According to WealthManagement, industry leaders have emphasized the need for registered investment advisers (RIAs) to expand their growth strategies beyond traditional client referrals. While referrals remain the dominant source of new business, RIA leaders argue that firms must invest in marketing to ensure long-term sustainability and acquisition readiness.

Angela Giombetti, Chief Marketing Officer at Wealthspire, explained that successful marketing begins with leadership and advisor buy-in. "Advisors drive growth. They need to feel ownership over the firm's marketing efforts," she said.

Joanna Irwin, Chief Marketing Officer at Homrich Berg, outlined five key channels for organic growth: employee business development, client referrals, centers of influence (COI), third-party referrals through custodians or networks, and digital marketing. According to WealthManagement, she recommended that RIAs allocate at least 1 percent of revenue to marketing and noted that high-performing firms often spend 3–3.5 percent on digital marketing alone.

That investment often includes search engine optimization (SEO) support to improve visibility. Giombetti added that technology now allows marketers to directly link spend to return on investment. "We have the data. We can track how marketing dollars translate to client acquisition and revenue," she said.

Client testimonials also play a vital role. Despite stricter SEC compliance requirements, Irwin said testimonials remain persuasive. "People trust reviews—whether for dinner reservations or doctors. They want that same insight into their wealth advisors."

The industry leaders acknowledged that referrals would remain a core growth driver. Marketing, they agreed, must evolve from an afterthought into a central part of every RIA's growth plan.

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