriting Process

(7:20) How AI Tools Enhance Our Copywriting Workflow

(10:01) The Comprehensive Messaging Guide Development

(11:34) Brand Voice Worksheets: From Traditional to Progressive

(13:23) Determining Your Firm's Tone: Serious vs. Playful

(14:20) When We Need Extra Subject Matter Expertise

(15:07) Conclusion

We've been refining this approach since 2012, working with financial advisors to create copy that's both technically accurate and compelling. Subscribe to Craft on Tap on YouTube and learn more about our services at craftimpact.com

Running Paid Ads to Generate Leads (Don't Get Scammed) | Ep 1011 Jul 202500:43:31

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber tackle the burning question every financial advisor asks: "Should I run paid ads to generate leads?" Spoiler alert: probably not.

In this episode, we break down:

  • The real reason advisors want to run paid ads (and what to focus on instead)

  • Why clients with $1M+ assets usually don't Google "financial advisor near me"

  • The case study of Pure Financial spending $10 million with Smart Asset

  • When paid ads actually make sense (hint: it's very specific)

  • How to avoid getting scammed by marketing agencies promising guaranteed leads

⏱️ Timestamps: 

(0:00) Welcome & Intro

(0:40) The Real Reason Advisors Want Paid Ads

(2:29) Different Types of Paid Ads & Platforms

(6:05) The Three Types of Ads Explained

(11:00) Why $1M+ Clients Don't Google "Financial Advisor Near Me"

(14:54) Case Study: Pure Financial & Smart Asset

(18:16) High Failure Rate & Infrastructure Needed for Paid Ads

(24:15) Avoiding Marketing Agency Scams

(28:05) When Paid Ads Do Make Sense

(33:43) Paid Ads as One Element of a Holistic Strategy

(40:50) Conclusion

We've spent years and thousands of dollars testing paid ads so you don't have to. This episode will save you time, money, and frustration.


Are financial advisor awards worth it? | Ep 927 Jun 202500:19:41

What to do when you see another  "congratulations, you’ve made the list!" email.


Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber tackle one of the most common questions they get from financial advisors: are these industry awards actually worth paying for?


We break down:

• How to evaluate which awards are worth the investment vs. money grabs

• Key questions to ask before paying any licensing fees

• Smart strategies for maximizing awards once you've invested


Timestamps:

(1:31) Why the award business model threw us off at first

(3:04) The key question: will your target audience recognize this brand?

(5:18) Interviewing clients as a way to verify an award’s value

(7:09) Am I actually proud to share this award?

(8:15) Pricing structure

(9:35) Award longevity and timing considerations

(12:54) How to maximize your investment with a solid announcement plan

(17:00) Compliance considerations and SEC audit implications


#FinancialAdvisors #RIAMarketing

Email Marketing Strategy for Financial Advisors: Beyond the Blast | Ep 817 Jun 202500:53:53

Are you sending email "blasts" to your entire contact list and wondering why you're not getting results? 

In this episode, Steven Beach and Faustin Weber discuss email marketing that works, plus tips you can incorporate into your email strategy now.

We cover:

• The critical importance of list segmentation for RIAs

• What content to send to clients vs. prospects vs. old leads

• Email nurturing strategies that actually move prospects through your pipeline

• Common technical mistakes that hurt your deliverability rates

⏱️ Timestamps:

(0:00) Welcome & summer break struggles for working parents

(2:30) Why email marketing still matters in 2025

(4:45) The foundation: How to properly segment your contact lists

(12:15) What to send your current clients (beyond market commentary)

(17:46) Structuring your emails for engagement

(23:20) What to send to your old prospects and cold lists

(27:20) The goal: Staying top of mind for future catalysts

(33:12) Rapid-fire email best practices

(41:25) Lead nurturing for active pipeline prospects

(48:45) Strategies for following up without being pushy

(50:55) Final thoughts on building systematic email workflows

Whether you're just starting with email marketing or looking to improve your current approach, this episode gives you practical frameworks for turning your contact database into a growth engine for your financial advisory practice.

#FinancialAdvisors #EmailMarketing #RIAMarketing #LeadNurturing #CraftImpact

Like this episode or have questions? Please drop a comment!


Should financial advisors use AI video avatars? | Ep 703 Jun 202500:12:54

Are AI video avatars the future of financial advisor marketing? In this special debate episode, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber dive into the controversial topic of AI-driven avatars for video marketing.

⏱️ Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction to AI avatars in financial marketing

(1:08) Faustin's perspective: Why AI avatars might harm trust

(2:15) Stephen plays devil's advocate: Can clients tell the difference?

(5:02) The importance of internal brand alignment

(7:34) Authenticity vs. polish in video marketing

(11:35) The rise of easy-to-use video marketing tools

#FinancialAdvisors #AIAvatars #VideoMarketing #CraftImpact

What should RIAs expect from a marketing agency? | Ep 627 May 202500:28:32

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber discuss how we structure our agency team and what that will look like for you as a client. 

We break down: 

  • How our team's structure ensures personalized and effective service
  • How project managers play a crucial role in keeping balls in the air
  • The importance of maintaining open communication and ensuring that clients never have to repeat themselves
  • The implementation of AI tools and internal knowledge sharing to improve client experience

⏱️ Timestamps: 

  • (00:00) Welcome & Intro
  • (00:07) Starting with New Clients
  • (01:35) Ensuring Knowledge Transfer
  • (01:59) The Role of AI and Transcripts
  • (02:54) Client Onboarding Process
  • (05:20) AI Tools for Efficiency
  • (07:13) Benefits of Working with an Agency
  • (10:06) Team Structure and Roles
  • (18:33) Internal Development and Knowledge Sharing
  • (25:57) Maximizing ROI on Industry Award Investments
  • (28:17) Conclusion

Whether you're evaluating a new marketing partner or measuring your current efforts, this episode gives you practical insight into what you should prioritize when working with a marketing partner.

#FinancialAdvisors #RIAMarketing #MarketingROI #CraftImpact

How much time will working with a marketing partner require? | Ep 516 May 202500:18:12

"How much of my time will this take?" - the crucial question every advisor needs to ask before hiring a marketing partner.

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber tackle head-on what financial advisors really want to know about working with marketing agencies like Craft Impact.

We cover:

  • What's really required of you in the first 90 days of a partnership
  • How we structure meetings to maximize efficiency and minimize your time commitment
  • The communication cadence that works best for busy advisory firms
  • Real examples of how we've streamlined our process to take work off your plate

⏱️ Timestamps: 

  • (0:00) Welcome & the time management concern 
  • (1:22) From overwhelmed to efficient: our approach to advisor time 
  • (3:11) Setting the right expectations for initial workshops and meetings 
  • (4:38) Carrying advisors' mental load on marketing tasks
  • (9:38) Establishing trust and communication with partners to save time
  • (11:45) Using Slack/Teams for quick updates between meetings 
  • (14:49) The meeting agenda approach that respects your schedule 
  • (15:41) How we help you delegate marketing tasks within your team 

Before hiring any marketing partner, understand exactly what time commitment will be expected from you and your team. This episode gives you the straight talk on working with Craft Impact.

#FinancialAdvisors #RIAMarketing #MarketingPartnership #OutsourcedMarketing

Is your RIA showing up on ChatGPT (and does it matter)? | Ep 2220 Nov 202500:31:37

Showing up in AI search results is all the rage in the financial advisory community.  But does it even matter???

👉The reality is more nuanced than the hype suggests.

CEO Stephen Beach and Marketing Strategist Faustin Weber cut through the chatter around AI optimization to share what IS working for financial advisory firms, based on real experiences with clients.

We cover:

  • Why educational blog content rarely drives traffic from ChatGPT (and what this means for your content strategy)

  • The difference between "grounding" and "non-grounding” in AI responses

  • Bottom-of-funnel optimization: where the real opportunity lies for RIAs

  • How to analyze ChatGPT's comparison matrices to improve your firm's positioning

  • The critical role of online reputation and reviews in AI search results

  • Why citations across multiple platforms are more valuable to AI search than website traffic

⏱️ Timestamps:

(0:00) Welcome & AI search landscape update

(2:03) Understanding grounding vs. non-grounding in LLM responses

(6:42) Why AI search isn't driving the website traffic you'd expect

(11:25) Bottom-of-funnel searches: the real AI optimization opportunity

(16:18) The importance of pricing transparency in AI comparison charts

(16:30) Online reputation as the foundation of AI search success

(21:20) Building citations and authority across the web

(24:29) Reality check: AI search in context of how affluent clients actually find advisors

(26:03) What content marketing should really accomplish in 2026

Have questions? Let us know!

Craft Impact is a growth marketing agency that helps financial advisors reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Craft on Tap on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and learn more about our services at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠craftimpact.com

Why your financial advisory firm needs better messaging | Ep 413 May 202500:22:27

Is your firm's messaging helping you stand out or just blending in with every other advisor?

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber break down why messaging is the foundation of effective marketing for financial advisory firms and how to get it right.

We cover:

  • Why most RIAs sound exactly the same (and how to differentiate yourself)
  • The critical process of interviewing your best clients to uncover what really resonates
  • How to develop messaging that speaks to your ideal client's actual challenges
  • Real examples of how better messaging transforms marketing results

⏱️ Timestamps: 

  • (0:00) Welcome & messaging fundamentals 
  • (1:00) The evolution of financial advisor messaging 
  • (2:37) Why client interviews are the secret weapon 
  • (9:03) Building a messaging framework that works 
  • (13:46) How to test and implement your new messaging  
  • (20:32) Final thoughts on messaging strategy

Whether you're establishing a new RIA or refreshing your existing brand, this episode provides actionable advice for creating messaging that truly connects with your ideal clients and helps fuel your firm's growth.

#FinancialAdvisors #Messaging #BrandStrategy #RIAMarketing

Setting the right marketing KPIs for your advisory firm | Ep 305 May 202500:14:25

How do you know if your marketing is actually working?

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber dive into the often-confusing world of marketing KPIs for financial advisory firms, breaking down how to measure what actually matters.

We unpack:

  • Why random marketing metrics without business context are meaningless 
  • How to align your KPIs with your firm's overall growth goals 
  • The difference between vanity metrics and meaningful measurements 
  • Real examples of KPIs our most successful clients track

⏱️ Timestamps: 

  • (0:00) Welcome & the KPI challenge 
  • (2:42) Starting with your firm's overall goals 
  • (3:30) Conducting a channel audit before setting metrics
  • (5:15) Identifying quick-win opportunities 
  • (8:20) Determining meaningful KPIs & measuring
  • (10:05) Example of social media growth & other KPIs
  • (11:53) Omni-channel approach 
  • (13:16) Final thoughts on marketing measurement

Whether you're establishing metrics for the first time or refining your existing KPIs, this episode offers practical frameworks for measuring what matters in your financial advisory firm's marketing efforts.

