Financial product marketing can be done by different types of firms, including banks or investment management companies. Marketing financial products requires a familiarity with an audience, economy, and social environment so that the message remains relevant. It is important to determine the demographic, or the individual group, that is being targeted by the seller and also be aware of any competitors' messages that may also resonate with potential clients.
Involving different divisions of a financial firm in financial product marketing can be effective. Top executives, product developers, and salespeople may all be able to contribute in some way. A salesperson, for instance, knows the existing clientele at a firm.
The sales individual is familiar with how loyal clients have been and the amount of revenue they produce for the firm. Often, sales professionals are also aware of a competitor's landscape as a result of solid industry relationships. This can be extremely helpful if there is a sense that a rival's client might be looking for a change or if an existing customer might be appropriate for a product upgrade. Although sales and marketing teams may work separately, they can certainly compliment one another in the financial product marketing process.
The study of unsuccessful financial product marketing campaigns of other firms may be useful. It may be necessary to hire an outside consultant in order to accomplish this, but it may be worth it to learn what not to do. Consultants frequently perform case studies on past events and, with or without disclosing the name of the previous client, may be able to share some useful tactics.
Mass marketing programs may be criticized because a targeted demographic is not being addressed. Concerns may be that marketing money can be wasted, and a message can fall on deaf ears if it reaches an unqualified audience. A marketing technique known as segmentation might help support a targeted approach.
Segmentation involves identifying a target audience and then tailoring a financial product marketing campaign to that group. Categorizing groups of people by a common theme, such as the demographic to which they belong, is one way to perform segmentation. Learning about the purchasing history of this group, or the typical investment history of a demographic, will allow the marketing professionals to drill down even further.
Financial services, including wealth management and banking, is a relationship-driven business. As a result, marketing financial products may in some ways need to be amended to satisfy different needs. Customer referrals are another way to attempt to market a financial product to a new potential client.