New Revenue Stream: 12% Increase with Financial Planning Subscriptions
Executive Summary
Santos Financial, a wealth management firm, sought to diversify revenue streams and attract a broader client base, especially those not yet ready for traditional asset management. Golden Door Asset helped Santos Financial implement a financial planning subscription model offering personalized advice and educational resources for a fixed monthly fee. This strategic shift resulted in a 12% increase in overall revenue and successfully attracted a new segment of clients, significantly expanding the firm's reach and future growth potential.
The Challenge
Santos Financial, a well-established firm managing approximately $250 million in assets, primarily served high-net-worth individuals. While successful, they recognized the limitations of their business model. Their core offering, comprehensive asset management, required clients to have a minimum investable asset base of $500,000. This effectively excluded a significant portion of the population seeking financial guidance.
The firm observed a growing trend: younger professionals and families were seeking financial advice but lacked the substantial assets required for their traditional services. Many were burdened with student loan debt averaging $75,000, were just starting to build their careers, and prioritized goals like homeownership and early-stage investment. These individuals were eager to learn about budgeting, debt management, and basic investing, but Santos Financial’s existing services were inaccessible to them.
Furthermore, Santos Financial faced increasing pressure to maintain profitability. Competition was intensifying, and client acquisition costs were rising. The traditional model relied heavily on attracting new clients with significant assets, a process that could take months and involve considerable marketing and sales expenses. The average cost to acquire a new client was estimated at $5,000. They needed a more efficient and scalable way to engage potential clients and build a pipeline for future asset management services. They were leaving money on the table; offering a "lite" service had the potential to increase the number of leads and increase the overall lifetime value of each client. Santos Financial was eager to expand beyond the 300 clients they served.
Ultimately, Santos Financial’s challenge was twofold: to diversify its revenue streams beyond asset management and to attract a new segment of clients who were not yet ready for full-scale wealth management services, increasing overall firm revenue by at least 10% in the next fiscal year.
The Approach
Golden Door Asset partnered with Santos Financial to develop and implement a financial planning subscription model. This involved a multi-faceted approach focused on creating a valuable and accessible service offering.
1. Needs Assessment and Market Research: We began by conducting a thorough needs assessment to understand the specific financial challenges and goals of the target audience (young professionals and families). This involved surveys, focus groups, and analysis of publicly available data on demographics, income levels, and financial habits. The research revealed a strong demand for affordable and personalized financial guidance, particularly in areas like budgeting, debt management, and retirement planning basics.
2. Service Design and Pricing: Based on the needs assessment, we designed a tiered subscription model with varying levels of service and pricing. The "Foundation" plan, priced at $99 per month, offered access to personalized financial planning software, educational webinars, and a monthly one-on-one coaching call with a junior advisor. The "Growth" plan, at $199 per month, added access to a dedicated financial planner, more frequent consultations, and customized investment recommendations. The "Premium" plan, at $399 per month, included tax planning services and estate planning consultations.
3. Content Creation and Educational Resources: We developed a library of educational content, including articles, videos, and interactive tools, covering a wide range of financial topics. This content was designed to be engaging, informative, and easy to understand, catering to the needs of individuals with varying levels of financial literacy. Topics included creating a budget, managing debt, understanding credit scores, investing in stocks and bonds, and planning for retirement.
4. Advisor Training and Skill Development: We provided comprehensive training to Santos Financial’s advisors on how to effectively deliver subscription-based financial planning services. This training focused on communication skills, client relationship management, and the use of technology to enhance the client experience. Advisors were trained to identify opportunities to upsell clients to higher-tier subscription plans or, eventually, to full-scale asset management services.
5. Technology Integration and Platform Development: Golden Door Asset's technology team developed a customized subscription management platform that integrated with Santos Financial's existing CRM and financial planning software. This platform automated the billing process, managed client subscriptions, and provided advisors with a centralized dashboard to track client progress and engagement. We chose a modern CRM to best suit the goals of the program.
6. Marketing and Promotion: We created a targeted marketing campaign to promote the financial planning subscription model to the target audience. This included online advertising, social media marketing, and partnerships with local businesses and organizations. The campaign highlighted the affordability and accessibility of the service, emphasizing the value of personalized financial advice and ongoing support. The marketing budget was allocated as 40% paid social, 30% content marketing, and 30% referral programs.