#FinancialAdvisors #MarketingMetrics #KPIs #RIAMarketing

Should financial advisors start a podcast in 2025? | Ep 230 Apr 202500:16:17

Is starting a podcast worth your time as a financial advisor?

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber break down the surprising ROI of podcasting as a content creation system in this practical episode.

We cover:

  • Why podcasting is about much more than just getting downloads
  • How one recording session can fuel weeks of content across multiple channels
  • The systematic approach that makes podcasting efficient for busy advisors
  • Real examples of how our clients leverage podcast content for growth

⏱️ Timestamps:

  • (00:00) Welcome & the real purpose of podcasting 
  • (02:40) Podcasting as a systematic content creation engine 
  • (05:10) Converting one podcast into multiple content pieces 
  • (08:45) Setting up the right distribution channels 
  • (12:50) How to define your podcast goals and measure success 
  • (15:30) Final thoughts and tips 

Whether you're considering starting a podcast or looking for ways to get more mileage from your content, this episode offers practical advice on creating an efficient content system that works for financial advisory practices.

#FinancialAdvisors #ContentMarketing #PodcastStrategy #RIAMarketing

Marketing ROI: How to get real results sooner | Ep 129 Apr 202500:23:28

When should you expect results from your marketing investment? 

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber tackle the #1 question they hear from financial advisors in this straight-talking episode.

We break down: 

  • How to divide marketing into two buckets: operational vs. lead generation 
  • Why most advisory firms struggle to measure ROI (and what to measure instead) 
  • Realistic timelines for seeing results based on where your firm stands today 
  • The importance of tying marketing to your overall AUM or revenue goals

⏱️ Timestamps: 

  • (00:00) Welcome & intro 
  • (01:15) The most common question from advisors about marketing 
  • (03:00) Operational marketing vs. lead generation marketing 
  • (07:00) Setting realistic expectations for ROI timelines 
  • (11:30) Why measuring attribution is harder in 2025 
  • (14:20) How to tie marketing to your firm's AUM goals 
  • (18:45) Real examples: Quick win marketing tactics 
  • (21:30) Marketing investment benchmarks for growing firms 
  • (23:00) Final thoughts on ROI measurement

Whether you're evaluating a new marketing partner or measuring your current efforts, this episode gives you practical frameworks for thinking about marketing ROI in your financial advisory practice.

#FinancialAdvisors #RIAMarketing #MarketingROI #CraftImpact

Advisor transition success: The power of marketing & communications | Ep 2105 Nov 202500:38:59

Thinking about launching your own RIA, joining a new firm, or recruiting transitioning advisors?

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber share the behind-the-scenes story of how Craft Impact got into the RIA space and why marketing communications are critical during advisor transitions.

We cover:

  • How Craft Impact discovered the advisor transition opportunity through Stephen's brother-in-law Boston Cardinal

  • The marketing and communications challenges advisors face during business moves

  • Why firms with strong marketing presence have a competitive advantage in talent acquisition

  • The launch kit framework that takes marketing off advisors' plates during transitions

  • Best practices for transition communications that maximize asset retention

⏱️ Timestamps:

(0:00) Welcome & introduction to advisor launch kits

(2:25) The Craft Impact origin story - from nomadic freelancers to RIA specialists

(4:45) How Boston Cardinal brought us into the advisor transition space

(8:30) Why marketing communications matter during advisor moves

(12:15) The talent acquisition advantage of strong marketing presence

(15:45) Components of an effective advisor launch kit

(21:30) Transition communication strategies that work

(25:10) How marketing influences asset retention during moves

(28:40) Framework for supporting advisor transitions

Whether you're an advisor considering a move or a firm looking to attract transitioning talent, this episode reveals how strategic marketing communications can be the difference between a smooth transition and a bumpy one.


We help financial advisors reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Craft on Tap on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and learn more about our services at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠craftimpact.com

As mentioned in the podcast, check out the Vantage Impact Checklists.

Hire a marketing agency or build in-house? | Ep 2021 Oct 202500:38:59

Thinking about building your marketing team in-house instead of hiring an agency?

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber share the honest truth about agency vs. in-house vs. hybrid marketing approaches for financial advisory firms…even when it means selling against themselves.

We cover:

  • Why you should consider building in-house first (yes, we're serious)

  • The level of brand intimacy "only" an in-house person can provide

    • The hidden costs and management challenges of hiring marketing talent
    • Why an agency CAN be the right call
    • When the hybrid model works (and when it creates chaos)

    • How to set clear roles and avoid the "who's driving the bus" problem

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (0:00) Welcome & our agency bias confession

    (1:45) Why you should consider building in-house first

    (5:35) The power of brand intimacy with in-house marketing

    (13:45) The cons of in-house: management, training, and the unicorn problem

    (18:00) Agency pros: strategy, expertise, and data across multiple clients

    (22:10) Agency cons: cost and speed limitations

    (26:25) The hybrid model: when it works and when it fails

    (30:15) Final thoughts and unicorn hat offer

    Whether you're weighing your first marketing hire or considering a change in approach, this episode provides an unbiased look at what each model offers for growing RIA firms.

    We help financial advisors reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠Craft on Tap on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠and learn more about our services at ⁠⁠⁠⁠craftimpact.com

    Webinars: 11 tips to boost client engagement [Case Study] | Ep 1915 Oct 202500:47:00

    Do webinars still work in 2025?

    Yes, for the right audience.  And especially as a way to mass-market & engage your current clients. Using real data from a $3B AUM firm, Stephen & Faustin talk about the pros and cons of webinars as a tool for advisory firms, and share 11 tips to boost client engagement.

