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Supporting Business Development for Next-Gen Advisors
The secret to building confident advisors who actually bring in clients.
The secret to building confident advisors who actually bring in clients.
To help the next generation of advisors grow into business development roles, firm leadership must offer more than just a mandate to bring in clients. They need structure, guidance, and accountability. Here’s how leadership can help:
Provide Mentorship
Advisors who have never been responsible for bringing in new clients benefit greatly from regular support. Ongoing mentorship provides guidance on how to approach business development, overcome challenges, refine strategy, and stay focused. Just knowing someone is invested in their success builds confidence and momentum.
Set Expectations
Advisors stepping into business development need to understand what’s expected of them—specifically, what outcomes should result from their efforts. Clear expectations create direction and help advisors prioritize what matters most.
Track Progress
New clients don’t appear overnight, and firms shouldn’t wait for revenue to measure success. Instead, track leading indicators—such as networking conversations, referral introductions, or speaking invitations. These early signals show whether advisors are gaining traction in their niche.
By offering structure, progress tracking, and hands-on coaching, firms create an environment where next-gen advisors can grow with purpose—and contribute meaningfully to the firm’s long-term success.
How We Help
At OnNiche® by Kaleido, firms turn to us to provide the structure their advisors need. We help individual advisors within larger firms set expectations, track progress, and receive the mentorship required to navigate the opportunities and challenges of bringing in new business.
We Want Your Take! How are you helping your next-gen advisors grow into business development roles? Are you providing structured mentorship or relying on informal guidance? What expectations or metrics have made the biggest difference in their growth? We’d love to hear how your firm is supporting the next generation. Join the conversation and share your experience at the OnNiche® Public Square!
Marketing Momentum Starts with a Quarterly Plan
Want to grow consistently? Stop trying to plan the whole year.
Want to grow consistently? Stop trying to plan the whole year.
The Problem: Annual Planning Is Too Rigid—and Reactive Marketing Is Too Chaotic
Many advisors start the year with the best intentions: a lofty annual marketing plan or a vague sense of what they “should” be doing. But as the months roll on, these plans often collect dust—or worse, get replaced by ad hoc, inconsistent efforts. The result? Marketing feels ineffective.
The Solution: Plan on a Quarterly Basis
Adopting a quarterly marketing planning cadence helps you stay focused and agile. Each quarter, define your marketing objectives and select the tactics that support those objectives. Use this time to reflect on the previous quarter and assess what worked, what didn’t, and where to pivot. This structure gives you a repeatable, achievable rhythm.
The Outcome: Consistent Marketing
This cadence ensures you’re marketing proactively throughout the year. It also gives you a built-in opportunity to reinvigorate your efforts each quarter if you fall behind. You build confidence as you see consistent progress. And importantly, you avoid the burnout of trying to “do it all” at once. Over time, this rhythm compounds, creating a marketing engine that grows stronger each quarter.
How We Help: Quarterly Marketing Planning Workshops
In our OnNiche® membership program, advisors have the option to attend quarterly marketing planning sessions where they reflect on the previous quarter and plan for the next. Each quarter, they build on what they’ve done so they don’t stall out or get distracted by shiny objects. The result? A sustainable cadence that builds long-term marketing momentum.
We Want Your Take! Are you using a quarterly planning rhythm to guide your marketing, or are you still working off an annual plan (or no plan at all)? What has helped you stay consistent and avoid marketing burnout? We’d love to hear how you’re structuring your efforts to build long-term momentum. Join the conversation and share your experience at the OnNiche® Public Square!
The Metrics That Don’t Scream Success—but Still Whisper Truth
Here’s how to measure marketing efforts before the leads come in.
Here’s how to measure marketing efforts before the leads come in.
Last week, I talked about three core metrics—leads, introductory calls, and new clients—that advisors use to gauge whether their marketing is working. These are the numbers that draw clear lines between effort and result.
But there’s another layer of metrics. While they don’t directly signal success, they offer valuable insights, and they’re worth paying attention to.
Let’s say you give a presentation at a conference attended by your niche. Your first instinct might be to ask, “Did this generate any new leads, introductory calls, or clients?” But in addition, consider tracking:
How many attended your session? This helps validate whether the topic is relevant and compelling to your audience.
