In an era where clients’ consumption of digital media can increasingly shape professional interactions, financial planners face the dual challenge of maintaining client trust while expanding their reach. This was theme emerged during a panel discussion titled “From planner to influencer: how to own the feed and keep your clients” at the 2025 Financial Planning Institute (FPI) annual convention in Johannesburg on 4 November.
Moderated by Sameko Mkhize, the FPI’s marketing manager, the panel featured three experts: Tim Slatter, founder of Slatter Communications, a firm specialising in helping brands communicate effectively; Rizanne Oosthuizen, the chief executive of ProfileMe, a company providing digital profiles and micro-websites for financial professionals; and Juanita Vorster, founder of At That Point, which provides reputation management services.
Drawing from their experiences in marketing, branding, and reputation management, the panellists offered practical guidance on how financial planners can build a sustainable online presence without compromising professionalism or regulatory compliance.
The panel tackled the psychological barriers that prevent many financial planners from engaging on social media, such as the fear of posting and the uncertainty of digital visibility.
Slatter explained that this fear often originates from a lack of clear purpose, where planners dive into platforms without defining their goals. He recommended stepping back to consider fundamental questions: Why be online? What form does engagement take – websites, newsletters, or social media such as LinkedIn or TikTok?
“A lot of the fear I have found comes from not answering those questions first,” he stated, noting that unsuccessful, unstructured attempts instil doubt and hesitation.
He further advised shifting from a fear-based mindset to one of curiosity, where listening takes precedence over broadcasting. This approach encourages authentic presence, not showcasing accolades, but connecting with the right audience – whether clients, colleagues, or peers in the profession. By breaking down objectives, planners can access new markets, spark conversations, and reduce anxiety, transforming online engagement into a tool for professional growth rather than a source of stress.
Slatter also addressed the practical challenge of allocating time for social media amid demanding business responsibilities, where burnout is a real risk.
He debunked the myth that free platforms necessitate constant posting, which often leads to inefficiency. He recommended outsourcing resource-intensive tasks such as long-form content (blogs, newsletters) to specialised providers or AI tools for customisation. A feasible routine: Dedicate three minutes, three times a week to sharing content, building community with clients and prospects, and engaging with their updates.
Consistency and curiosity are key: “When you see what your clients are doing – starting a new business, having a child, or emigrating – you spark conversations instead of burning out.”
Balancing personal and company brand
Oosthuizen advocated for developing both a personal brand and a company brand because each serves a distinct yet complementary role.
She highlighted that time and resources are common constraints, but overemphasising personal branding can undermine the company’s long-term value, particularly in terms of succession and resale.
In practice, this means establishing a company brand first, which requires less ongoing effort and provides a stable foundation. The personal brand, which demands more time because of its relational nature, can then leverage this base.
She used the analogy of a house: The company is the structure, while the personal brand is the lived experience within it. “Your personal brand is the currency that brings the client in, and the company brand is what scales, retains the client and scales the value over time,” she added.
Fear of trending
The discussion explored concerns about unintended virality, such as trending negatively or becoming the subject of memes, which can deter planners from posting. Vorster reassured that such risks are minimal for newcomers, given algorithmic realities. “The chance you’ll become a meme the first time you post is relatively close to zero,” she said, encouraging a rational analysis of fears – whether it’s about losing face, lacking validation, or simply not knowing where to start.
Vorster pointed out that financial planners, like many in technical fields, often paralyse themselves with excessive planning and risk calculation. Drawing from examples of older content creators who succeeded without elaborate strategies, she promoted a “think, do” cycle over prolonged deliberation. “Just press record and post the thing.” Doing so, she said, “teaches your brain that the tiger’s not coming – it’s safe to get out of the cave”.
Authenticity and value
Delving into content principles, the panel emphasised creating material that resonates through genuineness and utility, avoiding performative or self-centre posts.
Oosthuizen returned to the issue of reputation, emphasising that authenticity must not be confused with oversharing. “There’s a big divide between being authentic online and being intimate online,” she said. Authenticity should educate and empower, framing stories where clients are the heroes, “and you are the person empowering the client to become that hero of his own financial story”.
Vorster added that planners should shift focus from sharing only “milestones” (achievements) to sharing more “moments” (financial planning insights) for a broader appeal.
Slatter emphasised the need for planners to align their online and offline selves, promoting vulnerability, such as sharing learning processes.
Why financial planners should speak up
Oosthuizen argued that financial professionals must become more visible online to counter misinformation. “There are videos out there teaching teenagers how to manifest money,” she warned. “In order for your teenagers to have a more realistic view of the world, it is very necessary that everybody in this room gets those videos up.”
Slatter echoed this, calling for a return to basics and authentic connection: “We’re already in an overfed and undernourished environment online … all your clients need is someone to draw alongside them.”
Vorster took the point further, warning that silence from professionals could have long-term consequences. “AI gets its information from those on the internet who shout the loudest,” she said. “If unregulated finfluencers are shouting loudest, that data is already there.”
She urged planners to contribute credible knowledge: “Instead of being upset about what I can’t change, let me contribute in my own way … give three of your top ten things for free. People will pay a premium for the remaining seven.”
Three tips
In closing, Mkhize asked Slatter to predict the next big communication shift in digital media, and how should financial planners prepared today to stay relevant.
Slatter predicted “deeper personalisation in the way you engage with clients”, suggesting planner use ChatGPT to keep track of how those client relationships are created and the conversations they are having, to personalise them “on a deeper level”.
Oosthuizen was asked what high-impact action she would recommend to a financial planner who has only 30 minutes a week to work on an online profile. She advised planners with limited time to “focus on the things that show up in your clients’ world”.
Mkhize asked Vorster for one principle that will help financial planners to own the feed and keep the client. She said: “Be consistent. If you can’t be consistent, be frequent. If you can’t be frequent, be infrequent – and then be recognisable, even if you’re boring.”
