The Secret to Growing a Financial Advisory Firm: Marketing

If you think marketing is a “nice to have”, think again. Effective marketing for financial advisors is essential.

Marketing isn’t extra. It isn’t optional. Marketing is the business.
And if you’re a financial advisor who wants to grow, the path isn’t more cold calls or hoping for referrals—it’s mastering marketing.

Just ask Scott Hanson, co-founder of Allworth Financial. He didn’t build a multi-billion-dollar advisory firm by sitting back and waiting for the phone to ring. He built a brand. A presence. A reason people thought of him first when they needed financial advice.

Why Marketing Matters for Financial Advisors

Here’s the truth: most advisors don’t have a marketing problem—they have a mindset problem. They confuse marketing with selling. But the most successful firms know:

Marketing isn’t about pitching. It’s about educating.

By consistently sharing valuable, relevant content—through podcasts, radio shows, blogs, and newsletters—Scott Hanson positioned his firm as a trusted voice in the industry. That trust turned into attention. That attention turned into business.

How Modern Advisors Are Winning with Marketing

Want to know what separates growing firms from stagnant ones?

They show up.

On podcasts.

In email inboxes.

On YouTube.Through helpful, actionable content.

When you show up consistently with value, people don’t need to be sold—they raise their hands and ask for help.

Stop Chasing. Start Attracting.

The best marketing strategy isn’t shouting louder. It’s serving smarter. The firms that understand this don’t waste time chasing cold leads. Instead, they attract the right clients through authenticity, authority, and education.

And when clients come to you? That’s not just good marketing—that’s good business.

These insights are inspired by The Connected Advisor podcast featuring Scott Hanson,Co-Founder and Vice Chair at Allworth Financial. Listen to the full episode here and explore more articles in this series.