5 Compliance Tips From a Financial Advisor Marketing Consultant
Whether you’re creating a new website, publishing a blog post, or sharing content on social media, a financial advisor marketing consultant will tell you that compliance should always be top-of-mind.
Compliance is not a “set it and forget it” part of your business; instead, it should play an active role when crafting financial services marketing materials, client communication, blog posts, etc. Staying compliant not only protects your clients, but it also protects your reputation and integrity as a financial advisor.
Here’s what you should know about compliance from a financial advisor marketing consultant:
5 Compliance Best Practices
Without being overdramatic, it’s vital that you understand how important compliance is to the integrity of your business. Even if you see other advisors or firms participating in non-compliant promises or language, that doesn’t mean it’s safe (or smart) to follow suit. Cutting corners might seem harmless in the short term, but it can lead to serious consequences for your reputation, your clients, and your business. Staying compliant sets you apart as a trustworthy professional committed to doing things the right way.
1. Pay attention to regulation changes.
In order to follow the rules, you need to know what they are. You should have a pulse on when the SEC, FTC, FINRA and other regulatory entities make changes that impact your clients and your business. Compliance can feel like a moving target, as there are multiple regulatory bodies to keep track of. Signing up for alerts, newsletters, and professional publications can help you stay on top of new rules and enforcements.
2. Build a compliance policy.
Even if you are a small operation, anyone creating communication on behalf of your business should be following the same rules. Not everyone in your organization may need to be an expert in SEC or FINRA rules, but all team members should have a basic knowledge of what is within compliance. Having your entire team on the same page about the general do’s and don’ts can help prevent accidental violations.
3. Communicate with accuracy and transparency.
From SEO to blog posts, it’s important to keep all communication above board. Steer clear of saying anything that might come off misleading or overpromising. Using clear facts to back up your statements, including both potential risks and benefits, can help you maintain balanced communication with your clients, while staying compliant.
4. Keep organized records.
SEC Rule 204-2 requires financial advisors to keep records for certain types of communication including investment advice, client communications, marketing materials, and more. Develop an organized record keeping system to ensure you have all the required documentation in the case of an audit. Don’t forget about client communication through personal cell phones, social media accounts, and emails—those need to be archived too!
5. Create a review process.
Having additional sets of eyes on your marketing materials and client communications can help reduce errors. Our brains tend to auto-correct our own writing, which is why it is so helpful to have a safeguard to review our work. Not only will they likely catch a typo, but this layer of protection could catch language that could risk your compliance. Create a review process where materials are evaluated internally by a colleague or externally by a financial advisor marketing consultant to ensure your compliance.
Common Compliance Mistakes
Working in the financial industry means being prepared to handle the constant and ever-changing rules. Financial advisors are human, and with that comes the occasional mistake.
However, that excuse won’t fly when it comes to being out of compliance. Watch out for these common compliance pitfalls:
- Conflicts of interest
- Not staying up to date with regulatory changes
- Pushing back schedule audits
- Sharing testimonials or success stories without proper agreements
- Failing to keep records of social media posts
Tip: If you are unsure about your blog content being in line, read our Compliance Best Practices Guide to start updating your content.
Download the free checklist below:
Work With an Expert Financial Advisor Marketing Consultant
Are you feeling overwhelmed with making sure all your marketing materials and social media posts are compliant? Don’t stress, Indigo is here to help!
Our team offers custom digital marketing strategies, with specialists who are up to date on financial advisor compliance. Schedule your free strategy session today so we can help you create a personalized marketing plan that’s fully compliant.
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FAQs: Compliance Tips From a Financial Advisor Marketing Consultant
A financial advisor marketing consultant helps ensure your messaging, website content, social media posts, and email campaigns follow SEC and FINRA guidelines. They stay current on regulations so your marketing efforts don’t put your firm at risk.
Yes. A financial advisor marketing consultant complements your compliance team by creating content that’s designed to pass compliance review while still being engaging, effective, and SEO-optimized.
They monitor regulatory updates from the SEC, FINRA, and other governing bodies, and adapt your marketing strategies accordingly, saving you time and reducing your risk of non-compliance.
Absolutely. A good financial advisor marketing consultant will help you implement internal review processes and guidelines to ensure every piece of content is vetted before it’s published.
They can help you avoid common issues like unsubstantiated claims, outdated disclosures, improper use of testimonials, and failure to archive communications—mistakes that could trigger audits or fines.