The 90-Day Visibility Plan: Grow Your Email List and LinkedIn Presence by Q2

By Charlie van Derven

A new year brings fresh goals, sharper intentions, and the ever-familiar hope that this is the year things finally click. For many financial advisors, that means a renewed commitment to marketing. More often than not, the goal sounds something like this: "I need to get in front of more of the right people."

That instinct is right. The problem is in the execution. Visibility isn't just about being seen more - it's about being seen strategically. If your audience isn't clearly defined and your messaging isn't relevant to their needs, you'll spend a lot of time on activities that feel productive but lead nowhere.

If the goal is to grow, visibility isn't optional. It's the bridge between your expertise and your next best client.

This article will walk you through a 90-day visibility plan built for independent financial advisors who are ready to stop waiting for referrals and start creating consistent visibility within a niche.

Why Visibility Matters Now More Than Ever

There’s a reason email marketing continues to outperform nearly every other marketing channel. Industry reports show that for every dollar spent, email marketing returns about $36. That’s not hype - that’s leverage.

The trouble is, most advisors either:

• Don’t have an email list,

• Don’t actively grow their list, or

• Only use it for sporadic newsletters that don't connect.

  
  

Layer that with LinkedIn, where your ideal clients and centers of influence are spending time every week, and you've got two high-leverage tools just waiting to be used better. When combined, they create a compounding effect. One channel builds trust, the other builds reach. Both keep you top of mind.

Month 1: Clarify and Commit

Before you chase visibility, be sure you know who you’re trying to reach.

Without clarity around your niche, marketing feels overwhelming. You don't need to appeal to everyone. You need to resonate deeply with someone.

Action Steps:

1. Define your niche. Think in terms of profession, life stage, or shared financial challenges. For example: "I help corporate executives prepare for equity compensation events" or "I help physicians in private practice manage their growing wealth."

   
   

2. Audit your current email list. How many people are in it? How many of them fit your niche? How often have they heard from you in the last 90 days?

   
   

3. Optimize your LinkedIn profile. Your headline and “About” section should reflect your niche focus. Be specific. Speak to problems you solve, not just titles you hold. A generic profile that reads like a résumé won’t engage anyone.

   
   

4. Commit to visibility as a weekly activity. It doesn’t need to be hours a day. A focused hour each week, executed consistently, can outperform a frantic sprint that burns out by February.

   
   

Month 2: Build and Invite

Now that your foundation is clear, it’s time to attract people to your list and your network with intention.

Build a Lead Magnet

A lead magnet is a free resource offered in exchange for an email address. For advisors, this might be:

• A checklist: “10 Things Business Owners Should Know Before Selling”

• A short guide: “How to Evaluate a Second Opinion from a Financial Advisor”

• A video training: “5 Mistakes Executives Make with Equity Compensation”

  
  

You don’t need a beautifully designed eBook. What matters is that it addresses a real, niche-specific pain point and provides immediate value.

Promote Your Lead Magnet

Post about it once or twice a week on LinkedIn. Add a call-to-action on your website homepage and your LinkedIn profile. If you speak at events or webinars, reference it there too.

If you’re concerned about compliance, coordinate with your firm or compliance consultant to get clear on approved wording and disclaimers. Keep all lead magnets educational in nature. Avoid guarantees, performance-based language, or references to specific products or outcomes.

Invite People to Your Network

Start building your LinkedIn network with more purpose. Connect with professionals in your niche, centers of influence, and second-degree connections who resemble your ideal clients. Include a brief, non-salesy note: “Saw you’re in [industry]. I work with a number of [niche professionals] and would love to connect.”

This isn’t a pitch. It’s a handshake.

Month 3: Engage and Grow

With systems in place and new contacts entering your orbit, now’s the time to stay top of mind - without sounding like a broken record.

Consistent Email Communication

Once someone joins your list, they should hear from you regularly. A monthly newsletter is fine, but don’t be afraid to send short, helpful emails more often.

Examples:

• A 3-minute story about a challenge you helped someone solve (anonymously and ethically)

• A quick list of year-start planning reminders

• A recent tax law update that impacts your niche

• A personal insight about market behavior or client mindset

  
  

Write like a human. Keep it relevant. Avoid jargon. You’re not writing a white paper - you’re building familiarity.

Weekly LinkedIn Presence

You don’t need to be an influencer. What you do need is consistency.

Try this simple posting rhythm:

• Monday: Share a client-friendly insight or tip

• Wednesday: Post a personal story or behind-the-scenes look at your process

• Friday: Comment on an industry article or a trend in your niche

  
  

Your content doesn’t have to go viral. It just needs to be helpful and visible.

Engage Others

Visibility isn’t just about broadcasting. It’s also about showing up. Comment on posts from professionals in your niche, engage with COIs, and like content that aligns with your messaging. Every interaction is a touchpoint.

Managing Compliance Without Losing Your Voice

One of the biggest reasons advisors stay silent online is fear of saying the wrong thing. That’s valid. It’s also manageable.

Here are a few ways to stay compliant while still sounding like a real person:

• Focus on education, not promotion.

• Share frameworks and perspectives, not predictions or performance.

• Avoid specifics about individual clients, products, or strategies.

• Always disclose your role and include required disclosures in email footers or social posts.

  
  

If in doubt, get pre-approval for templated content and modify your posts within those guidelines. The best marketing doesn't need to push boundaries. It just needs to be relevant and real.

What Success Looks Like After 90 Days

By the end of this 90-day plan, here’s what you should start to see:

• A stronger email list filled with people in your niche

• A more professional and focused LinkedIn profile

• A growing number of meaningful connections

• An audience that hears from you regularly and sees your value

• Increased inbound inquiries from people who already know what you do and why it matters

  
  

That’s not noise. That’s traction. And it’s earned through small, consistent actions, not big dramatic moves.

Visibility Is a Discipline, Not a Campaign

You don’t need to master digital marketing overnight. You just need to do the next right thing - consistently and with your niche in mind.

The advisors who commit to showing up are the ones who get remembered when it counts. If you want better clients, better referrals, and a more predictable growth path, visibility isn’t a side project. It’s part of the job.

The good news? You don’t have to do it alone, and you don’t have to do it perfectly. You just have to start.