Maximize Your Plan Advising with Effective Content and Contact Strategy

So you're a plan adviser, and you've started thinking, "Hey, maybe I should tap into this whole content marketing thing." Good call. Considering how your current methods might not be as appealing as those PowerPoint presentations you pulled together in 2009, it's probably about time. But before you venture down this swirling vortex of "likes" and "shares," let’s dial things back to the realm of actual contact. You know, since that's where the conversion magic supposedly happens.

First things first: if your phone-based strategy is sagging more than your great-aunt's sofa, the issue might not be with your SDRs. Let's be brutally honest here; your current dialing software might be as useful as a screen door on a submarine. When it comes to an effective contact rate, your pick up rate is the name of the game. A power dial software or auto dialer that puts the wind in your sails might be what you’re missing. We're all for fancy AI-driven content to woo your next-gen leaders, but when the rubber meets the road, it’s the call center software that can make or break the ice.

Now, about reaching those elusive potential clients with your metallic web of social media content and emails—trust me, an email campaign isn't going to save you. Sure, Rebecca Hourihan is all about consistent campaigns, but we can't overlook how the phone has a direct line to those clients-in-waiting. In fact, send out too many unwelcome emails and see how fast you wind up as digital spam. Hold that thought—spam flagging is something you should stress over, just like your grandma stresses over expired milk.

For a real leg up, you'd better start looking into technology capable of adjusting to whatever TCPA regulations decide to rain on your parade next. Fake compliance is about as attractive as an expired cheese platter. Automated calls, fueled by either a predictive dialer or a less offensive adjective, could streamline your outbound calling performance in ways that would make even Watson jealous.

While you fiddle with your multimedia presentations and avatar-infested video conferences to draw those potential clients out, remember that even if they "like" you online, a virtual nod won't save your career. Those smiling faces on Zoom—who, let's be frank, are also shopping for the snazziest TikTok hashtags—are essentially what you need to capture. But your call center strategy is like a fine beverage; it requires the right blend of ingredients. Don't kill the buzz with sour notes—a steady stream of missed calls due to poor dialing solutions isn’t going to turn any leads into gold.

And don’t even get me started on phone numbers. One moment they’re your trusty troopers, the next, they’re hopelessly entangled in spam flagging limbo. Let's talk phone number remediation—because nobody loves a tarnished number. Ensuring that your numbers are clean and healthy isn’t just a courtesy; it’s the digital deodorant that keeps your name fresh in the competitive world where reputation is everything.

Ultimately, Hourihan’s idea that plan advisers should play the social game isn't completely misguided. Softening up prospects with a well-timed short video here and a catchy meme there is all well and good. But, remember that charm and wit might win a few laughs, but if your clients can’t reach you—or simply don’t want to pick up—then it's all coming down faster than a card house in a windstorm.

So, as you commit to “showing expertise” through reels, remember to pair that with a phone system that actually connects and converts on the backend. The content marketing flourish is the tempting dessert, while the call strategy is the satisfying main course needed to seal the deal. And as always, keep keenly updated—whether it’s on social algorithms or the latest dialing tech—because outdated is so yesterday.

Sure, keep networking and perfecting your sales pitch in those email signature banners. But also ensure when the time comes for a live conversation, you've made it easy for prospects to say “hello” instead of “hell no.” When you align sparkling content with stellar contact rates, you might finally start seeing those elusive conversions come, well… full circle.