Clute Wealth Management

Positioning a brand for mission-driven growth

Clute Wealth Management (CWM) is an independent firm and Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) that provides strategic financial and investment planning in the Champlain Valley region of New York and Vermont. Among the earliest woman-owned and led RIA firms, they asked Marketing Partners for a strategic plan for growth in their rural region, and subsequent help to implement a flexible, integrated communication program to help people build financial independence through shared knowledge.

Focus Areas

Mission-Driven Businesses

Social Equity & Community

Related Services

Brand Strategy & Positioning

Content Strategy & Development

Digital Strategy & Web Design

Integrated Marketing Communication

The Challenge

How can we distinguish a small, rural professional services firm (affordably) in an extremely competitive market — while abiding by complex federal and state regulations governing the financial services industry — and remaining true to the founder's mission of empowering women through financial independence? 

Insight: Women are ignored and underserved

Long before the financial firm behemoths turned their attention to gender and other historically underserved groups, our research identified a mission-driven opportunity for Clute Wealth Management.

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Strategies

More than 15 years ago, we suggested three strategies that continue to work hard for CWM:

  • Register with the U.S. Trademark Office to protect a key element of your brand positioning - Financial Strategies for Women in Transition®.
  • Open an office in Vermont to better serve clients and communities across Lake Champlain.
  • Consistently deliver educational content to build financial literacy and independence. (Today known as integrated content marketing.)
Clute Wealth Management logo with article graphics

How We Helped

We began by developing a series of educational articles in community newspapers and evolved over the years to add a state-of-art website with digital toolkits, social media messaging, and a drive-to-web focus, actively supported by ongoing visibility earned through consistent content publication, speaking opportunities, community service, and proactive public relations.

 

Clute Wealth Management website seen on multiple devices

Website planning, design, build, and maintenance

View Site

 

Freedom to Focus on Clients

When we began, CWM did not yet have an independent website. In the years since, we’ve integrated a new digital strategy with an established people-first focus, and redesigned CWM’s website as client and community expectations grew—freeing the firm's team to better deliver personal attention.

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Educational Articles

Answers to questions about personal finances

For more than fifteen years, CWM has been answering financial planning questions with original, in-depth educational articles designed to build confidence and empower readers.

images of digital toolkits from Clute Wealth Management

Digital Toolkits

Free, audience-specific resources available whenever needed

Each life transition requires different financial planning tools. CWM meets this need with specific toolkits of relevant articles, worksheets, and checklists in their resource library available 24/7.

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Social Media Messaging

Building awareness through consistency and interaction

Consistently engaging and sharing a wide range of resources and information from CWM’s knowledge areas and mission brings increasing awareness, reputation, trust, and website traffic.

Video Chat Window with Clute Wealth Management Advisors Watch at CluteWealthManagement.com

Watch at clutewealthmanagement.com

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we provided training, assisted in planning, editing, and implementing a branded series of Lakeside Chats to help CWM clients and their community feel more connected.

Each Lakeside Chat features a local “expert” on a wide range of personal and financial literacy topics who is invited to talk and interact with other community members.

 

Impact

Despite industry and financial market turmoil over the years, CWM continues to attract and serve diverse clients who want to create a unique path to meet their financial goals.

The firm and its co-owners are also sought out and widely recognized in their service area for providing financial services that build independence and confidence for women, LGBTQ families, and other underserved peoples.

Clute Wealth Management public relations example