Role of social media in personal branding

The public in India today is engrossed with not one but multiple social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and more. Financial advisors can leverage these avenues by broadcasting information about finance to keep them in their clients’ mind instead of being restricted to only sending sales pitching messages.  

Advisors also have the option to keep engaging and educating our clients through a solid social media presence, be it through blog posts, articles, reels, or carousels. In more recent times, video blogs (vlogs) have also emerged as a great way of establishing an online presence and creating meaningful client interactions. 

Nishith Shah, a five-year MDRT member from Mumbai, India, shares, “The type of content and its time of posting are important to gain traction on social media. Moreover, you must also keep track of the responses received on these posts. While creating content, advisors can cover topics such as child education, retirement, wealth creation, and so on. It is also crucial to standardize this content using one colour, logo and tagline. This process will help you build your own brand. In addition, keeping your clients updated about the recent events and activities around the insurance industry is also vital. As the saying goes, ‘Sky is the limit’, similarly, advisors should make the most of social media branding as it is free and can scale their business to new heights.” 

Social media also serves as an excellent platform to connect with a lot of people in a short time, according to Rahul Agarwal, an eight-year MDRT member from Chhattisgarh, India. “From a personal branding perspective, it is like an untapped gold mine for financial advisors who can leverage this digital tool to convey their key message in sync with their tonality and personality. In fact, I have invested in building my own website and mobile app through which I cater to the needs of my customers and thereby bolster my business.” 

However, even though social media can be leveraged positively for personal branding, it is also critical to understand its negative sides. Ramzina Ali, an eight-year MDRT member from Kerala, India, shares, “When addressing pressing issues, advisors must stay careful while voicing their opinions online as it can affect their brand’s reputation. Keep these points in mind while communicating online and you will be able to enhance your brand image and expand your reach to a wider audience base. So, be alert and mindful while interacting with a live public, and add a pinch of fun, simplicity and creativity to your overall communication to create a larger impact on people and business.” 

Contact: MDRTeditorial@teamlewis.com