Higher Education: Defining Financial Advisory Credibility

What was the challenge?

In today’s financial services sector, the challenge isn’t just to be seen — it’s to be trusted. For this college, increasing awareness of its name and accreditations was essential in a landscape crowded with advisors whose qualifications are often unclear. Consumers and industry professionals alike face confusion about what truly defines a credible, well-trained financial advisor.

What was Sloane’s approach?

To address this, our team implemented a fully integrated media program tailored to both the urgency of the moment and the enduring need for credibility. The strategy was anchored by robust social media engagement, thought leadership initiatives, and a carefully expanded roster of spokespersons. Central to our approach was establishing the university professors as regular contributors and commentators across leading publications, ensuring the college’s authoritative perspective was front and center in ongoing consumer and industry conversations.

What were the results?

In a marketplace rife with competing credentials, our work helped clarify what expertise means and why it matters by securing ongoing columns in high-profile outlets such as Forbes, MarketWatch, TheStreet, Huffington Post, Investopedia, and The Wall Street Journal. These placements were not just about visibility — they were about shaping the discourse and positioning the college as the standard-bearer for quality and rigor in financial advisory education.

A tentpole of our efforts was the launch of a first-of-its-kind research program: the Retirement Income Literacy Survey. Shared across all channels, this initiative generated hundreds of earned media placements, expanding the reach of the college’s voice and sparking interest across both the financial industry and the broader public.

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