Craft on Tap, Growth Marketing for RIAs

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 f...

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...

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 a...

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 ...

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 Sma...

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 award...

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 thro...

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...

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 know...

"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 ...

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 m...

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...

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...

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 
• Th...