Value-Driven Thought Leadership for Financial Advisors & CPAs

Let’s be honest- today’s clients expect more than just spreadsheets and solid advice. They want to know who you are, what you stand for, and whether they can trust you with their financial future. That’s where Value-Driven Thought Leadership comes in. Instead of simply advertising your services, you can [...]

By Kristy Gusick|2025-10-14T00:38:40-05:00October 13, 2025|

Compliance Friendly Marketing for Financial Advisors

The financial advisory industry is unlike any other when it comes to marketing. Advisors and firms are not only tasked with building trust, attracting new clients, and retaining existing ones, but they must also do so under the watchful eye of governing entities and strict compliance rules. For many [...]

By Kristy Gusick|2025-10-07T01:42:49-05:00October 6, 2025|

Target Market Strategy: Avoid Branding Mistakes That Cost You

 You’ve probably seen the headlines…big brands like Cracker Barrel and Bud Light faced major backlash after rolling out brand decisions that didn’t sit well with their audiences. And while these are billion-dollar companies, the lesson is the same for your firm: if you don’t know your target market, your [...]

By Kristy Gusick|2025-09-12T01:05:33-05:00September 11, 2025|

Outsourced Marketing Team for Smarter Business Growth

Thinking about hiring an outsourced marketing team? You’re not alone. Many firms reach the point where managing marketing in-house feels overwhelming, and outsourcing starts to sound like the smarter, lighter option. The good news is- it doesn’t have to be intimidating. An outsourced marketing team works like an extension [...]

By Kristy Gusick|2025-09-12T01:58:16-05:00September 9, 2025|

AI the New SEO: How Financial Advisors Can Win in Search

The way people search is changing—and your marketing strategy should reflect that. AI the new SEO is no longer a distant concept—it’s the reality reshaping how users find and choose financial advisors and professional firms. AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude are becoming the new search bar for [...]

By Kristy Gusick|2025-09-12T02:05:32-05:00September 2, 2025|

Difference Between Marketing and Business Development

In many professional service firms—accounting, consulting, legal, advisory—the lines between marketing and business development are blurry at best. The result? Confused priorities, inconsistent messaging, and lost opportunities.  At Align Marketing Group, we regularly encounter firms that treat marketing and business development (BD) as one and the same. But here's [...]

By Kristy Gusick|2025-08-12T00:08:45-05:00August 11, 2025|

Mastering Your Elevator Speech: How to Make Lasting Connections

Ever been rendered speechless when someone asks, “So, what do you do?” It happens all the time — and it’s completely normal. Talking about yourself and your work can feel awkward, but it doesn’t have to be. Mastering your elevator speech is about creating a genuine connection—not delivering a robotic [...]

By Kristy Gusick|2025-07-10T13:47:48-05:00June 16, 2025|

Identify A-Level Clients to Grow a Profitable Business

If you’ve ever found yourself pouring endless time and energy into relationships that drain more than they deliver, you know the importance of identifying your A-level clients. Too often, client evaluations rely solely on revenue numbers or personal impressions. The reality is that the best clients consistently reflect both [...]

By Kristy Gusick|2025-06-17T00:12:58-05:00June 2, 2025|

Future-Proof Your Business Development Strategies

Referrals are slowing down. Cold outreach is colder than ever. Meanwhile, your competition is showing up in your clients’ inboxes, on LinkedIn, and in Google search results. You will fall behind if you’re still relying on the old playbook.  Business development has changed. What worked five or ten years ago [...]

By Kristy Gusick|2025-05-06T00:06:53-05:00May 5, 2025|

SEO Strategies Made Simple

Visibility Is the New Referral  Even the most trusted professionals can be overlooked if their online presence doesn’t reflect their expertise. Today’s clients are digitally driven—they research, compare, and evaluate long before reaching out. That means visibility isn’t just a marketing add-on—it’s foundational.  An effective search engine optimization (SEO) strategy [...]

By Kristy Gusick|2025-04-25T03:40:37-05:00April 22, 2025|
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