How many attendees were ideal clients (if the conference provided a list)? This helps confirm whether you're attracting the right people with your topic.
How many attendees reached out afterward? A small audience but high engagement could indicate your message resonated deeply, even if reach was limited.
None of these second-layer metrics alone will confirm the success of your marketing activity. But they provide a more complete picture—one that helps you refine, pivot, or double down on what’s working.
Before any marketing activity, define the data points you want to capture. Not every number needs to shout success. Some just need to quietly inform your next move.
We Want Your Take! Are you tracking the “quieter” marketing metrics—the ones that don’t directly signal success but still offer valuable insight? What non-obvious data points have helped you fine-tune your strategy? We’d love to hear how you’re capturing learnings from your marketing efforts. Join the conversation and share your experience at the OnNiche® Public Square!
The Three Marketing Metrics Every Advisory Firm Should Track
How do you really know if your marketing is working—or just keeping you busy?
How do you really know if your marketing is working—or just keeping you busy?
You’re busy recording videos, hosting webinars, and posting to social media—but if you ask how well it’s working, the answer is often vague. That lack of visibility makes it easy to mistake activity for progress.
While there are dozens of marketing metrics you could track, these three will tell you nearly everything you need to know:
New Leads
How many contacts were added to your CRM or marketing database this month? This tells you if your awareness efforts—referrals, SEO, webinars, social media—are generating interest.
Introductory Calls
How many people raised their hands for a first meeting? This reveals how effectively your message is converting attention into action.
New Clients
How many prospects became paying clients? This is the bottom-line metric tracking sales and marketing success.
You don’t need a fancy dashboard to start—just track these three numbers each month in a simple spreadsheet. Over time, you’ll spot patterns, identify bottlenecks, and make smarter decisions about where to invest your time, energy, and money.
How We Help: OnNiche® Builds This Tracking into Your Marketing Rhythm
Coming soon: Every OnNiche® member will receive a clear, simple dashboard showing lead flow, introductory calls, and new client wins. You’ll always know exactly where you stand and what to do next.
We Want Your Take! Are you tracking these three marketing metrics—or others? What has helped you see what’s working (or not) in your firm’s marketing efforts? We’d love to hear how you’re measuring progress and making decisions. Join the conversation and share your experience at the OnNiche® Public Square!
Make Sure AI Knows Your Name
You might be optimized for Google—but not for the future.
This week’s tip is from the article “Optimizing for ChatGPT Search: A Guide for Financial Advisors” by Brent Carnduff of Advisor Rankings.
You might be optimized for Google—but not for the future.
Problem: Your Firm Might Be Missing from AI Results
More people are starting to use AI tools like ChatGPT to find financial advisors. And even if someone isn’t going directly to an AI tool, Google is now including AI-generated summaries at the top of search results. That means prospective clients may see answers created by AI before they ever scroll to the map or a list of websites. If your firm isn’t showing up in those summaries, you may be missing an opportunity to connect with new prospects.
Solution: Expand Your Presence by Optimizing for AI
Optimizing your business for AI search goes beyond traditional search engine optimization (SEO). It focuses on making sure your firm shows up in the data AI pulls from across the web. This includes:
Being listed in reputable directories that AI trusts (like CFP Board, NAPFA, and Wealthtender)
Structuring content so AI tools can easily understand what you do and who you serve
Keeping consistent, accurate information across platforms—not just on your site
Outcome: Stay Ahead as Search Keeps Changing
Optimizing for AI doesn’t just help you today—it positions your firm for how people will search tomorrow. As AI takes a bigger role in how clients find advisors, the firms that prepare now will be the ones seen, trusted, and considered first. You won’t just keep up—you’ll be ahead of the curve.
We Want Your Take! What is your firm doing—if anything—to prepare for AI-driven search? Have you thought about how tools like ChatGPT or Google’s AI summaries might affect how prospects find you? Join the conversation and share your experience at the OnNiche® Public Square!
The First Step to Real Marketing Momentum
What’s the first step to marketing when you have no idea where to start?
What’s the first step to marketing when you have no idea where to start?
The Problem: You’re Motivated but Not Sure Where to Start
You know it’s time to get serious about marketing—beyond just waiting on referrals. You want a plan. But the moment you try to begin, the questions pile up:
Should I focus on social, email, or SEO?
