Practice Management

How advisors can build trusting client relationships virtually

lady using phone
Jan 28, 2025|ByStefanie Gonzalez

What you need to know

  • Virtual engagement will be increasingly important for advisors’ business growth as younger clients expect convenient access to their advisor from any location.
  • Cultivating and nurturing authentic and durable advisor-client relationships in a virtual environment requires a deliberate approach to building trust.
  • Learn how to build trust with clients virtually and apply best practices for virtual engagement that drives sustained business growth.

Virtual engagement is a strategy for business growth

Meeting with clients virtually has obvious benefits. Neither of you has to spend time traveling to see the other. If a client relocates, you can continue to serve them remotely. If clients become ‘snowbirds,’ you can keep those relationships warm all winter. But virtual engagement is more than a convenience — it’s a strategy for business growth. 

Today, roughly one third of advisors communicate with the majority of their clients exclusively virtually,1 and that number is likely to grow as advisors increase their focus on the next generation of clients. Younger clients expect to be able to access their advisor from any place their work or leisure takes them – and given the oncoming transition of their parents’ wealth, accommodating their needs will be critical to the future of your business.

How will you cultivate and nurture authentic and enduring relationships with clients in a virtual environment as effectively as you do in person? The key is understanding what makes clients trust you and then taking a deliberate approach to building it.

Build trust on video

Communicating at scale doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your personal touch. Create videos that help you earn trust and showcase your value to clients. Learn more from Katie Cullen, head of BlackRock Business Consulting.
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What makes clients trust you

Trust is driven by three factors: credibility, reliability and intimacy. A client’s perception of your credibility is influenced by your professional credentials and your communication style. Clients measure your reliability by the consistency of their experiences with you. Intimacy is the emotional element of trust that exists when a client believes that you understand their unique needs. Being credible and reliable while fostering intimacy raises trust.2

The building blocks of trust

three components of trust.

Be deliberate to build trust virtually

In the virtual environment, trust does not grow as organically as it does in person. We are limited in what we can observe about a person and their surroundings through a computer screen. Body language and other non-verbal cues may be misinterpreted or missed altogether. Making eye contact through a camera lens is unnatural, which can be distracting. Additionally, clients may be less comfortable opening up to you if they are concerned about their privacy or the security of the call. To overcome these challenges, you will need to be deliberate about creating credibility, reliability and intimacy.

Credibility

As you prepare for virtual meetings, keep in mind that your client will not be able to see all of you nor your surroundings, and at the subconscious level, missing information creates distrust or indifference. Remove the potential for uncertainty wherever possible.

  • Adjust your camera to include your upper body in the frame. The view should be close enough for clients to see your facial expressions and wide enough to see your posture, body language and your immediate surroundings.
  • Avoid using blurred or image backgrounds – it signals there is something you don’t want the client to see.
  • Transparency is always important, but even more so in virtual relationships. Be sure to provide clear explanations, invite questions and answer them completely. If you don’t have all the answers, explain why and let clients know when they can expect you to follow up with more information.

As consistency is essential to credibility, be sure that your narrative, mannerisms, personal appearance and visible surroundings are aligned with your brand and the core values of your business. For example, if your brand emphasizes the importance of family, place photos of your own family where they will be visible through your camera. If you serve a niche market, display evidence of your affiliation to their community or profession, or your qualification to serve them, such as an accreditation to serve women.

Reliability

Clients need multiple experiences with you to be confident that when you say you will do something, you do it how and when you promised. To best ensure a strong track record, be realistic about what you promise. 

Show clients that you are there for them. Maintain frequent communication and dial it up during market downturns. Schedule client calls and meetings well in advance, be punctual and avoid rescheduling. Prior to each meeting, invite the client to collaborate with you on the agenda so they feel heard and know what to expect.

Intimacy

When intimacy exists, clients are more willing to share personal insights that can help you better serve their unique needs. Without the advantage of conversing face-to-face in the same physical space, creating intimacy takes an extra effort. Actions you can take include:

  • Articulate what you know about the client and how you relate to their needs.
  • Express your interest in learning more about the client. In particular, ask them to share their stories as this can help you better understand their experiences and why they feel the way they do.
  • Practice active listening: Summarize what you heard the client say and ask them to confirm your understanding. Be empathetic and validate their emotions.
  • Listen for what is not being said. If they glossed over any areas, ask permission to go deeper.
  • Before ending the discussion, ask: “What haven’t I asked you that might be important for me to know?”
  • Ask for feedback. For example: “Do you have any advice to share that may help me better serve you?”

Get started with virtual meetings

To drive client satisfaction and build your business virtually, ensure clients are aware of their options for engaging with you. Be flexible to accommodate unique client needs and preferences, and make it easy for clients to join your virtual meetings.

  • Spread the word. Tell your clients, prospects, and centers of influence that you are available to meet with them virtually. Make it part of your onboarding process to explain the options for engaging with you and record the client’s preferences. Consider promoting virtual meetings in your marketing and social media content.
  • Be flexible. Some clients may prefer only in-person meetings, while others prefer a fully virtual relationship, or a mix of the two. Customize your meeting regimen for each client’s preferences and periodically remind them of your flexibility.
  • Make it easy. When you schedule a virtual meeting, send the client a calendar invitation that includes a link to your virtual meeting space. Test the link before sending it. Include clear instructions for connecting to the meeting and a phone number to call if the client has difficulty. In the day prior to your meeting, email the link to the client again. This serves as a reminder of your upcoming meeting and makes it easy for clients to locate the link when it is time to connect.

Build trust, build your future

Offering virtual engagement will drive greater satisfaction with your current clients while making your business more attractive to young investors – the future of your business. Be intentional about creating credibility, reliability and intimacy to build trust and drive business growth virtually.

BlackRock can help you position your business for sustained growth. Contact your BlackRock representative for more information or explore our online resources.

Stefanie Gonzalez
Senior Leadership Coach & Business Consultant

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