    We cover:

    • Why the 80/20 approach (marketing to clients vs. strangers) makes webinars more valuable 

    • How Burney Company increased webinar registrations from 60 to 150+ per session 

    • The 11 tactics that drive consistent attendance and engagement 

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (0:00) Welcome & why webinars aren't dead 

    (4:05) Burney Company case study introduction - $3B firm

    (6:15) The validation process - interviewing clients first 

    (9:23) Crisis communication advantage - tariff response example 

    (14:20) The data - 250% increase in registrations 

    (17:50) 11 tactical tips for webinar success 

    (18:05) Tip 1: Commit to regular cadence 

    (19:00) Tip 2: Same time, same day consistency 

    (22:00) Tips 3-4: Multiple presenters and mixing team members 

    (23:30) Tip 5: Interactive Q&A formats using Slido 

    (26:10) Tip 6: Top-of-mind topics aligned with client service calendar 

    (29:25) Tip 7: Multi-channel promotion strategy 

    (32:20) Tip 8: Professional landing pages that convert 

    (33:45) Tip 9: Recorded follow-up with key takeaways 

    (37:00) Tips 10-11: Feedback loops and marketing champions 

    (39:12) Bonus experiments - niche webinars and exclusivity tactics

    This episode provides a proven framework for turning webinars into a cornerstone of your client engagement strategy.

    We help financial advisors reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠Craft on Tap on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠and learn more about our services at ⁠⁠⁠craftimpact.com

    #FinancialAdvisors #ClientEngagement #Webinars #RIAMarketing

    Are lead magnets worth it for financial advisors? How to convert prospects | Ep 1804 Oct 202501:00:36

    Lead magnets have been the poster child of inbound marketing for over a decade, but are they still effective for financial advisory firms? Stephen and Faustin discuss the evolution of lead magnets, from HubSpot's original flywheel approach to today's more complex, pinball-machine buyer journey.

    • History lesson: How and why lead magnets became a key component of inbound marketing, particularly with the HubSpot community.

    • The current state in 2025: It's not as simple as it used to be, with Google AI overviews keeping searchers on Google and people far more hesitant to share their contact information.

    • Three critical stages: Matching your lead magnet to where prospects are in their journey (browsing vs. researching vs. advisor shopping).

    • What works now: Specific examples from retirement checklists to equity compensation calculators.

    • The biggest mistake: Generic newsletter signup popups that hurt more than help.

    • Landing page essentials: Why 3D mockups and one-minute videos can boost conversions for your lead magnets.

    • Promotion strategy: The "jab, jab, jab, hook" methodology for building an audience before asking.

  • TL;DR: Don't expect lead magnet downloads to become discovery calls overnight. The real value is building your nurture list for long-term relationship development.

  • ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (0:00) History of lead magnets and HubSpot's influence

    (3:55) The "Delight" phase and the full HubSpot Flywheel explained

    (6:30) Why the linear funnel is dead - the pinball machine effect

    (11:00) Current lead magnet trends from B2B SaaS companies

    (17:00) Three buyer journey stages and content alignment

    (29:45) What NOT to do - newsletter popup rant

    (34:05) Setting realistic expectations for lead magnet conversion and follow-up

    (40:50) Lead magnet examples that convert

    (47:50) The importance of interactive and specific lead magnet formats

    (49:25) Landing page optimization tips

    (54:30) Promotion strategies across channels

    Lead magnets can still be a powerful tool for RIAs, but for success, you'll need audience alignment, precise timing, and realistic expectations.

    We help financial advisors reach their AUM goals through marketing that works. Subscribe to Craft on Tap on YouTube and learn more about what we do at craftimpact.com.

    Should I include pricing on my firm's website? | Ep 1715 Sep 202500:51:19

    One of the most polarizing questions in financial advisor marketing: Should you display your fees online?

    Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber break down Marcus Sheridan's "Big Five" content marketing principles and create their own five-level framework specifically for advisory firms.

    Despite 44% of affluent investors wanting pricing information, many RIA firms choose not to provide it. There are certainly pros & cons. Here's how to think through this decision strategically.

    We cover:

    • Why this Reddit debate sparked intense reactions from both camps
    • Marcus Sheridan's "Big Five" content marketing topics that build trust
    • The Ensemble Practice study showing what affluent investors want
    • Our five-level pricing transparency framework for advisory firms
    • Real client examples: Instrumental Wealth's exit planning, BKFI's tiered approach, Root Financial's FAQ strategy
    • How to balance transparency with your sales process
    • The mental hurdles advisors face around pricing vulnerability
    • Why level zero (contact us for pricing) leaves opportunity on the table

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    • (0:00) Intro & context for the pricing question

    • (4:46) Marcus Sheridan's influence and the "Big Five" content pillars

    • (7:25) Why pricing is the fifth pillar of content marketing 

    • (12:08) Advantages vs. disadvantages of pricing transparency 
    • (14:55) Our five-level framework for advisory firm pricing 
    • (21:00) Firm example: Instrumental Wealth flat-fee range
    • (25:24) Firm example: BKFI's tiered pricing
    • (32:55) Client example: Root Financial's FAQ integration 
    • (39:26) Level 3 and 4: Industry education and pricing calculators 
    • (46:56) The future of pricing transparency and AI search

    Whether you're firmly in the "never show pricing" camp or ready to embrace full transparency, this episode gives you a framework to make the right decision for your firm and target market.