Do I need to create videos? Or advertise?
What should I do first?
Without a clear path, it’s easy to stall out. Either you start trying a little bit of everything and lose momentum, or you never get going at all.
The Solution: Find Proven Guidance
The best way to get unstuck isn’t to go it alone—it’s to follow guidance you trust.
Think of it like training for your first marathon. You wouldn’t just lace up and start running aimlessly. And you wouldn’t try to piece together different running tips from random social media posts. You’d join a running group or follow a structured app that guides you step-by-step toward your goal. The exact activities would depend on your ability and timeline, but the plan would already exist—you’re simply following a proven path.
Marketing works the same way. You need a clear framework to follow. That’s what helps you stop guessing—and start progressing.
The Outcome: Clarity Replaces Confusion
When you follow a proven system—whether that’s through a formal program, a coach, or a mentor—you gain clarity. You stop second-guessing every decision. Each action has a purpose. And every step builds on the last. That’s how you build real momentum and get real results.
How We Help: A Proven Path
At OnNiche® by Kaleido, we guide financial advisors through a clear, structured marketing path. You bring the motivation—we bring the map. Our step-by-step process is built for advisors who want to take ownership of their marketing without wasting time wondering what to do next.
We Want Your Take! What’s been the biggest hurdle keeping you from starting your marketing? Join the conversation and share your experience at the OnNiche® Public Square!
When Engagement Is High but Action Is Low
They're engaging with everything. Why aren't they reaching out?
They're engaging with everything. Why aren't they reaching out?
The Problem: Engaged but Not Booking
You notice it in your webinar attendance numbers, your newsletter click-through rates, your LinkedIn newsletter opens. People are engaging with your content—sometimes for months or even years—yet they never take the next step to schedule an appointment. It can be frustrating and puzzling. What keeps an engaged prospect from taking the next step?
The Solution: Reach Out Directly
Proactively reaching out by email, text, or phone can make all the difference. Many prospects are quietly craving a personal touch but are reluctant to ask for help. Especially in today’s climate of uncertainty—where money and emotions are constantly in motion—waiting for prospects to initiate contact often means missed opportunities.
The Outcome: New Appointments
Will everyone respond? No. Most won’t. But among the many who don’t reply, you’ll find a few who have been waiting for the right nudge. One or two meaningful conversations can more than justify the time invested in personal outreach. When so many people won't take the time to reach out individually, a little personalization can go a long way.
How We Help: Focus on What Moves the Needle
At OnNiche® by Kaleido, our ongoing coaching and office hours help advisors view their marketing from multiple perspectives—and focus on the strategies that truly move the needle. One of the most overlooked? Personally reaching out to silently engaged prospects.
We Want Your Take! What has been your experience with direct outreach to prospects who are silently engaged? Join the conversation and share your approach at the OnNiche® Public Square!
Make Marketing Plans Easier with Better Research
You know you need a marketing plan—but what goes in it?
You know you need a marketing plan—but what goes in it?
The Problem: Knowing What to Put in Your Plan Is Hard
The challenge in marketing planning isn’t planning itself—it’s knowing what to include in the first place. And that clarity only comes through research. Yet research can be laborious. You’re either:
Sifting through hours of Google searches
Trying to gather primary research on your own
Paying thousands to a market research firm
It’s no wonder that many marketing plans feel generic. The winning ideas come from research, and the research process becomes a bottleneck—so shortcuts get taken, and the final strategy suffers.
The Solution: AI Deep Research
Most people don’t realize that tools like ChatGPT can do more than write content or generate images. Used the right way, AI can act like a digital research assistant, helping you analyze competitors, reveal trends, and uncover ideas for marketing activities. With the right prompts, AI can:
Identify what other professionals in your niche are doing
Analyze common marketing activities and tactics used for your niche
Reveal the most relevant content mediums for your niche (e.g., podcasts, webinars, newsletters)
Pinpoint trending content topics
Discover names of potential centers of influence (COIs) and niche influencers
The Outcome: Faster, Better Marketing Plans
Deep research powered by AI removes hours of legwork so you can create a more effective marketing plan with less effort. Instead of spending days trying to figure out where to start with your marketing plan, deep research provides the raw material for you to analyze, weigh, and decide what makes sense for your strategy.