Technical Implementation
The technical implementation of the financial planning subscription model involved several key components:
1. Subscription Management Platform: The custom platform, built on a secure and scalable cloud infrastructure, automated the entire subscription lifecycle. It handled payment processing (using Stripe integration), subscription upgrades/downgrades, and cancellation requests. The platform also provided detailed reporting on key metrics such as subscriber acquisition cost, churn rate, and average revenue per user (ARPU). Calculations were performed using standard cohort analysis methodologies.
2. CRM Integration: The platform integrated seamlessly with Santos Financial’s existing CRM system (Salesforce), ensuring that all client data was centralized and readily accessible to advisors. This integration allowed advisors to track client engagement, personalize their interactions, and identify opportunities for upselling.
3. Financial Planning Software Integration: We integrated with leading financial planning software (eMoney Advisor) to provide clients with access to personalized financial planning tools and resources. This integration allowed clients to track their progress towards their financial goals, create budgets, and model different investment scenarios. Clients also were given access to a personalized risk assessment questionnaire to better inform advisors and recommendations.
4. Content Management System (CMS): We implemented a user-friendly CMS (WordPress) to manage the library of educational content. This allowed Santos Financial to easily create, edit, and publish new content, ensuring that the information remained current and relevant. The CMS also supported various content formats, including articles, videos, and interactive tools.
5. Advisor Dashboard: The platform included a dedicated dashboard for advisors, providing them with a centralized view of their subscription-based clients. The dashboard displayed key information such as client contact details, subscription plan, engagement metrics, and outstanding tasks. It also facilitated communication between advisors and clients through a secure messaging system.
6. Data Security: Data security was a top priority throughout the implementation process. We implemented industry-standard security measures to protect client data, including encryption, firewalls, and regular security audits. The platform was compliant with all relevant regulations, including GDPR and CCPA.
Results & ROI
The implementation of the financial planning subscription model yielded significant positive results for Santos Financial.
- Revenue Increase: Overall revenue increased by 12% in the first year. This was directly attributed to the revenue generated from the subscription model. The initial goal was 10%, so the project exceeded expectations.
- New Client Acquisition: The firm acquired 150 new subscription-based clients within the first six months, significantly expanding its client base.
- Client Demographics: The average age of new clients decreased by 10 years, indicating success in attracting younger professionals and families. Before implementing the subscription model, the average client was 55 years old. After one year, the average age of new clients was 45 years old.
- Conversion Rate: 15% of subscription-based clients converted to full-scale asset management services within the first year, demonstrating the effectiveness of the subscription model as a pipeline for future growth. This generated an additional $1.2 million in assets under management.
- Client Engagement: Client engagement metrics, such as website traffic and participation in webinars, increased significantly, indicating a high level of interest in the subscription offering. Average webinar attendance was 75 participants, with consistently positive feedback.
- Advisor Productivity: Advisor productivity improved as they were able to manage a larger number of clients through the subscription platform. The average number of clients managed per advisor increased by 25%.
- Return on Investment: The investment in the subscription platform and related services yielded a return on investment (ROI) of 2.5x within the first year.
- Client Satisfaction: Client satisfaction scores for the subscription service averaged 4.8 out of 5, based on post-engagement surveys.
Key Takeaways
For other RIAs and wealth managers considering a similar approach, here are key takeaways:
- Understand Your Target Audience: Conduct thorough market research to identify the specific needs and pain points of your target audience. Tailor your subscription offering to address those needs effectively.
- Develop a Scalable Technology Platform: Invest in a robust and scalable technology platform that automates key processes and enhances the client experience. Integration with existing systems is crucial.
- Provide High-Quality Educational Content: Create engaging and informative educational content that empowers clients to make informed financial decisions.
- Train Your Advisors: Equip your advisors with the skills and knowledge they need to effectively deliver subscription-based financial planning services. Focus on communication, relationship management, and technology utilization.
- Track Your Results: Monitor key metrics such as revenue, client acquisition cost, churn rate, and client engagement. Use this data to continuously improve your subscription offering and optimize your marketing efforts.
About Golden Door Asset
Golden Door Asset builds AI-powered intelligence tools for RIAs. Our platform helps advisors identify promising prospects and personalize their outreach, increasing conversion rates and AUM. Visit our tools to see how we can help your practice.