By Amy Parvaneh, CEO of Select Advisors Institute.
It happens time and again: An advisor writes an article that is timely and full of good information. And then—nothing.
The article may be published as a blog, only to generate little or no readership or feedback. Or the advisor may shop it around to media outlets, only to be ignored.
Why is it so hard for advisors to get their articles read? A big reason is that countless stories are produced every day by advisors and other financial experts. They’re all competing for eyeballs—readers’ and editors’—and yours just doesn’t stand out against the competition.
To cut through the noise and earn attention, your articles must have not just substance but also sizzle. And a good way to do that is to write about topics that are controversial or contrarian.
Let’s be clear: We don’t mean drumming up fake controversy in order to generate interest. That’s just not necessary. The fact is that most advisors dohave a unique, contrarian perspective on certain subjects. Maybe you have something to say about how advisors should be paid. Or why investors should ignore Wall Street’s latest product fad. Or maybe you’re convinced that Americans are thinking about college funding all wrong.
Wherever you and conventional wisdom part ways, you have the raw material for a compelling article. Identifying that topic and creating an story with some sizzle can mean the difference between getting 40 views and getting hundreds of views.
Now for a reality check: The fact is that it is difficult for those who are not professional writers or publicists to pull off such articles. Not only do you have to select the right subject, spin and tone, but then you must create a cogent, polished piece of work. For many advisors, it’s a little like figuring out how to play the piano on the spot.
Rather than invest precious time learning to write and place articles through trial and error, successful advisors turn to us to create articles for them.
At Select Advisors, our team pinpoints compelling topics based on our in-depth knowledge of the advisor and his or her areas of expertise. Our ghost-written articles are created by a team of professionals, with journalism backgrounds. Our advisors retain full control by reviewing and approving the articles before they are distributed.
There are no shortcuts in this process: From brainstorming to writing to placement, creating each article takes about 10 hours total. But it’s well worth it: Because of the product we produce—and our relationships with editors and journalists—we are typically successful in getting our stories published in national or local media.
In the age of information, it’s more challenging than ever for advisors to stand out against the crowd. Our job at Select Advisors is to make sure you beat the odds.