As a financial advisor in Switzerland, you face a major challenge: how do you acquire clients in a highly regulated market? Client acquisition requires not only professional know-how, but also strategic skill and a deep understanding of the needs of your target group.
In this article, we present effective methods for acquiring new customers that take both traditional and innovative approaches into account. After reading it, you will know how to make the most of your network, use digital channels successfully and position yourself skillfully in the Swiss financial landscape.
Contents
The most important facts at a glance
- Customer acquisition in Switzerland requires a balanced mix of traditional and digital methods of customer acquisition.
- Networking, events and presentations are proven offline strategies, while a strong online presence, SEO and social media cover the digital side.
- Cold calling is subject to strict legal regulations in Switzerland. It is better to try to convince through expertise, customer care and co.
- A clear target group definition and niche strategy will help you stand out from the competition and strengthen your personal brand image.
- Continuously measure your acquisition success, optimize your strategies and adapt flexibly to market changes in order to successfully acquire customers in the long term.
Types of customer acquisition
As a financial advisor in Switzerland, you have various options for acquiring clients. It is important to know these and use them in a targeted manner in order to successfully acquire new clients.
Offline vs. online
The classic offline methods of customer acquisition are still relevant:
- Use of personal networks
- Participation in trade fairs and congresses
- Organizing presentations and workshops
- Local advertising (print, radio)
Digital strategies are becoming increasingly important:
- Establishing a professional internet presence
- Content marketing and search engine optimization (SEO)
- Social media marketing (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram)
- Email marketing
- Online advertising (Google Ads, social media ads)
Forms of acquisition
The customer contacts you after becoming aware of your content/offer – this is also known as inbound marketing. This often happens through
- Recommendation from existing customers
- Findability in search engines
- interesting content on your website or in social networks
In contrast, outbound marketing involves actively approaching potential customers. This is highly regulated in Switzerland and includes
- Telephone contact
- Sending e-mails
- Direct mailings
- Personal contact at events
Legal framework conditions
In Switzerland, the regulation of cold calling has been tightened in recent years. Of particular importance are the amendments to the Telecommunications Act (TCA) and the Unfair Competition Act (UCA) of 2020.
Restrictions on cold calling
- Telephone: Cold calling is only permitted if the person contacted has given their prior consent or a business relationship exists.
- Email: Unsolicited advertising emails are only permitted if the recipient has consented or is a customer.
- SMS: The same applies to advertising by SMS.
- Letters: Direct mail is permitted unless there is a prohibition on the letterbox.
Reading tip: How do you become a financial advisor in Switzerland?
Traditional methods of customer acquisition
Despite increasing digitalization, traditional methods of customer acquisition are still relevant. They enable personal contact and the building of trust, which is particularly important in the financial sector.
The personal network is often the best starting point for customer acquisition:
- Family and friends: Let your immediate circle know about your services. Do not ask for orders directly, but ask for recommendations from people who could benefit from your expertise.
- Former colleagues and business partners: Reactivate old contacts and inform them about your new field of activity.
- Former networks: Use contacts with former fellow students or school friends.
- Local clubs and organizations: Get involved in your community to make new contacts.
Industry-specific events offer excellent networking opportunities:
- Present yourself at trade shows as a participant or exhibitor and tap into new contacts.
- Attend regular events organized by chambers of commerce or business associations.
- Use platforms/suitable event formats for cross-industry networking.
Position yourself as an expert with your own events:
- Organize lectures on current financial topics at local educational institutions or libraries.
- Offer practical training courses, e.g. on retirement provision or investment strategies.
- Combine traditional and digital methods with online seminars.
- Present yourself with an information stand at local markets or city festivals.
Use traditional media to reach your target group:
- Place advertisements or write guest articles on financial topics.
- Place advertisements in publications that your target group reads, e.g. business magazines.
- Distribute information material at strategic locations such as banks, insurance offices or local stores.
- Use local advertising space, especially in places where your target group frequently spends time.
Further ideas and methods
- Cooperation with complementary service providers: Work together with lawyers, tax consultants or estate agents and recommend each other.
- Sponsoring: Support local sports clubs or cultural events to raise your profile.
- Open day: Invite interested parties to your law firm to make your working methods transparent.
- Charity events: Organize or support charity events to show your social commitment and make new contacts.
