How to Position Your Firm as THE Go-To Advisor for Business Owners in Your Market
If you're serving business owners, you're not alone. According to recent industry data, 86% of RIAs count business owners among their client base. It's one of the most common—and most lucrative—niches in wealth management.
But here's the problem: if everyone is targeting business owners, how do you stand out?
The answer isn't to abandon the niche. It's to market to business owners more effectively than your competition. And that requires a fundamentally different approach than marketing to traditional high-net-worth individuals.
Why Business Owners Are Different
Business owners aren't just wealthy individuals with complex financial needs. They're entrepreneurs who think differently, make decisions differently, and evaluate advisors differently.
Here's what makes them unique:
1. They're Time-Starved
Business owners are juggling operations, employees, customers, and growth strategies. They don't have time for lengthy discovery meetings or generic financial planning conversations.
What this means for marketing: Your messaging needs to be concise, relevant, and immediately valuable. Long-form content works, but only if it solves a specific problem they're facing right now.
2. They're Risk-Takers
Unlike corporate executives who climbed a ladder, business owners bet on themselves. They understand risk, leverage, and opportunity cost in ways W-2 employees don't.
What this means for marketing: Don't talk down to them or oversimplify. They want sophisticated strategies, not basic financial planning. Show them you understand the entrepreneurial mindset.
3. They're Skeptical of "Salespeople"
Business owners deal with vendors, consultants, and service providers all day. They have finely tuned BS detectors and can spot a sales pitch from a mile away.
What this means for marketing: Lead with education, not promotion. Demonstrate expertise through content, case studies, and thought leadership—not through cold outreach and generic ads.
4. Their Wealth Is Tied to Their Business
For most business owners, 70-90% of their net worth is locked up in their company. Their financial planning needs revolve around business strategy, exit planning, and wealth transfer.
What this means for marketing: Generic retirement planning messages won't resonate. You need to speak their language: liquidity events, tax optimization, succession planning, and legacy building.
The 5 Pillars of Effective Business Owner Marketing
If you want to attract and convert business owners, you need a marketing strategy built specifically for this audience. Here are the five pillars:
Pillar 1: Niche Down Further
"Business owners" is still too broad. The marketing that works for a $2M revenue service business won't work for a $50M manufacturing company.
Get specific:
- What industry? (Tech, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services?)
- What revenue range? ($1M-$5M, $5M-$20M, $20M+?)
- What stage? (Growth mode, mature, preparing for exit?)
- What geography? (Local, regional, national?)
The more specific your niche, the more targeted—and effective—your marketing can be.
Example: Instead of "We help business owners with financial planning," try "We help healthcare practice owners with $5M-$20M in revenue optimize their exit strategy and minimize tax liability."
Pillar 2: Create Content That Solves Real Problems
Business owners don't want generic financial advice. They want solutions to the specific challenges they're facing.
High-value content topics for business owners:
- "5 Tax Strategies Every $10M+ Business Owner Should Know Before Year-End"
- "How to Structure Your Exit to Maximize After-Tax Proceeds"
- "The Business Owner's Guide to Diversifying Beyond Your Company"
- "Key Person Insurance: How Much Is Enough?"
- "Succession Planning: Selling to Employees vs. Outside Buyers"
Notice the specificity. These aren't generic blog posts—they're targeted resources that demonstrate deep expertise.
Firms working with TE+A Marketing develop content strategies that position them as the go-to experts for their specific business owner niche, creating a steady stream of inbound leads.
Pillar 3: Leverage Strategic Partnerships
Business owners trust their existing advisors: CPAs, attorneys, bankers, and business consultants. These professionals are already in the room when financial decisions are being made.
Build a referral network:
- Partner with CPAs who serve your target business owner profile
- Connect with M&A advisors and business brokers
- Develop relationships with commercial bankers
- Collaborate with estate planning attorneys
But don't just ask for referrals—provide value first. Offer to co-host webinars, share insights on complex cases, or provide resources their clients will find valuable.
Pillar 4: Use Case Studies and Social Proof
Business owners want to see proof that you've helped people like them. Generic testimonials won't cut it—you need detailed case studies that demonstrate results.
Effective case study structure:
- The Client: "A $15M manufacturing company owner preparing for retirement"
- The Challenge: "70% of net worth tied up in the business, no clear exit strategy"
- The Solution: "We developed a 5-year exit plan, optimized tax structure, and diversified $8M into a balanced portfolio"
- The Result: "Client sold business for $22M, paid 15% less in taxes than projected, and retired with $18M in liquid assets"
(Obviously, anonymize details to protect client privacy, but be specific enough to be credible.)
