ZERO TO 5IVE
Problem
eMoney Advisor had developed an online wealth management solution that enabled advisors to build better relationships with their high-net-worth clients. The Company knew that it needed to market the offering within the financial services industry, and already had success within the insurance market, but did not know how to prioritize the other financial market segments. The Company also needed to develop a brand architecture that reflected its service offerings.
Solution
eMoney Advisor engaged Zer0 to 5ive to conduct primary and secondary research to: better understand how the Company and its eMoney product should be positioned and marketed; gain insight into the development of the online wealth management market; and define the opportunities within the insurance, banking and corporate industries.
By interviewing executives in the banking, insurance industries and corporate industries, Zer0 to 5ive gained insight into the target audience’s product and service needs, decision-making processes and key buying drivers. The primary and secondary research findings also helped eMoney Advisor prioritize its vertical expansion strategy. Although there were significant opportunities in the banking and corporate markets, there was also considerable competition from well-known and well-established players. The conclusion was to first commit resources towards securing eMoney’s leadership position in the insurance market, where it had credibility and a proven track record, while working to establish relationships that would be necessary to enter the other markets. Zer0 to 5ive also identified eMoney Advisor’s primary differentiator – a unique commitment and focus on enhancing the client-advisor relationship. Zer0 to 5ive used this concept to develop the corporate tagline, “Maximizing the Advisor-Client Relationship.”
To strengthen its position, eMoney Advisor needed to brand its product and service offerings. Zer0 to 5ive recommended that eMoney Advisor create a new brand architecture where individual product brands would support the overall corporate brand. The main product, the wealth management platform, became the AdvisorPlatform™, and the marketing and consulting services became AdvisorMarketing™ and AdvisorConsulting™. This distinctive combination of innovative technology with industry expertise and consulting has helped eMoney Advisor differentiate itself and define a new niche within the wealth management category – holistic wealth planning.
Benefit
After the research was completed, eMoney Advisor retained Zer0 to 5ive to serve as its interim VP of marketing, responsible for implementing the recommendations from the research and marketing plan development. Zer0 to 5ive developed the Company’s first press kit, launched the new technology and services, led a full Web site redesign, created new sales collateral, managed communications outreach, including multiple bylined articles and presentations, and organized speaking engagements and event participation. Since eMoney Advisor’s launch with new positioning and messaging, the Company has announced several strategic relationships and new client wins, garnered significant media coverage, gained the attention of industry analysts, created in-bound sales leads and further secured eMoney’s position as the leading provider of holistic wealth planning solutions that focus on maximizing the advisor-client relationship.