- Customer advisory board: Set up an advisory board made up of satisfied customers who act as ambassadors for your services.
Important: With all these methods, it is important to appear authentic and value-oriented. The aim should be to convince potential customers of your expertise and build trust rather than appearing pushy. Combine these traditional approaches with digital strategies to achieve holistic and effective customer acquisition.
Digital strategies for customer acquisition
In Switzerland’s increasingly digitalized financial landscape, online strategies have become essential for financial advisors. An effective digital presence makes it possible to reach potential clients where they are looking for information and solutions. Here are the most important digital methods for client acquisition:
Create a strong online presence:
- Create a professional and user-friendly website.
- Create an informative blog with regular posts.
- Develop target group-specific landing pages.
Social media marketing plays a central role in digital customer acquisition. Use platforms such as LinkedIn for B2B contacts and professional networking, Facebook for a broader target group approach and Instagram to reach younger target groups with visual content. Don’t forget the importance of Xing in German-speaking countries. PS: Follow us!
Content marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) are other key components:
- Create high-quality, relevant content that showcases your expertise.
- Optimize your content for relevant search terms.
- Build backlinks from trusted sites.
- Use different formats such as blog posts, infographics and videos.
Online advertising and automated acquisition can significantly increase your reach:
- Use Google Ads to target ads to relevant search queries.
- Use the precise targeting options of social media ads.
- Use retargeting strategies to address website visitors again.
- Automate email campaigns for effective lead nurturing.
Develop acquisition strategy & priorities
An effective acquisition strategy is the key to success for financial advisors in Switzerland. Here’s a detailed guide on how to develop and prioritize your strategy.
Think in channels
Identify the appropriate channels for your offering and target audience:
- Target group analysis: create detailed personas of your ideal customers. Take into account age, profession, income, life situation and financial goals.
- Media usage behavior: Research which media your target group prefers to use. (Examples: Young professionals: Instagram, LinkedIn, financial apps; Established business people: LinkedIn, trade magazines, business podcasts; Affluent seniors: local newspapers, trade fairs, personal networks)
Tailor your message, formats and content to each channel:
- LinkedIn: share professional articles and industry insights
- Instagram: Use visual storytelling for financial topics
- Local newspapers: Place ads or offer expert columns.
Combine different channels to achieve greater reach. Ensure a consistent message across all channels.
Master and expand acquisition strategies
Make a list of your current strengths and weaknesses in customer acquisition. And focus on improving your strongest acquisition methods first.
Develop a structured plan to learn new strategies and attend courses and workshops on sales techniques and digital marketing. Test new strategies on a small scale and analyze the results before implementing them fully.
Use your own network
Regularly provide your network with useful information and insights without selling directly. Social media and your own blog posts are excellent ways to do this.
Build up your expert status:
- Give talks at local events.
- Publish specialist articles in industry magazines.
- Share your knowledge in LinkedIn groups or local business networks.
Develop a structured program to reward existing customers for referrals . Also schedule regular meetings with key contacts without being intrusive.
Local focus
Strengthen your regional presence first before thinking bigger. Use Google My Business and optimize your profile with up-to-date information, photos and regular posts. Use local search terms on your website and create location-specific landing pages.
Local advertising can hit the spot:
- Google Ads: Use location-based ads
- Meta Ads: Target Swiss regions and cities
- Local print media: place advertisements in local newspapers
Social commitment is sometimes highly valued regionally:
- Sponsoring local sports clubs or cultural events
- Participation in community or city festivals
- Offer free financial literacy workshops in local libraries.
Local partnerships for win-win situations: Collaborating with other local businesses such as lawyers or real estate agents to provide mutual referrals.
Quality and communication
Always ensure good quality to keep your clients satisfied by strengthening your expertise through continuous training:
- Regularly attend professional conferences and seminars.
- Complete recognized certifications.
- Keep up to date with current financial trends and regulations.
Aim for industry awards and certifications. Apply for relevant awards in the financial advisory industry.
Demonstrate your successes through transparent communication.
- Publish case studies and success stories on a regular basis.
- Publish client references and testimonials on your website and social media.
Actively manage reviews without being intrusive:
- Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google, Facebook, Trustpilot or industry-specific platforms.
- Respond quickly and professionally to all reviews, including negative ones.
- Promote this subtly.
Building trust and customer loyalty
Building trust and customer loyalty are of central importance when it comes to financial topics.
