Craft on Tap, Growth Marketing for RIAs

Most advisors are running their marketing in too many directions at once, speaking to too many people, and wondering why nothing converts. In this episode of Craft on Tap, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber sit down with Kendra Wright, founder of Rebel Media Agency and host of Advisor Marketing Made Simple, for a candid conversation about what is moving the needle for RIAs right now. Kendra is one of...

Most advisors are still using Claude the same way they use ChatGPT: one question, one answer, starting from scratch every time. In this growth marketing Craft on Tap episode, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber tackle three specific ways to go further with Claude for your RIA’s marketing strategy. Each one builds on the last, and together, they can turn Claude into a real content engine. Whether you&#...

Is your firm sending the same email to everyone? In this episode, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber explain why contact segmentation is the real secret sauce to growth marketing for RIAs. Before you worry about your subject lines or send frequency, take this step to get your data foundation done right. We cover: Why many advisory firms have disorganized contact lists and why that's costing them...

Everyone's talking about AI search. But what does the data say? After giving a contextual data update, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber share their top takeaways from the Gregory Agency's new research report on AI search for wealth management firms. Spoiler: Google isn't dead. And you probably shouldn't panic. They cover: Why ChatGPT still represents a small fraction of overall sear...

Most advisory firms are working harder on marketing than they need to. In this episode, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber pull from years of onboarding RIAs across the country to share the five most common marketing mistakes they see, and what to do instead. They cover: Why your existing clients are your most underutilized marketing asset How to get serious about who you're proactively marketing...

Are you drowning in data but starving for growth? In 2026, it’s easier than ever to get "great" marketing numbers that result in zero new clients. In this episode, Craft Impact’s CEO Stephen Beach and Marketing Strategist Faustin Weber walk through the six marketing metrics they're monitoring across their RIA clients that act as a guide rope to success. They cover: Why AUM growth is...

Is Instagram worth your time as a financial advisor? Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber talk through Instagram: who should be on it, how to use it strategically, and why your KPIs probably need a reset. We cover: How to decide if Instagram is even the right channel for your firm Why reels and collaborative posts are the fastest path to growing your audience The difference between reels, feed posts, a...

Recording a podcast is the easy part. Getting people to listen or care? That's the hard part. Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber share actionable tips for marketing your financial advisor podcast, from equipment setup to distribution strategy across every channel. They cover: Essential tech setup (without breaking the bank or your brain) How to generate episode ideas that your ideal clients care...

You've heard about niching down, but what about going even deeper with company-specific marketing? Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber explain how financial advisory firms can use account-based marketing (ABM) to attract clients from specific companies without alienating their broader client base. This episode shares real client examples and tactical strategies that have generated discovery calls and...

Is your firm's Google profile helping or ruining your first impression? Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber give real examples of why & how Google Reviews remain a make-or-break marketing asset for financial advisory firms. Plus, they share practical ways to build yours up without running into compliance issues. We cover: Why Google is still the gateway for prospects checking out your firm (ev...

Is your LinkedIn strategy falling behind the platform's latest changes? In this latest Craft on Tap Podcast episode, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber discuss what's working (and what's not) on LinkedIn heading into 2026, including practical tips that independent financial advisors can implement right away. We cover: Why LinkedIn reduced organic reach and what you can do about it The com...

Showing up in AI search results is all the rage in the financial advisory community.  But does it even matter??? 👉The reality is more nuanced than the hype suggests. CEO Stephen Beach and Marketing Strategist Faustin Weber cut through the chatter around AI optimization to share what IS working for financial advisory firms, based on real experiences with clients. We cover: Why educational blog con...

Thinking about launching your own RIA, joining a new firm, or recruiting transitioning advisors? Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber share the behind-the-scenes story of how Craft Impact got into the RIA space and why marketing communications are critical during advisor transitions. We cover: How Craft Impact discovered the advisor transition opportunity through Stephen's brother-in-law Boston Car...

Thinking about building your marketing team in-house instead of hiring an agency? Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber share the honest truth about agency vs. in-house vs. hybrid marketing approaches for financial advisory firms…even when it means selling against themselves. We cover: Why you should consider building in-house first (yes, we're serious) The level of brand intimacy "only" a...

Do webinars still work in 2025? Yes, for the right audience.  And especially as a way to mass-market & engage your current clients. Using real data from a $3B AUM firm, Stephen & Faustin talk about the pros and cons of webinars as a tool for advisory firms, and share 11 tips to boost client engagement. We cover: • Why the 80/20 approach (marketing to clients vs. strangers) makes webinars m...

Lead magnets have been the poster child of inbound marketing for over a decade, but are they still effective for financial advisory firms ? Stephen and Faustin discuss the evolution of lead magnets, from HubSpot's original flywheel approach to today's more complex, pinball-machine buyer journey. History lesson: How and why lead magnets became a key component of inbound marketing, particula...

One of the most polarizing questions in financial advisor marketing: Should you display your fees online? Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber break down Marcus Sheridan's "Big Five" content marketing principles and create their own five-level framework specifically for advisory firms. Despite 44% of affluent investors wanting pricing information, many RIA firms choose not to provide it....

What does "marketing strategy" really mean for financial advisors? Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber discuss arguably the most overused buzzwords in marketing by walking through three real client scenarios. Strategy isn't just the tactics or goals. It’s the custom plan that connects your business objectives to specific marketing actions. We cover: Why templated "Package A, B, C" approaches don't wor...

What drives affluent investors to choose one financial advisor over another? In this episode of The Craft On Tap Podcast, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber talk through 2025 industry research published by The Ensemble Practice and re-shared on the Nerd’s Eye View by CEO Philip Palaveev. Important links: Ensemble Practice: How Investors Choose 2025: Understanding how Consumers Select a Financial Advi...

Should financial advisors focus on personal branding or firm branding?  The answer depends on your firm's size, goals, and growth stage. In this episode of the Craft On Tap Podcast, Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber discuss this common marketing dilemma. They cover: Which accounts get better engagement, personal vs company What smaller advisors should focus on How to blend firm & personal br...

Should you panic about AI search optimization? Are your prospects really finding financial advisors through ChatGPT? Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber discuss the rapidly evolving world of AI search and its implications for financial advisory firms. We cover: Why Google's AI overview "alligator effect" is crushing traditional website traffic. The 6-step GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) framework...

Find out more about what we do: https://www.craftimpact.com/ Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber discuss a real listener question: "We have a wealth management firm that services individuals and families. We need a marketing plan to scale from $85 million AUM to $150 million AUM in five years." In this episode: How to segment your existing client base to identify your ideal niche The spectru...

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber answer the question"How can you write compelling copy about complex financial topics when you're not financial experts yourselves?" And how do you capture my firm’s brand voice in terms of style and tone? In this episode, we break down: The interview-based copywriting approach that extracts your expertise efficiently Why hiring good writers who can wri...

Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber tackle the burning question every financial advisor asks: "Should I run paid ads to generate leads?" Spoiler alert: probably not. In this episode, we break down: The real reason advisors want to run paid ads (and what to focus on instead) Why clients with $1M+ assets usually don't Google "financial advisor near me" The case study of Pure Fina...

What to do when you see another  "congratulations, you’ve made the list!" email. Stephen Beach and Faustin Weber tackle one of the most common questions they get from financial advisors: are these industry awards actually worth paying for? We break down: • How to evaluate which awards are worth the investment vs. money grabs • Key questions to ask before paying any licensing fees • Smart...