We know that being a trusted financial advisor is all about building strong relationships, but do we do enough to show genuine appreciation for our clients? You may think your digital marketing campaigns, modern website, and birthday cards are enough — but if you want more loyalty, you have to show more gratitude. Client appreciation events increase your brand awareness, put you face to face with clients, and, most of all, provide a meaningful “thank you” to your clients.
Here’s how to make your client party ideas a big hit with a big turn out.
It’s all about the timing
The key to timing is to focus on the “client” part of client appreciation and choose an event date and time that best suits the majority of your invitees. What may be a slow time of year for you could be the busiest for your clients, so be considerate when you’re scheduling your event to make your clients more receptive.
Think appreciation, not acquisition
Your event is all about your clients and not about growing your AUM — at least not directly. If one of your guests begins discussing financial planning, by all means share your thoughts! But you want to make sure your customer appreciation event doesn’t turn into a sales or consulting event. Your clients are there to enjoy themselves, and if you make them feel at ease and welcome, the business end of the relationship will take care of itself.
Client appreciation is a family affair
If you were invited to a customer appreciation event, you might be hesitant to accept because you don’t know the other guests. Your clients feel the same way — they probably want to go, but they feel it could be awkward. Always make it clear in your event marketing that family and friends of your clients are more than welcome to attend the event. Your clients will feel more comfortable and more appreciated — and you’ll gain access to potential referrals.
Customer Appreciation Event Ideas
While there are many client appreciation event ideas, most financial advisors want to create events that are a good balance between affordable and fun. Whether it’s a bowling night with local business clients or a bonafide appreciation party, make your events fun and inviting for the best turnout. Here are a few customer appreciation event ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
Wine and Beer Tasting
Whether you create an event at a local winery or host an evening of burgers and beer at a local brewery, choosing a location and event theme that’s popular in your community is a proven winner. These casual customer appreciation events are a wonderful way to say “thank you” and they don’t have to break the bank to be a hit.
Cooking Class
Many communities have venues that offer cooking classes in a fun and relaxing atmosphere. Whether your clients enjoy learning about culinary techniques or simply getting their fill of a new dish, you can bet a cooking class will be a client appreciation event they’ll remember.
Golf Clinic
Golf is as much a social activity as it is a sporting one, and you can bet plenty of your clients play. Instead of the regular 18-hole round with the usual clients, talk to the local golf pro about putting on a mini-golf clinic for a group. Your clients will appreciate the help with their golf game and you get plenty of time to be social.
How to Promote Client Events
Client appreciation events show how much you care about the relationship you share. But events can’t work if your clients don’t get the invite! If you want more clients at your next event, you need to use the most powerful marketing tools to reach them. Watch this video to learn how you use email, social media, and other digital mediums to get the word out to more clients.
How to Use Client Events to Get More Referrals
We know that great clients typically refer other great clients. But are you using client appreciation events to show your gratitude to those great clients? If you’re not, you’re missing out on referral opportunities and you are risking losing your most prized clients. Watch this video to learn how to make your next customer appreciation event a referral resource.
Learn how FMG Suite can help you put client appreciation events and other proven marketing tools to work for your advisory. Schedule a demo and find out how easy driving traffic, generating leads, and creating more conversions can be with our financial advisory marketing hub, Attract™.