Discretion and reliability form the basis for a successful customer relationship. To gain the trust of customers, it is important to demonstrate competence and integrity from the outset. During discussions, you should actively listen in order to understand the individual needs and goals of your customers. Show empathy and avoid presenting hasty solutions. Instead, develop customized proposals that are tailored to the customer’s specific situation.
Explain the advantages of your service using concrete examples and scenarios. Explain complex financial concepts in understandable language and show how your advice creates added value for the customer. Transparency is the top priority: Inform your customers clearly about possible risks and costs.
Effective communication and aftercare are crucial for long-term customer loyalty. Establish regular points of contact with your existing customers without being intrusive. A quarterly update may be appropriate, but should be tailored to individual customer preferences. Use this opportunity to provide information on relevant market developments and to review the customer’s financial strategy.
Note: Be aware of the legal framework: Unsolicited contact for advertising purposes is strictly regulated in Switzerland. Make sure that you have your customers’ consent for regular communication.
In multilingual Switzerland, it is an advantage if you can offer your services in several national languages. However, the effort and potential return must be clearly weighed up and is usually not practical for many. You should also take into account regional cultural differences in your communication, pricing, etc. What is considered appropriate in Zurich may be perceived differently in Geneva or Lugano. Sensitive and appropriate communication makes a significant contribution to building trust.
Ultimately, successful customer loyalty is based on consistency and reliability. Keeping promises, keeping appointments on time and offering high-quality advice.
Reading tip: The essential tools for financial advisors
Three tips to stand out
In the highly competitive Swiss financial advisory sector, it is important to stand out from the competition. The following three tips can help you do just that:
Tip 1: Develop a niche strategy
With a niche strategy, you position yourself as an expert for a specific target group. One example is positioning yourself as an advisor specifically for families.
- Define your target group precisely: young families, large families, patchwork families or multi-generational households.
- Analyze the specific needs of this group: retirement provision, education financing, real estate financing or intergenerational wealth transfer.
Develop tailor-made solutions and communicate them in a targeted manner. For example, offer a “family finance package” that covers the following aspects:
- Budget planning for the growing family
- Strategies for financing the children’s education
- Cover for the family in the event of illness or death
- Strategies for long-term wealth accumulation for the whole family
To set yourself apart from the competition, focus on the unique selling points of your offer. This could be special expertise in Swiss family law or innovative financial products specifically for families. Communicate your unique selling points clearly and consistently across all channels.
Build a personal brand image that reflects your expertise and your focus on families. This can include
- A family-friendly presence on social media
- Regular articles on family finance topics in local media
- Organization of family finance days or workshops for parents and children
Tip 2: Networks and collaborations
Effective networking and strategic cooperation can significantly increase your reach and credibility:
Actively participate in relevant events such as the“Swiss Finance Forum” or the meetings of the“Swiss Financial Planners Organization“. Give presentations or moderate panel discussions on your area of expertise.
Build up a network of complementary service providers. For a Family Financial Planner, these could be
- Lawyers who specialize in family law
- Real estate agents who specialize in family real estate
- Insurance experts for family insurance
- Tax advisors with expertise in family taxation
Organize joint information events or create co-branded content.
Form partnerships between experienced and young advisors. This allows you to combine traditional and modern approaches and appeal to different generations of customers.
Work together with Swiss financial influencers or local personalities. These can be well-known business journalists, successful entrepreneurs or experts on family issues. Joint webinars, podcast episodes or social media campaigns can significantly increase your reach.
Tip 3: Measure and optimize your acquisition strategy
A data-driven approach is crucial for long-term success:
Implement a robust tracking system for key metrics such as:
- Number of new customers per month
- Conversion rate from prospects to customers
- Average customer value
- Customer retention rate
- Referral rate
Use tools such as Google Analytics for your website and CRM systems for your customer management.
Conclusion and outlook
Successful customer acquisition requires a versatile and future-oriented approach. Key strategies include developing a niche specialization, building a strong digital presence, intensive networking and integrating innovative consulting formats.
A balanced mix of traditional and digital methods is crucial to appeal to different customer groups and to be able to react flexibly to market changes.
Don’t forget to nurture your existing customer base. Maintain regular contact, offer added value and continuously adapt your services to their needs.
Quellenangaben
- [1] ihk-muenchen.de
- [2] plus-media.ch