“Success, like so many things in life, comes down to your mindset.”
So says Ari Baum – founder and CEO of Endurance Wealth Partners. And Ari knows all about mental fortitude. As an Ironman and elite marathoner, Ari translates the lessons learned from the finish line into growing his business.
Most advisors know that investing is all about pacing and patience. You tell your clients to stay the course and remind them not to let losses derail their long-term goals. But do you take your own advice?
Growing your business is also about pacing and patience. Ari understood this when he partnered with Idea Kit to create video content for his website and YouTube channel. He knew that most videos don’t go viral – and, in fact, going viral wasn’t a part of his game plan at all.
His game plan to get results had two principles you can follow, and it led to a 2.5X growth in his client roster.
THE GAME PLAN: #1 Consistency
Ari was thinking like a marathoner with his videos – and his first target was Mile 20. You see, Mile 20 is the game changer for most marathon runners. It’s a killer. Everything in your body is screaming for you to stop. It would be so much easier to quit. Conditioning is essential to make it up to the 20-mile marker, and the way to condition mind and body is through consistent training. Literally one foot in front of the other.
So, Ari took this same game plan and applied it to his videos– releasing video content consistently no matter what, one after the other. He explains that videos have given potential clients an opportunity to get to know him before they meet. “You can learn a lot about a person through video – are they doing what they love or simply a job? Are they knowledgeable? Do they sound like the type of person you’d want to have a conversation with?”
And the more videos prospective clients watch, the more they get to know who you are!
Prospects, Ari explains, consume the video from a lens of trust. Does this person seem trustworthy? Does the video offer the potential client an idea or strategy that benefits them? Are they speaking to them or at them?
The videos Ari consistently creates also go to his current clients. It was from their feedback that he learned how much his clients love to see their advisor on camera! It’s literal face time. “Videos are a touchpoint for them,” Ari says, “and the fact that I invest in a professional medium to demonstrate my competence is a differentiator.”
THE GAME PLAN: #2 Growth is not a Sprint
Ari also subscribes to the philosophy that business growth is a marathon, not a sprint. The way to finish strong is to remember the targets and be patient. He applies this mindset to all his client communication, and it’s helped him achieve an incredible 50% open rate for his marketing emails.
In both emails and videos Ari tries to connect with his audience. “Instead of boring jargon,” he explains, “I get personal – talking about my family, races, or charitable endeavors. People can tell I’m being authentic instead of trying to sell them something.”
The videos have made Ari an ally and made his clients feel more connected to him. And that’s why, when they see an email from Ari in their inbox, they open it! “By speaking through an authentic lens, clients find me more relatable and become fans, rooting for me at future races and through milestones, such as teaching my daughter to drive a car.”
The Results
Twenty years in the field taught Ari about awareness of his colleagues and where they are “on the course.” A wave of retiring advisors was forming in the horizon. Though retiring advisors weren’t his target, a handful of viewers became his most important audience.
Procuring new clients has historically been what Ari calls “hand-to-hand combat, speaking to one person at a time.” With video, “you to connect with more people, in short bursts of time, in a really meaningful way.” And when you do video consistently, you’ll reach your target – and beyond – meaningfully too.
As Ari recorded videos to make personal connections, the Prospera Financial Services team at his home office took notice. And when another Prospera advisor began to look around for a succession plan, the home office suggested he check out Ari’s videos.
Those videos helped that retiring advisor begin to know, like, and trust Ari enough to choose him as his successor. For Ari, that meant a 2.5X growth in a matter of months.
Advice from the Finish Line
At its core, providing financial advice is a relationship business. And Ari has learned that producing and sharing videos is a surefire way to keep the relationship fresh and engaging. Much like in a race, Ari says, consistency and patience are more important than talent. One of the keys to Ari’s tremendous business growth? Staying in front of his audience using video.
Ari credits the Idea Kit process with removing all the guesswork and worry of video production. He didn’t have to worry about how to script, record, and deliver amazing videos. In fact, he realized we made it easy!
His ultimate takeaway is this: “If you want to feel good, run a 5k. If you want to change your life, run a marathon.” And what a metaphor that is for the use of video business growth!
For cool insight into Ari’s strategies, check out his YouTube page. And if you need guidance on getting started, schedule a strategy session here.