    We help financial advisors reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing. Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠Craft on Tap on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠and learn more about our services at ⁠⁠⁠craftimpact.com


    How to align a marketing strategy with your RIA’s business goals | Ep 1628 Aug 202500:43:52

    What does "marketing strategy" really mean for financial advisors?

    Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber discuss arguably the most overused buzzwords in marketing by walking through three real client scenarios.

    Strategy isn't just the tactics or goals. It’s the custom plan that connects your business objectives to specific marketing actions.

    We cover:

    • Why templated "Package A, B, C" approaches don't work for advisory firms
    • The deep audit and discovery process behind an effective strategy
    • Three detailed case studies: niching down to nurses, launching a tax practice, and exit planning for business owners
    • How to set meaningful KPIs beyond vanity metrics
    • The attribution challenge in modern marketing (hint: it's all connected)
    • Why strategy requires ongoing iteration and measurement

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (0:00) What marketing strategy actually means vs. common misconceptions

    (7:30) Why custom strategies beat templated packages every time

    (10:00) Case study 1: The 50M firm targeting nurses - audience research deep dive

    (17:00) Audit, discovery, and messaging strategy fundamentals

    (26:50) Case study 2: Billion-dollar firm launching tax practice - brand integration

    (31:35) Case study 3: 300M firm focusing on business owner exit planning

    (34:40) The importance of measuring what works and eliminating what doesn't

    (36:25) Attribution challenges

    (42:00) Strategy fundamentals: business goals, ideal client personas, and execution

    Whether you're evaluating marketing partners or building internal strategy, this episode reveals how strategic thinking drives real results for advisory firms.

    We help financial advisors reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing. Subscribe to ⁠⁠Craft on Tap on YouTube ⁠⁠and learn more about our services at ⁠⁠craftimpact.com


    How investors choose financial advisors: 2025 survey insights | Ep 1521 Aug 202500:34:02

    What drives affluent investors to choose one financial advisor over another?

    In this episode of The Craft On Tap Podcast, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber talk through 2025 industry research published by The Ensemble Practice and re-shared on the Nerd’s Eye View by CEO Philip Palaveev.

    Important links:

    It’s packed full of good data, but we focus in on a few of the questions in particular:

    • Which investors are actively shopping for new advisors
    • What investors say they “start with” when looking for a new advisor
    • What investors are looking for on your firm website
    • The service investors value the most in an advisory firm

    Go check out the full survey on the Ensemble Practice website. Some great stuff here!

    Timestamps:

    (0:00) Introduction: Growth marketing and investor survey data

    (3:10) Who's actively shopping for advisors

    (4:06) Firm size and client retention

    (6:54) How investors begin their advisor search process

    (9:12) Affluent investor referral patterns vs general population

    (13:20) The importance of CPA and professional referral partnerships

    (16:40) What information investors want on advisor websites

    (17:55) The pricing transparency debate and client considerations

    (22:20) Firm history and team bios important for affluent investors

    (25:35) Investment philosophy and financial planning approach

    (27:45) Services investors value most: comprehensive planning focus

    (32:02) Marketing strategy takeaways for RIA firms


    We help financial advisors reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing. Subscribe to ⁠Craft on Tap on YouTube ⁠and learn more about our services at ⁠craftimpact.com

    Should I target a specific company with my firm's marketing? | Ep 2505 Feb 202600:47:15

    You've heard about niching down, but what about going even deeper with company-specific marketing?

    Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber explain how financial advisory firms can use account-based marketing (ABM) to attract clients from specific companies without alienating their broader client base. This episode shares real client examples and tactical strategies that have generated discovery calls and referrals.

    They cover:

    • Why company-specific marketing can sometimes work better than broad digital campaigns for RIAs

    • How to create microsites and landing pages for specific personas or companies

    • Real examples: targeting law firm partners and tech company employees

    • Building the infrastructure first (before you start outbound)

    • LinkedIn strategies, referral tactics, and using Slack channels to your advantage

    • Why this is a long-term play, not a quick-win strategy

    • When paid ads actually make sense for financial advisors

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (0:00) Welcome & shout out to Michael Kitces

    (3:29) What is account-based marketing for fiduciary financial advisors?

    (5:22) Example: Targeting law firm partners without alienating other clients

    (8:12) The importance of client interviews for messaging

    (9:33) Creating a microsite as your marketing foundation

    (12:48) Supporting collateral: PDFs and sales enablement

    (18:20) LinkedIn outreach strategies that don't feel salesy

    (20:00) Why this is a long-term play, not instant leads

    (24:30) Going deeper: company-specific marketing tactics

    (27:00) Real example: Leveraging 20+ clients at one tech company

    (30:30) How to rank on Google for company-specific benefits searches

    (33:00) The holy grail: Getting referred in company Slack channels

    (36:50) Using webinars and video for company-specific marketing

    (39:00) When paid ads actually work for financial advisors

    (40:36) Capitalizing on company catalysts (tender offers, IPOs)

    (43:30) Final thoughts and action steps

    Whether you're a mid-sized RIA looking to expand strategically or you already have several clients at one company, this episode offers a proven framework for scaling through account-based marketing without the generic spray-and-pray approach.

    Craft Impact is a growth marketing agency that helps financial advisory firms reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing.

    Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Craft on Tap on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and learn more about our growth marketing services at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠craftimpact.com⁠.


    5 marketing mistakes advisors make (and what to do instead) | Ep 2910 Mar 202600:45:24

    Most advisory firms are working harder on marketing than they need to.

    In this episode, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber pull from years of onboarding RIAs across the country to share the five most common marketing mistakes they see, and what to do instead.

