Written by Kevin Mulhern

2021 is the year that investment advisors become superheroes to their clients.

Gone are the days when advisors actively sought tough-to-get information from their clients about their deeper wants, needs, interests, dreams and major life events.

Unspoken client expectations will now be known to advisors without ever having to ask or be told. It might sound like science fiction, but big advancements in technology make it a reality by that marrying deep data with ROI-centric marketing initiatives, delivering the most relevant, real-time, trusted licensed content through unprecedented hyper-personalization.

Here are the 5 transformative digital superpowers that industry and platform data predict will trend in 2021.

1. Omnipresence with a family of investors

Every five years, $1.3 trillion in investable assets passes down from generation to generation in the U.S. This is expected to accelerate in the coming years with an aging boomer population transferring its wealth to Millennials and Zillennials. Advisors will go beyond the primary account holder and start relationships with all family members so critical to sowing seeds with tomorrow’s investors.

2. Clairvoyance through hyper-personalized communications

Advisors found out quickly in 2020 that they need to communicate, especially during times of crisis, on a hyper-personalized level. Investors expect their advisers to exhibit clairvoyancy -- to read minds through data and deliver on their expectations. This level of personalization is unprecedented. Interestingly, health and wellness became one of the top-most viewed content topics consumed by investors in 2020, and it will grow in 2021 as investors look to advisors for more than financial advice.

Predictive marketing is is forging a future where nearly 40% of investors are willing to switch financial institutions or advisors to get a more personalized experience, according to a recent study.

3. Shapeshifting and the evolution of omnichannel strategies

Should investors expect their advisors to be on TikTok? It may sound a little out there, but don’t rule it out. As the nature of communication evolves, investors want to receive communications via the channels they choose. TikTok’s significant uptick in popularity has created a growing demand for short bite-sized video content that can be easily watched whenever there’s free time. This could become highly relevant to advisors building household-wide relationships.

While it may not be necessary today for advisors to adopt TikTok, they may soon realize that leveraging multiple communication channels ensures engagement across the family. According to the Forrester Economic Impact study, companies with strong omnichannel strategies experienced a 10% year-over-year growth, a 10% increase in average order value, and 25% growth in close rates.

4. Immortality through five decades of reliable and high ROI communication

When it comes to ROI, email – which turns 50 in 2021 -- remains the undisputed champion for building and maintaining a relationship with investors. It is timeless, and it will continue to be the linchpin of omnichannel digital marketing strategies. We often forget about email, because it is ubiquitous, and that is its power. If the past year has taught us anything, it is that email has become a must-have lifeline for investors and advisors looking to get the most out of their relationship, creating a trusted connection.

5. Teleportation that puts investors in the driver’s seat

The pandemic has forced advisors to turn in-person consultations into virtual meetings, and that’s a good thing, because most investors prefer it.

A recent study found that nearly two-thirds (62%) of investors who communicated with their advisers differently during the pandemic would like to maintain the new methods.

With video conferencing, email newsletters, and hugely expanded personalized content options, young and old clients can stay informed without ever visiting their advisor’s office for an in-person meeting. This unparalleled level of convenience is here to stay. Digital technology has become the new normal.

Welcome to the Year of the Superhero Advisor – and the Empowered Investor.