Marketing when regulated: Case of financial planners

Australian financial planners are service professionals operating in a regulated context and it is of interest to explore how they promote their brands in such context. Marketing literature has explored regulated marketing, but for products like tobacco or alcohol and not for service professionals. This research bridges this gap. The marketing message outlined on the websites of 40 Australian financial planning practices are coded across two categories of themes – the poses of the financial planners and the outcomes they promise to the customers. The analysis reveals that the practices rely not only on the technical outcomes like increased wealth for their clients; but the planners also emphasize on varied client-focused roles and promise different values for the customers. Arguably, the research suggests that the basis of differentiation for service professionals within a regulated context is consumer experience and which is to be highlighted in the marketing message.