    They cover:

    • Why your existing clients are your most underutilized marketing asset
    • How to get serious about who you're proactively marketing to
    • Why posting without a strategy will always fizzle out
    • The real cost of neglecting your website while chasing social channels
    • Why burning money on paid ads before your foundation is solid is a trap

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (0:00) Introduction: Growth marketing for RIAs.

    (1:03) Mistake #1: Ignoring your clients as part of your marketing efforts.

    (3:02) Story: How a shift to marketing to existing clients changed the firm's approach.

    (10:22) Mistake #2: Not getting serious about who you are proactively marketing to.

    (17:35) Mistake #3: Posting on social channels without an overarching strategy in place.

    (24:50) Mistake #4: Neglecting the website while going all-in on different channels.

    (32:51) Example: How prospects use specific service pages to validate a firm's expertise.

    (37:01) Mistake #5: Burning money on paid ads before the foundation is solid.

    (45:06) Final thoughts: Summary and request for podcast reviews.


    Whether you're in growth mode or just getting your marketing off the ground, this episode is a practical gut check for where your time and money should go under the marketing umbrella.

    #FinancialAdvisors #RIAMarketing #GrowthMarketing #CraftOnTap

    What marketing metrics should advisors track in 2026? | Ep 2804 Mar 202600:43:27

    Are you drowning in data but starving for growth? In 2026, it’s easier than ever to get "great" marketing numbers that result in zero new clients.

    In this episode, Craft Impact’s CEO Stephen Beach and Marketing Strategist Faustin Weber walk through the six marketing metrics they're monitoring across their RIA clients that act as a guide rope to success.

    They cover:

    • Why AUM growth is still the only North Star that matters… and why trying to draw a straight line from a single post to new clients will drive you crazy
    • What makes a discovery call "qualified"...and why booking 30 calls that go nowhere is worse than booking five good ones
    • How to identify your firm's top referral evangelists and what to do with that information once you have it
    • The simplest way to measure brand awareness in a digital world
    • Why "deep engagement signals" matter more than likes and views
    • AI visibility and reputation: what to track, what to ignore, and why you shouldn't panic if you're not ranking in ChatGPT yet

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (00:00) Welcome and episode overview

    (01:34) Metric 1: AUM growth as your North Star

    (04:00) Why marketing attribution is harder than ever in 2026

    (06:45) Metric 2: Qualified discovery calls

    (08:58) The ad agency experiment that produced zero results

    (10:30) Metric 3: Referral sources and your top evangelists

    (16:34) Metric 4: Homepage visits and branded search queries

    (19:27) The simplest way to measure brand awareness digitally

    (20:48) Google Search Console is free, fast, and underused

    (24:26) Metric 5: Deep engagement signals

    (28:05) The 73 percent from Indonesia YouTube problem

    (33:13) Metric 6: AI visibility and reputation reviews

    (41:37) What to solve for instead of chasing LLM rankings

    AI Visibility Tool Referenced: https://geoptie.com/geo-rank-tracker

    #FinancialAdvisors #RIAMarketing #MarketingMetrics #GrowthMarketing #AUM #BrandAwareness #AISearch #DigitalMarketing #FinancialAdvisorMarketing

    Instagram tips & tricks for financial advisors | Ep 2725 Feb 202600:32:37

    Is Instagram worth your time as a financial advisor?

    Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber talk through Instagram: who should be on it, how to use it strategically, and why your KPIs probably need a reset.

    We cover:

    • How to decide if Instagram is even the right channel for your firm
    • Why reels and collaborative posts are the fastest path to growing your audience
    • The difference between reels, feed posts, and stories and what each one is actually for
    • The "pinball machine" approach to building relationships that convert over time
    • Quick tips on geotagging, adding audio to image posts, and optimizing your profile

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (0:00) Welcome & is Instagram right for your firm?

    (1:06) 2026 demographic data: who's actually on Instagram

    (3:00) Solo advisors vs. larger firms: a different approach

    (5:13) Two reasons Instagram works: reel reach and collaborative posts

    (7:36) The "Walmart & Waffle House" growth strategy

    (10:35) Defining content: reels vs. feed posts vs. stories

    (12:41) Using stories to "pour fuel" on your reels

    (15:53) Advanced tips: adding audio to image posts and geotagging

    (18:20) Optimizing your Instagram profile like a mini website

    (25:25) Case study: from Instagram engagement to discovery calls

    (28:50) Relational vs. transactional: building a "pinball machine"

    (31:00) Why watch time and views beat "likes"

    (32:15) Closing thoughts

    This episode gives you a realistic framework for how financial advisors can use the platform to build awareness, grow a qualified audience, and stay top of mind until prospects are ready to act.

    Craft Impact is a growth marketing agency that helps financial advisors reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing.

    Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Craft on Tap on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and learn more about our growth marketing services at craftimpact.com.

    #FinancialAdvisors #InstagramMarketing #RIAMarketing #SocialMediaStrategy

    How to market your podcast (and turn one episode into weeks of content) | Ep 2617 Feb 202600:57:28

    Recording a podcast is the easy part. Getting people to listen or care? That's the hard part.

    Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber share actionable tips for marketing your financial advisor podcast, from equipment setup to distribution strategy across every channel.