Pillar 5: Optimize Your Digital Presence
When a business owner hears about you—whether through a referral, an event, or a Google search—the first thing they'll do is look you up online.
Your digital presence needs to communicate:
- Expertise: Thought leadership content, speaking engagements, media mentions
- Specialization: Clear messaging about who you serve and how you help them
- Credibility: Professional design, client testimonials, case studies
- Accessibility: Easy ways to contact you, schedule a call, or download resources
If your website looks like every other RIA's website, you're losing business owners before you ever get a chance to talk to them.
Vantage Point helps firms integrate their CRM with their website and marketing automation tools, ensuring that every business owner who visits your site is tracked, nurtured, and moved through a systematic conversion process.
The Business Owner Marketing Funnel
Here's how to structure your marketing to attract, nurture, and convert business owners:
Stage 1: Awareness
Goal: Get on their radar
Tactics:
- SEO-optimized content targeting business owner search terms
- LinkedIn thought leadership and engagement
- Speaking at industry events (chambers of commerce, industry associations)
- Strategic partnerships with CPAs and attorneys
Stage 2: Consideration
Goal: Demonstrate expertise and build trust
Tactics:
- High-value lead magnets (guides, checklists, webinars)
- Email nurture sequences with educational content
- Case studies and testimonials
- Personalized outreach based on their specific situation
Stage 3: Conversion
Goal: Get them to schedule a meeting
Tactics:
- Clear, compelling CTAs on your website
- Low-friction scheduling (online calendar booking)
- Personalized video messages or proposals
- Limited-time offers (e.g., "Complimentary Exit Planning Assessment")
Stage 4: Retention and Referral
Goal: Turn clients into advocates
Tactics:
- Exceptional service and proactive communication
- Regular check-ins on business and personal goals
- Exclusive events for business owner clients
- Referral incentive programs
Want expert guidance on implementing this? Learn more about our 60-Day Program.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even firms with strong business owner practices make these marketing mistakes:
Mistake #1: Generic Messaging
"We help successful professionals and business owners achieve their financial goals" tells business owners nothing. Be specific about who you serve and how you help them.
Mistake #2: Ignoring the Spouse
Many business owners make financial decisions jointly with their spouse. Your marketing should speak to both the entrepreneur and the partner who may have different priorities and concerns.
Mistake #3: Focusing Only on the Exit
Yes, exit planning is important, but business owners need help long before they're ready to sell. Market to them at every stage of the business lifecycle.
Mistake #4: Underestimating the Sales Cycle
Business owners don't make quick decisions about their financial advisor. Expect a 6-12 month sales cycle and build your nurture process accordingly.
Mistake #5: Not Tracking What Works
If you're not measuring your marketing ROI, you're flying blind. Track which channels, messages, and tactics are actually bringing in business owner clients.
The Bottom Line
86% of RIAs serve business owners, but most are marketing to them the same way they market to everyone else. That's a massive opportunity for firms willing to do it differently.
The firms that win the business owner niche will:
- Niche down to a specific type of business owner
- Create content that solves real, specific problems
- Build strategic referral partnerships
- Use case studies and social proof effectively
- Optimize their digital presence for credibility and conversion
If you're serious about dominating the business owner niche, you need a marketing strategy built specifically for this audience—not a generic approach that tries to be everything to everyone.
About the Partners
This blog series is brought to you through the partnership of Vantage Point and TE+A Marketing, combining deep expertise in CRM optimization and strategic marketing for financial services firms.
Vantage Point specializes in CRM implementation, optimization, and integration for wealth management firms and RIAs. With decades of experience in financial services technology, Vantage Point ensures your CRM investment delivers measurable ROI.
TE+A Marketing is a full-service marketing agency focused exclusively on financial services firms with 50-500 employees. TE+A Marketing develops integrated marketing strategies that drive predictable growth and measurable results.
Together, we offer a unique 60-Day Program that bridges the gap between your technology and your marketing—creating a unified growth engine for your firm.
Ready to connect your CRM and marketing for exponential growth? Contact us today for your complimentary Marketing Technology Assessment.
About the Author
David Cockrum founded Vantage Point after serving as Chief Operating Officer in the financial services industry. His unique blend of operational leadership and technology expertise has enabled Vantage Point's distinctive business-process-first implementation methodology, delivering successful transformations for 150+ financial services firms across 400+ engagements with a 4.71/5.0 client satisfaction rating and 95%+ client retention rate.
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- Email: david@vantagepoint.io
- Phone: (469) 652-7923
- Website: vantagepoint.io
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