In August of 2022, Space Monkey Partners presented at the BEI National Conference, and over the past year, the team at Space Monkey Partners have had the honor of collaborating with Exit Planning Advisors to test and refine strategies for finding, engaging, and converting business owners who require exceptional Exit Planning services. 

Here are some key insights they shared with us from working with several advisors in the BEI Network over the last year: 

Add Personality to Your Messaging

Clients not only want to know what you do but also if they will like you. Our message testing has shown that lead results are the most successful when advisors share their personality with business owners who are contemplating selling their business. Finance is a relational business, and people want to connect, so don’t hesitate to show more about yourself! 

Make the Client the Hero

Although it might seem contradictory to the first learning, making your client the hero in your messaging always fosters stronger relationships. Avoid being the person with a dynamic personality that draws people in, but then only talks about themselves. By focusing your message on solving the customer’s problems, they feel heard, understood, and are more likely to take the desired action. 

It’s Early!

Many business owners are still unaware or don’t understand Exit Planning, so you are dealing with a mostly unaware audience. Embrace the fact that you need to educate them and be patient. We recommend starting with “low hanging fruit,” by targeting those closer to selling (1-2 years away) rather than your ideal clients (5-10 years away). Our top-performing search term was “sell my business,” indicating that those closer to a sale or transition are more willing to take action.

Position Yourself as the Expert to Build Trust

Given longer lead times, you can build trust over time by creating educational content about Exit Planning. Utilize videos, write articles for trade publications, and engage on LinkedIn to stay top of mind. AI-generated content can help get you started, and you can add your personal touch to it. Additionally, considering a BEI Growth or Engagement License designed to help with content creation and distribution is another way to leverage your marketing efforts and increase brand awareness not only about you and your firm, but about the Exit Planning services you provide.

Give Them an Easy Yes

During our tests, we tried various calls to action, including “schedule a consultation,” “take an assessment,” and “download a case study.” The case study required the least commitment but yielded the highest conversion for capturing email addresses. The lower the involvement, the stronger the conversion at this stage.

Build Awareness Together

Consider collaborating on an awareness campaign or advertising venture with BEI and other Members. Pool funds or host a webinar with panelists from different specialties. Together, we can make Exit Planning a norm for all business owners, just as insurance is now a standard practice.

Maximize Your Relationships

Business owners know other business owners. Discover what your clients enjoy doing and invite them to bring a friend along. Overcome your fear of selling and be authentic. Your offerings are valuable, and people will recognize that and want to share it with their friends.

We are grateful for the opportunity to clarify and test messaging with amazing Exit Planning Advisors. We encourage you to continue your exceptional work for your clients, and we’ll keep sharing critical insights for clarifying messaging and generating leads.

Our favorite quote was from Joe Sweeney at Cornerstone Wealth, who told a partner firm:

“Walk, Trot, Run, Sprint, Exhaust Yourself to run down Space Monkey. They will, full stop, change your life, save you hundreds of hours with an amazing experience along the way, enjoying the relationship and heart of very special people.”

We feel the same about you, Joe!

If you haven’t fine-tuned your story or want to develop a high-impact, lead generating campaign for your professional practice, feel free to reach out to Keith Lauver at ke***@sp*********.partners. 

To learn more about Space Monkey Partners, their work, and how working with BEI Members have provided impactful marketing insights for advisors like you, watch the recording of their recent webinar: