What Happens to Your Business When Your Clients Start Asking AI?
Let's be honest.
Artificial intelligence is getting very good at answering financial questions.
And it's getting better quickly.
This week, OpenAI announced ChatGPT for Financial Services — a version of ChatGPT designed to help financial professionals with research, financial modelling, analysis and client work.
But the more interesting question for individual financial advisors isn't what AI can do for advisors.
It's what AI can do instead of advisors.
Because eventually, a consumer may be able to ask an AI:
- Should I contribute to my RRSP or TFSA?
- How much do I need to retire?
- Should I pay down my mortgage or invest?
- What kind of life insurance do I need?
And get a pretty good answer in seconds.
Maybe they won't want to talk to an advisor.
Maybe they'll prefer the cheaper option.
Maybe they'll prefer the instant option.
And maybe they'll be right.
That's the uncomfortable part of this conversation: we shouldn't assume that everyone will always want a human advisor.
So what does that mean for you?
It may mean your website has a different job.
Your website doesn't necessarily need to convince someone that you're better at explaining compound interest than ChatGPT.
That's probably a losing battle.
It needs to help someone answer a much simpler question:
"Why this advisor?"
Imagine someone hears your name from a friend.
They may not immediately call you.
They'll probably look you up.
And what they find online is going to influence what happens next.
Do they see a current, professional website?
Can they quickly figure out who you work with?
Do they understand what you specialize in?
Can they see your face and learn a little about you?
Can they find your contact information?
Does your website give them a reason to remember you?
Or do they find an outdated website — or nothing at all?
The advisor still needs to be findable.
This may become even more important as AI changes how people search.
Today, someone might Google “financial advisor Victoria BC retirement planning.” They might also ask an AI the same question — and increasingly, AI can help them research financial professionals, compare options and decide what questions they should be asking.
Those are very different searches, but they have something in common. You still needs to be findable. Your website gives prospective clients — and increasingly, the systems helping them research — accurate information about who you are, what you do, who you work with and how to get in touch.
There needs to be enough accurate information about you online for a prospective client — or an AI system — to understand that you exist, what you do and who you serve.
Your website is one of the clearest places to establish that information.
You don't have to beat AI.
And you don't have to pretend AI isn't going to change financial advice.
It probably will.
Some people will use AI instead of an advisor.
Some will use it alongside an advisor.
And some will still want a person they can call when they're making a major financial decision.
Your job isn't to win an argument with the first two groups.
It's to make sure you're visible when the third group is deciding who to talk to.
And if someone does hear your name, search for you or get referred to your website, you want the answer to be obvious:
Yes. This is the person I should talk to.
That's a pretty good job for a website.
And it's one we can help you do well.
Is your website ready for the AI era?
You don't need a complicated website. You need one that makes it easy for the right people to find you, understand what you offer and decide that you're worth contacting.
That's what we do.
We build and maintain professional websites specifically for financial security advisors.