Stop Recycling. Start Rethinking
Recycling is fantastic—for aluminum cans.
For your marketing strategies? Not so much.
I’ve been at this marketing game for a while, and if there’s one mistake I’ve made often, it’s this: I’ve fallen into the trap of recycling. I’ve taken what worked before, slapped a fresh coat of paint on it, and thought, "Well, that ought to do the trick again!" Sometimes it did. But more often than not, it didn’t.
Because here’s the thing: The world changes. Audiences change. What worked yesterday doesn’t always work today.
This doesn’t mean we throw history out the window.
The key is rethinking, not repeating. It’s about learning from insights—not just actions—and applying them in a smarter, more precise way. That’s the entire reason to use High-Definition Marketing in a nutshell.
Yesterday, we had the perfect opportunity to put this into action. A wealth management firm (we’ll call them Golden Compass) signed up for Ella. They wanted to grow by reaching new clients, but they weren’t sure where to start.
Step 1: Using Ella to Identify New Audiences
The first step was to ask Ella to explore potential new audiences that might be both unique and relevant to Golden Compass’s services.
Ella scanned their existing brand, examined their market dynamics, and generated suggestions for segments that could offer untapped opportunities.
One audience stood out immediately: small business owners who’ve never worked with a wealth advisor. This group was intriguing because:
They’re often underserved by traditional wealth management firms focusing on high-net-worth clients.
They face unique challenges (like balancing personal and business finances) but often don’t think wealth advisors are "for them."
They’re skeptical but could become loyal clients if their concerns were addressed thoughtfully.
This gave us a clear direction for the next step: digging deeper to find out if this audience was worth pursuing.
Step 2: Stop Recycling Old Assumptions
Now that we had our audience, the next step was to rethink how to approach them.
In the past, the default strategy might’ve been to recycle a standard wealth management approach: messaging about wealth growth, 401(k) plans, or long-term financial security.
But here’s the problem: this audience isn’t sold on the idea of a wealth advisor yet. They’re starting from a place of skepticism, not curiosity. Recycling old tactics wouldn’t have addressed their concerns—or worse, it might’ve pushed them further away.
It was time to rethink everything.
Step 3: Rethinking with Deep Research
That’s when we turned to ChatGPT’s Deep Research tool. After identifying the audience, we wanted to know if they were both fruitful (large enough to make an impact) and reachable (can we effectively capture their attention?).
Here’s the exact prompt we used:
"I’m building a marketing plan for a wealth advisor who wants to target small business owners who have never worked with a wealth advisor before. I need a comprehensive research report covering the following:"
Percentage of business owners who’ve never worked with a wealth advisor (nationally and locally).
Demographics and firmographics: industry, revenue size, and trends.
Psychographics: beliefs, habits, and hesitations.
Reasons they don’t engage: misconceptions, trust issues, or lack of awareness.
Competitor insights: strategies that have successfully converted these clients.
Positioning recommendations: how to win over first-time clients.
The results were game-changing.
Step 4: Key Insights That Changed Everything
Here are three insights provided by Deep Research that completely reframed Golden Compass’s marketing plan:
Audience Profile:
60% of small business owners nationally—and 65% in their state—have never worked with a wealth advisor.
Many of these owners fit the profile of do-it-yourselfers, skeptical of outside advice and wary of perceived costs.
Barriers to Engagement:
Cost Misconceptions: Many assume wealth advisors charge steep fees without adding value.
Trust Issues: They fear being “sold” something instead of being guided.
Lack of Awareness: Most don’t even know what wealth advisors actually do.
Competitor Insights:
Successful wealth advisory firms focus on education and accessibility—not exclusivity. They position themselves as approachable guides who simplify financial planning.
These insights weren’t just helpful—they completely flipped the script on how we positioned Golden Compass.
Step 5: Building a Smarter Plan with Ella
After reviewing the findings, we then fed them back into Ella, where her tools helped us further refine Golden Compass’s brand bot and craft a sharper, more empathetic marketing plan.
Here’s what changed:
Positioning Shift:
We moved from “wealth growth” messaging to something far more accessible:“Simplify your financial future—no jargon, no sales pitches, just clarity.”
Empathy-Driven Content:
Ella’s Empathy List helped us brainstorm content ideas that directly addressed hesitations:Blog: “5 Myths About Wealth Advisors (and What They Actually Do)”
Video Series: “What to Expect in Your First Meeting with a Wealth Advisor”
Social Post: “We’re not here to sell—we’re here to guide you toward clarity and confidence.”
Segmented Campaigns:
We created industry-specific campaigns for dentists, small manufacturers, and professional services like attorneys. Each used language tailored to their unique challenges and financial goals.
The Big Takeaway: Rethink, Don’t Repeat
This process was a reminder that recycling old strategies might feel safe, but it rarely delivers the clarity or impact we need today. Instead, we need to rethink—learning from past insights, not past actions.
With Ella and tools like Deep Research, we can dig deeper, think sharper, and create marketing plans that are truly aligned with today’s audiences.
Let’s stop recycling. And let’s start rethinking.
Ready to Rethink Your Marketing?
Curious how Ella can refine your strategy? Try Ella today for free.
Want insights like these for your business or one you’re serving? Dive into ChatGPT’s Deep Research.
