Navigating client politics, advisors using AI, and digital authenticity

Serve Better - News and data about what investors are thinking, fearing, or doing.

Scale Better - Tools, AI updates, or platform changes for productivity and growth wins.

what new surveys reveal about your clients’ actual feelings going into the new year,

how top firms are using AI to free up time for deeper work, and

why simple digital touchpoints are still your best retention tool.

Politics is now the #1 concern: More clients mention the political environment than inflation, the economy, or market stability.​

Emotions are mixed, not all doom: 53% feel cautious, 43% uncertain, 36% anxious, but nearly half still feel optimistic or confident about 2026.​

They still plan to move forward: 80% expect to hit long-term goals; many still plan big life moves - home projects, vacations, retirement steps, more investing.​

Clients aren’t asking, “Will the market crash?” as much as “Will this election blow up my plan?” That’s a psychology problem, not a spreadsheet problem.​

When anxiety is high but plans keep moving, your real job is behavioral coaching: keeping them from overreacting to headlines while still feeling proactive.​

In reviews: Make “How are you feeling about next year?” a standard opening question, before you show any charts. Normalize caution; anchor back to the plan.​

In client content: Send one short year-end note that says, in your own words: “We designed your plan to survive elections and noise; here’s what we’re watching for you.” Focus on process and resilience, not predictions.​

On social: Post one simple takeaway like, “Most people are more worried about politics than portfolios right now. Your plan should account for both your money and your stress level.” This positions you as a calm guide, not a pundit.

Adoption is no longer theoretical: Roughly 85% of advisors now see generative AI as a help to their practice; nearly half are already using tools for communication and analysis.​

Time is the main win: Firms using digital tools for scheduling, follow-ups, and workflows are reclaiming hours each week for higher-value client work.​

Client experience is improving: AI is being used to anticipate needs, tailor summaries, and keep more consistent, personalized touchpoints.​

This isn’t “marketing tech” in the abstract - it’s capacity. One of your biggest pain points is not enough time to communicate proactively with clients.​

If competitors are using AI to show up more often with clear, simple updates, they’ll quietly become the “most available” advisor in clients’ minds, even if their planning isn’t better.​

Start with one workflow: Use AI to recap meeting notes and draft a short follow-up email after each review. That alone can save you 15–20 minutes per meeting while improving perceived service.​​

Use AI to redraft or repurpose: Let AI draft a quick social media post for you from an existing blog post; you edit for clarity and tone. Schedule it out, and you can make a month of content from a single post.​

Set guardrails, not roadblocks: Treat AI as a junior analyst: great at first drafts, never client-ready without your review. This keeps compliance and trust intact while still giving you the time savings.

Email is far from dead: Average open rates around 37–38% remain strong, well above typical social media engagement rates.​

Frequency and habit matter: Daily and weekly newsletters see the highest growth; midweek, late-morning sends perform best.​

Short and clear wins: Concise subject lines (under ~40 characters) and skimmable formatting drive better opens and clicks.​​

Your clients are already conditioned to get news in short, regular bursts. A simple weekly briefing from you is the scalable version of “quick check-in calls” they say they want, but you don’t have time to make.​

The real value isn’t “marketing metrics” - it’s staying mentally available when they decide it’s time to act. Regular, relevant communication builds trust and reduces impulsive, fear-based decisions.​

Lock in a simple cadence: One short weekly email with a structure like: “What happened → What it means for you → One thing to consider.” Use the same skeleton every time so it takes minutes, not hours.​

Lead with the conclusion in your subject: “Mortgages just got cheaper - homeowners, here's the move” beats “Market update.” Clients open what feels immediately relevant to their life, not your research.​

Tie it to social, don’t separate it: Turn the main point of that email into a LinkedIn post and a quick talking point for meetings. Same thinking, three channels, 5–10 extra minutes tops.