Samantha Allen of Merit Financial Advisors and Tyler Resh of SteelPeak Wealth want advisors to see the way marketing works when it directly supports the delivery of financial advice.
On the latest episode of Marketing Matchup, Samantha and Tyler make the case for marketing that works in lockstep with advisors and their growth goals. Merit’s YouTube strategy is one concrete example of this level of marketing in action. With nearly 72,000 subscribers, Merit’s YouTube channel maintains a steady stream of informative videos and shorts. But, it’s not video for the sake of making a video.
Nor does it rush the relationship, Samantha says. Eric Sajdak does not ask for anything in return, but offers a steady source of high-quality financial information with a light touch on CTAs.
That restraint is intentional. Prospects arrive at conversations already familiar with the advisor and the firm. “They feel like they know us by the time they get on the phone,” Samantha explains. “That trust is already there.”
Tyler reinforces this point from the growth side. In wealth management, education is not a lead magnet. It is the product. “We’re not selling sunglasses. We’re not selling shoes,” he says. “We’re selling trust.”
Both Samantha and Tyler see that advisors are uniquely positioned to deliver that trust, but only if firms give them the right support. Content, data, compliance, and follow-up all need to work together so advisors can educate publicly without friction or fear.
Supporting advisors locally turns growth into something scalable
Samantha and Tyler also reject the notion that marketing has to be a choice between scale and personalization. At Merit, Samantha describes rebuilding location pages into advisor-driven micro-sites so advisors can highlight niches, experience, and community ties. “Some of the advisors have specific experience that they want to really have show through,” she says. “It’s a better experience for clients and prospects alike, but it also helps us show up when those searches happen.”
Tyler connects this directly to recruiting and retention. Advisors join firms that help them grow locally, not firms that simply centralize control. “Once the client comes on, we put all of our arms around them at the firm level,” he explains. “But they’re hiring the advisor. This is still a people-driven business.”
That alignment is what allows organic growth and advisor recruiting to reinforce each other. Firms that support advisors as educators and community leaders build credibility.
Watch the full conversation below, or download Marketing Matchup from your podcast platform of choice!