    They cover:

    • Essential tech setup (without breaking the bank or your brain)

    • How to generate episode ideas that your ideal clients care about

    • The production quality that matters (and what doesn't)

    • Turning one 30-minute recording into 2-3 weeks of social content

    • YouTube optimization strategies that drive subscribers

    • Email and LinkedIn distribution tactics that work

    • The "Walmart-Waffle House" strategy for explosive growth

    • Getting featured on industry podcast lists

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (0:00) Welcome & why podcast marketing matters more than downloads

    (1:41) Setting goals for your podcast strategy

    (3:17) Why video podcasts beat audio-only in 2026

    (5:36) Tech recommendations: cameras, mics, and software

    (7:42) Finding episode topics your clients want

    (10:56) Production tips for better engagement

    (15:16) Writing titles and descriptions for discovery

    (20:21) The cold open hook that keeps people watching

    (22:25) Website strategy for your podcast library

    (24:38) Email marketing and LinkedIn newsletters

    (27:30) Social distribution: maximizing every episode

    (36:51) The Walmart-Waffle House guest strategy

    (47:34) Getting on top podcast lists for your niche

    (50:41) Final quick-hit tactics across channels

    Whether you're launching your first podcast or looking to get more mileage from episodes you're already recording, this episode gives you the complete playbook for turning your podcast into a systematic content engine that fuels growth across every channel.

    Craft Impact is a growth marketing agency that helps financial advisors reach their AUM goals through strategic marketing.

    Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Craft on Tap on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and learn more about our growth marketing services at ⁠⁠⁠⁠ craftimpact.com.



    Guest Kendra Wright: What’s working in financial advisor marketing | Ep 3323 Apr 202601:13:04

    Most advisors are running their marketing in too many directions at once, speaking to too many people, and wondering why nothing converts. In this episode of Craft on Tap, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber sit down with Kendra Wright, founder of Rebel Media Agency and host of Advisor Marketing Made Simple, for a candid conversation about what is moving the needle for RIAs right now.

    Kendra is one of the sharpest marketing minds in the financial advisory space, and yes, she and the Craft Impact team are technically competitors. But they're also aligned on something more important: the industry deserves better marketing, and there's more than enough room to raise the bar together.

    They cover:

    • Target personas and the funnel

    • Scaling lead flow with video

    • The efficiency of repurposing

    • Logic-based booking systems

    • Referrals versus scalable digital channels

    • Generational shifts in advisor selection

    • The 50% marketing cut

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (0:28) Intro: Welcome, Kendra Wright of Rebel Media Agency

    (4:40) Why "one client type per funnel" is the first fix

    (13:02) Case Study: How Thomas Cook landed 10 new clients via YouTube

    (22:39) Kendra’s spicy take on why content repurposing is often a waste of money

    (31:51) Designing a right fit booking process to protect your calendar

    (46:53) Real-world impact: Adding $160,000 in revenue by removing 100+ unqualified leads

    (53:23) The Great Debate: Are referrals the icing or the cake of an advisor’s strategy?

    (1:00:35) Exploring the "referral ceiling" and changing generational consumer habits

    (1:11:40) Closing exercise: Reclaiming focus through the 50% marketing cut 

    Interested in more marketing tips? Reach out directly: stephen@craftimpact.com or faustin@craftimpact.com

    🎙️ Learn more about how Craft Impact helps RIAs with their marketing: craftimpact.com

    🔔 Subscribe to Craft on Tap on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts

    ➡️ Follow Kendra Wright on LinkedIn

    🔔Subscribe to Kendra’s Newsletter

    ⭐ If this episode was useful, a 5-star rating helps other advisors find us.

    #RIAMarketing #AIMarketing #FinancialAdvisors #WealthManagement #GrowthMarketing #CraftOnTap #CraftImpact #ClaudeAI #MarketingForRIAs #FinancialAdvisorMarketing


    3 ways to level up your firm’s marketing with Claude | Ep 3215 Apr 202600:35:32

    Most advisors are still using Claude the same way they use ChatGPT: one question, one answer, starting from scratch every time.

    In this growth marketing Craft on Tap episode, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber tackle three specific ways to go further with Claude for your RIA’s marketing strategy. Each one builds on the last, and together, they can turn Claude into a real content engine. Whether you're brand new to AI or already comfortable with the basics, these steps are for you.

    They cover:

    • How Claude Projects eliminates the back-and-forth by giving Claude everything it needs to know about your firm before you type a single word

    • How Craft Impact uses Projects to onboard clients and share context seamlessly across their team

    • What Claude Skills are, why most advisors haven't discovered them yet, and how to build one that applies across every chat and project automatically

    • The anti-AI writing skill Faustin built to strip out AI slop, and how you can download it for free

    • What Claude Code actually is, why it unlocks a different league of marketing automation, and what a realistic setup timeline looks like

    • A real use case: using Claude Code to plug into YouTube's API, fetch transcripts, and optimize your content titles based on what's actually performing

    • Why content distribution is 50% of the equation, and why most advisors never get there

    • What will actually differentiate your content as more firms get up to speed with AI: personal stories, client case studies, and real thought leadership

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (0:35) Intro and Andy Baxley, CFP®, shoutout

    (3:40) Claude Chat versus Claude Projects

    (6:50) Sharing context across team members

    (9:25) Powerful features of Claude Cowork

    (12:15) Creating skills for repetitive tasks

    (15:35) Compiling team feedback into skills

    (18:28) Human review pass before publishing

    (21:05) API research using Claude Code

    (24:25) Synthesizing research into content scripts

    (27:15) Rising above noise with storytelling

    (32:15) Video and podcast marketing engines

    (34:40) Action items and final wrap-up

    Resource:

    Anti-AI Writing Skill

    Interested in a free one-hour Claude Code workshop? Reach out directly: stephen@craftimpact.com or faustin@craftimpact.com

    🎙️ Learn more about how Craft Impact helps RIAs with their marketing: craftimpact.com

    🔔 Subscribe to Craft on Tap on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts

    ⭐ If this episode was useful, a 5-star rating helps other advisors find us.