With this level of specificity, your plan practically writes itself.
How We Help: We Build Your Research Starting Point
At OnNiche® by Kaleido, we take the pain out of research. In our programs, we provide tailored deep research prompts to help you uncover the insights that are relevant to your niche.
Want to learn more? Let’s schedule a call.
We Want Your Take! How have you gone about doing marketing research in your own business? Join the conversation and share your approach at the OnNiche® Public Square!
Four Questions to Ask to Know When to Say Yes
A simple filter to help you avoid marketing traps.
A simple filter to help financial advisors avoid marketing traps.
The Problem: Unclear Opportunities
You are presented with a marketing opportunity you don’t know if you should take.
Maybe it’s a local sponsorship, a speaking engagement, or a co-marketing idea with a center of influence. It sounds promising—and possibly expensive. But without a structured way to evaluate it, you’re left guessing. And in most cases, guessing leads to wasted time, wasted money, or both.
The Solution: Ask Four Questions
Filter every opportunity through four key questions:
Will I reach my niche? If the audience isn’t a close match for your target market, it’s a distraction.
Can I capture contact info? Without a way to follow up, your chances of the opportunity leading to business are slim.
Is this a one-off or repeatable? One-time impressions rarely lead to results. Prioritize opportunities that allow for repeated exposure.
What’s the next step? If the opportunity doesn’t naturally lead to further engagement, it’s a dead end. You need a clear post-activity path.
The Outcome: Better Decisions
By running each decision through this filter, you take the guesswork out of marketing choices. You’ll say “yes” to what fits—and confidently walk away from what doesn’t. The result is more effective use of your budget, better leads, and a lot less second-guessing.
How We Help: OnNiche® Brings Clarity
At OnNiche® by Kaleido, we create marketing plans that guide every decision through the lens of your niche. So when opportunities arise, you’ll know exactly what aligns—and what doesn’t.
Want to learn more? Let’s schedule a call.
We Want Your Take! How do you decide which marketing opportunities to say yes to? Do you use a filter—or go with your gut? Join the conversation and share your approach at the OnNiche® Public Square!
Small Subject Line Changes, Big Email Impact
Why are great emails getting ignored—and how can one tiny change fix it?
This week’s tip is based on insights from Jay Schwedelson's presentation at Social Media Marketing World 2025.
Why are great emails getting ignored—and how can one tiny change fix it?
The Problem: Strong Content Gets Ignored Because of a Weak Subject Line
Your email open rates aren’t what you want them to be—and you’re not sure why. You’re sending relevant content, your list is solid, and yet … the results aren’t matching the effort. The culprit? Often, it’s your subject line.
Most advisors unknowingly sabotage their campaigns with generic or outdated email headers. Words like “Learn,” “Register,” or “Join” are tanking performance—and it’s not just theory. As he explained last week at Social Media Marketing World, Jay Schwedelson studied trends on subject lines and discovered surprising truths about what gets clicked.
The Solution: Use Subject Line Tactics That Drive Opens
Revamp your subject line strategy using data-backed micro-tactics. According to Schwedelson:
Start with a number → Open rates jumped by 17% in consumer emails.
Use [brackets] at the beginning → +21% in open rates.
Use first-person pre-header text → Adding language in the pre-header like “Welcome to your update,” “Resources curated for you,” or “Your quick guide is inside” increased open rates by 18%.
Avoid weak openers → Words like “Learn,” “Discover,” and “Register” actually lowered open rates by up to 14%.
These small tweaks don’t require more budget—just more intentionality.
The Outcome: More Opens, Better Engagement, and Deeper Trust
According to Schwedelson, when these small changes are implemented, email engagement improves almost instantly. This translates to better lead nurturing, higher attendance at events and webinars, and increased trust through consistent, high-quality touchpoints.
How We Help: Tactical Guidance That Elevates Your Everyday Marketing
At OnNiche® by Kaleido, you don’t have to test alone—we provide direct feedback to our members through our online forum, live chat, and office hours on things like their emails, so their marketing consistently reflects their expertise, builds credibility, and drives real engagement.
Want to learn more? Let’s schedule a call.
We Want Your Take! Have you tried any of these tactics? What worked—and what didn’t? Join the conversation and share your experience at the OnNiche® Public Square!