A retired teacher has some savings and a small pension. She would like help, but she worries that advisers only work with wealthy people. She visits a local adviser's website and finds nothing about who they work with. Too embarrassed to ask, she does nothing.
Many people never approach an adviser because they assume they do not have enough money. Honest answers help them decide.
Why people hesitate
Financial advice has a reputation for being for the wealthy. People with modest savings often assume they will be turned away or charged more than they can afford. So they read, hesitate and put it off, sometimes for years, even though a short conversation might have helped them.
What prospects ask
- Do you have a minimum investment?
- Do you work with people with smaller pensions?
- Is it worth getting advice with my level of savings?
- Do you offer one-off advice?
- What does it cost for someone like me?
Example conversations
These scripts use information a firm might publish. Your answers should come from your own pages.
Visitor: Do you have a minimum investment? Assistant: The "who we help" page explains that the firm's ongoing service is usually suited to clients with investments above the level stated there. For smaller amounts, the firm offers one-off fixed-fee advice, described on the fees page.
Visitor: I only have a small pension. Is it worth talking to you? Assistant: The first meeting is free, so you can find out without commitment. The adviser will be honest about whether advice would be useful for your situation. Would you like me to pass your details on?
Visitor: What if you can't help me? Assistant: The page explains that if the firm isn't the right fit, the adviser can point you towards other sources of guidance.
Honesty builds reputation
A firm that is honest about who it helps, and kind to people it cannot help, builds a good reputation. People remember being treated well, and they recommend the firm to others, some of whom will be a good fit. The same honesty principle applies in trades, as in planning permission questions and honest answers.
Fees and minimums together
Minimum questions are closely linked to fee questions. Explaining both on the same page helps, as described in fee questions financial advisers should answer openly.
Retirement and minimums
People approaching retirement are often those most worried about minimums. Retirement enquiries are covered in retirement planning enquiries that arrive at night.
Answering at any hour
SpideyChat for financial advisers answers questions about minimums and fees from your own pages at any hour and captures prospects' details. It does not give advice. More on how advisers use it is in how financial advisors use chatbots to answer client questions.
Couples and family money
Sometimes couples or families have more combined savings than either person realises. A prospect who thinks they fall below a minimum on their own may be a good fit once a partner's pension is included. Explaining that the firm considers households, not just individuals, where appropriate, can encourage people who would otherwise rule themselves out.
Fixed-fee options
Fixed-fee advice for a specific question, such as consolidating pensions or planning a retirement income, suits many people who do not need ongoing service. Describing those options clearly opens the firm to a wider group of clients.
A "who we help" page
Write a page explaining who you typically work with, any minimums, alternative options for smaller amounts and what happens at a first meeting. Try SpideyChat on your own site, or read about answers on the features page.