    #RIAMarketing #AIMarketing #FinancialAdvisors #WealthManagement #GrowthMarketing #CraftOnTap #CraftImpact #ClaudeAI #MarketingForRIAs #FinancialAdvisorMarketing


    Email marketing for firms: Do this first | Ep 3131 Mar 202600:19:12

    Is your firm sending the same email to everyone?

    In this episode, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber explain why contact segmentation is the real secret sauce to growth marketing for RIAs. Before you worry about your subject lines or send frequency, take this step to get your data foundation done right.

    We cover:

    • Why many advisory firms have disorganized contact lists and why that's costing them results.
    • The first two segments every firm should set up immediately: clients vs. prospects.
    • How marketing personas take the guesswork out of what content to send.
    • The danger of irrelevant content and how it creates a "sour taste" for your clients.
    • Why segmenting by retirement status and age range can dramatically improve engagement.
    • How your tech stack (HubSpot, Salesforce FSC, Tamarac, MailChimp) affects your segmentation strategy and what to do about it.

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (0:00) Welcome and why email segmentation is step one

    (1:59) The messy reality of firm contact lists

    (3:15) The first step: Breaking contacts into clients, prospects, COIs, and team members

    (6:23) Marketing personas and why they are worth the effort

    (10:28) Case study: Using exit planning content to drive referrals

    (11:13) The "annoyance" factor: Why irrelevant content hurts your brand

    (12:18) Segmenting by retirement status and age range

    (14:43) Tech stack considerations: CRM integrations and manual exports

    (17:37) Data hygiene and keeping lists clean as your firm grows

    (18:27) Key takeaways and how to get started today

    Whether your list is a single massive export from your CRM or a patchwork of spreadsheets from three different platforms, this episode gives you a clear, practical starting point for making your email marketing work.

    🎙️ Learn more about how Craft Impact helps RIAs with their marketing: craftimpact.com

    🔔 Subscribe to Craft on Tap on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts

    ⭐ If this episode was useful, a 5-star rating helps other advisors find us

    #EmailMarketing #FinancialAdvisors #RIAMarketing #MarketingForAdvisors #GrowthMarketing #CraftOnTap #WealthManagement #ContactSegmentation #HubSpot

    AI Search update & top takeaways from Gregory Report | Ep 3018 Mar 202600:44:16

    Everyone's talking about AI search. But what does the data say?

    After giving a contextual data update, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber share their top takeaways from the Gregory Agency's new research report on AI search for wealth management firms.

    Spoiler: Google isn't dead. And you probably shouldn't panic.

    They cover:

    • Why ChatGPT still represents a small fraction of overall search volume and what that means for your marketing strategy

    • The massive traffic gap that still exists between traditional search-sourced website visits & AI tool-sourced website visits as of February 2026

    • Why AI search is a visibility percentage game, not a leaderboard…and why anyone selling you "rank #1 in AI" is selling fool's gold

    • The single highest-leverage AI search asset your firm can create (hint: it's a page you probably don't have yet)

    • Why specific localized & persona searches level the playing field

    • How press releases and awards can become a triple play for AI search visibility

    • A reality check on how many leads are actually coming from AI search right now

    ⏱️ Timestamps:

    (0:00) Intro: AI was everywhere at Future Proof (let's talk about it)

    (2:41) The data before the hype: Q4 2025 search volume breakdown

    (5:50) Traffic, not just searches: Traditional search vs. AI tools in February 2026

    (9:18) Why driving traffic from LLMs is a "fool's errand" for most RIAs

    (11:40) AI search is a visibility percentage game, not a static leaderboard

    (14:34) Why you can't rank #1 in AI search (and how to spot "fool's gold")

    (18:38) Gregory Report breakdown: methodology and key measurements

    (21:11) Localized vs. national searches: David vs. Goliath for smaller firms

    (25:57) Persona pages: the highest-leverage AI search asset you can build

    (29:38) What if you don't have a niche? Service-specific pages as an alternative

    (33:00) PR citations and why awards press releases punch above their weight

    (35:42) The awards triple play: credibility, press releases, and distribution

    (37:07) Don't panic: how to build a long-term AI search strategy

    (39:39) Reality check: how many leads are firms actually getting from AI?

    Whether you're getting pitched on AI search optimization or just trying to figure out if you're falling behind, this episode gives you the data, context, and practical steps to make smart decisions,  not reactive ones.

    Download the full Gregory Agency report at gregoryagency.com/ai-search-report

    SparkToro Reports:

    https://sparktoro.com/blog/new-research-search-happens-everywhere-an-analysis-of-41-websites-with-significant-search-activity/

    https://sparktoro.com/blog/new-research-ais-are-highly-inconsistent-when-recommending-brands-or-products-marketers-should-take-care-when-tracking-ai-visibility/

    https://chatgpt-vs-google.com/?exclude=Bing%2CDuckDuckGo

    🎙️ Learn more about how Craft Impact helps RIAs with their marketing: craftimpact.com

    🔔 Subscribe to Craft on Tap on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts

    ⭐ If this episode was useful, a 5-star rating helps other advisors find us

    #RIAMarketing #AISearch #FinancialAdvisors #WealthManagement #GrowthMarketing #CraftOnTap #CraftImpact #GenerativeEngineOptimization #MarketingForRIAs #FinancialAdvisorMarketing


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