How to Use LinkedIn to Find a Financial Advisor

I love talking money. I like helping people understand how it works, how it’s built and how it can be spent. As a financial advisor, I meet people from all walks of life with a wide range of experiences and needs. I’ve seen a real shift in the last few years where I’m engaging with clients who are much savvier about their finances, coming to me with more information they get in social media. More and more, my clients are turning to places like LinkedIn to gain control over financial decisions, to connect with like-minded peers or advisors, and to seek insights as they make decisions.

A recent LinkedIn study Influencing The Mass Affluent found that close to 90% of people with assets between $100K - $1M turn to social media to help them make important financial decisions.

If you’re looking for a financial advisor, doing your due diligence is critical, so here are some best practices as you do your research on LinkedIn:

  • Leverage your network. Search your 1st, 2nd and 3rd connections on LinkedIn to see if someone you know can give you a personal referral.
  • Search for individuals. Financial advice is very personal so you’ll want to like and trust the person you are going to work with. Looking at a person’s profile is hugely important. Check out the advisor’s professional biography, and make sure to scroll through the complete profile to find out more about them as well as their interests and passions. If you want face-to-face meetings, narrow your search geographically. Otherwise, many advisors work with clients remotely so don’t be afraid to look further from home.
  • Use Advanced Search. Use as many keywords as possible to narrow your search such as: CFP, Certified Financial Planner, fiduciary, fee-only, fee-based, NAPA advisor, FPA advisor, or fee-only financial advisor. Financial advisors call themselves many things, which can be confusing. Some of the terms besides financial advisor are financial planner, investment advisor, wealth manager, fee-only advisor. It helps to know something about the types of advisors out there before you start your search. The SEC is a good place to start: http://www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/invadvisers.htm. Note that not all investment advisors do financial planning but many financial planners do investment advising.
  • Reach out on LinkedIn. Once you’ve identified a few advisors you are interested in, contact them through LinkedIn to let them know what services you’re interested in and how you’re hoping they might help you.

Finding the right partners in your financial journey is incredibly important, and LinkedIn is a great resource to help steer you in the right direction.

Editor's Note: LinkedIn is hosting Finance Connect in New York City today for marketing leaders in the financial services industry. Follow #inFC13 on Twitter for updates.