Wealthtech Roundup: Intention.ly, Docupace, Ycharts, Elements and More

In this edition of the Wealthtech Roundup, we speak with our newest Wealthtech Leader of the Month, Intention.ly CEO Kelly Waltrich, on the launch of Advisor Brand Builder (ABB), a new marketing technology platform.

Intention.ly Launches Advisor Brand Builder (ABB) Marketing Technology Platform

Intention.ly CEO Kelly Waltrich and industry branding veteran Melissa Thomas developed the new proprietary solution called Advisor Brand Builder (ABB), for which Thomas will serve as President. The pair previously led fintech rebrands at eMoney Advisor and Orion.

ABB provides a five-step process that can take less than 48 hours to complete, starting with a 20-minute interactive discovery workflow and brand asset generation engine. It is designed to help advisory firms identify their visual style preferences; customize logos, imagery, messaging and more; and apply their brand to assets such as websites and social media.

And now for our Q&A with Wealthtech Leader of the Month, Intention.ly CEO Kelly Waltrich.

WSR: Why did you decide to launch the Advisor Brand Builder (ABB) platform, and what gap does it fill in the marketplace?

Waltrich: Throughout my career, I’ve seen what the power of a strong brand can do. But as we considered the brand development options available today – in particular, for breakaway advisors, established firms looking to level up the quality and impact of their branding, and enterprise firms seeking a turnkey solution to rebrand newly acquired advisor businesses – Melissa Thomas, ABB’s co-engineer, and I realized there was a sizable gap to fill.

AI has made brand building for firms with limited resources faster and more affordable, yes. But the technology still isn’t sophisticated enough to turn the nuances of a firm’s unique story and value proposition into the differentiated, authentic language and complementary visual applications that truly bring a brand to life. That requires a distinctly human touch. The answer seemed clear to us: Find a way to leverage both. And ABB was born.

WSR: How has marketing technology in wealth management evolved over the last few years, and how do you see it evolving in the next few years?

Waltrich: It’s impossible to talk about the evolution of marketing technology in any industry without acknowledging the overwhelming impact of AI on marketers’ ability to produce, design and publish content in a fraction of the time it used to take. Video, for example, was only a pipe dream for many wealth management firms even a year ago. Now, advisors can create their own videos in about 30 seconds with minimal effort and next to no training.

But even as content creation becomes easier, I think wealth management is going to struggle with two distinct challenges: Authenticity and regulatory requirements. Marketing technology is going to have to keep pace with both to remain impactful.

WSR: What advice would you give to advisors who want to improve their marketing technology resources, but don’t know how to start?

Waltrich: Don’t start with technology at all. Start with defining your marketing goals and working backward to identify the obstacles standing in the way of achieving them, then consider whether technology can help alleviate the roadblocks. The truth is, no marketing technology can fix a haphazard strategy or inconsistent execution, so if the problem is foundational, technology isn’t the answer.

For advisors who have a sound strategy in place, I recommend looking beyond advisor-specific technologies to the wider world of phenomenal marketing solutions available. These platforms will help you stay ahead of broader marketing trends and offer insights you might not get from technologies built exclusively for wealth management marketing. Hubspot, for example, will not only keep your digital marketing initiatives organized, but it will also surface performance data that enables you to continue optimizing your efforts.