Tech options for working smarter

As a busy financial professional, do you ever wish you had an assistant? Someone to help manage your schedule, write a (generic) client letter or craft a good blog post or two?

If so, then AI might be about to make your life easier.

Of course, it could make your life harder, too, especially if you don’t do your homework before jumping in. To help you understand the options available, here's an overview of a wide range of AI-powered platforms popular with financial professionals today.

Below, you’ll discover some AI-powered tools worth exploring (along with two runners-up), plus a few tips to help make sure you access the benefits — while helping reduce your risks.

Keep in mind that AI constantly evolves, so the tools discussed here are likely to change, and, perhaps, meet your needs better in the future.

Before you dive into these platforms, you may want to first become familiar with AI in general. Using a common platform like GPT4 can be a good place for many people to start. Once you’re familiar with how an AI platform works, you’ll be better able to appreciate tailored solutions.

First, let’s start with the big picture. What can AI do for you? As it turns out, plenty. For example, you could use new platforms for help with:

1. Marketing and client outreach (such as drafting social media posts, educational articles or client letters — at least those without private information in them)
2. Scheduling or other virtual assistant-type work
3. Presentation and marketing materials design

In any of these categories, you can find dozens of options and they are expanding by the day. This article focuses on AI tools designed to help save time on marketing and client outreach. 

Here’s the plan: Below you’ll find information on platforms to check out that could help you engage your clients, save time and get more done. Cautionary note: Before you start, be sure to understand the risks. We’ve outlined those below, too. Also note that this article is an introduction to some AI platforms — not an endorsement.

Five platforms worth exploring

Let’s start with a simple question you may have on your mind. Which platform can help you write better? 

1. That brings us to a popular platform for copywriting, called ChatGPT.

Let’s say you’re facing a ton of deadlines (who isn’t?) and yet you want to offer your clients tips on organizing their financial documents. So, you decide to try ChatGPT.

You’ll want to tell ChatGPT something about yourself, and then offer a prompt that tells it what you want it to write. For example, your prompt might include your mission and describe what you need:

Mission: I am a financial professional whose mission statement reads: “I always put my clients’ best interests first. I will help guide you to the best ways of achieving your financial goals.”

Ask: Write an article of 250-300 words for my clients that gives them three tips on how to organize their financial documents.

Once ChatGPT responds, your next step is to: Pause. Do NOT hit the “Send” button. Instead, it’s important to take four steps before you copy ChatGPT’s output and paste it into your email. You will want to read the content carefully and look for: 

1. Punctuation and grammar errors.
2. Content errors. 
   • Make sure the letter is accurate.
   • ChatGPT (and any AI tool) can make factual errors.
3. Tone. What is your goal here?
   • To be friendly and casual?
   • To be a bit more formal?
4. Places to add more personal, customized content, such as:
   • Personable (compliance-approved) touches that enhance your relatability.
   • Public (not private) information specifically related to your firm.

When using ChatGPT or any AI tool, you do not want to share any private information such as clients’ names or financial details. AI tools are constantly combing the internet, so privacy is paramount. And of course, not everything on the internet is accurate, which is why you should proofread, proofread, proofread.

Beyond drafting content, how can AI help with other time-consuming tasks? In many ways. For example, it can help you create presentations or marketing materials ready for compliance review and approval.

2. How to get help creating presentations using AI.

A quick search for AI presentation tools will give you a wide range of options (almost too many). One option is Gamma, which tells you to “just start writing” and the result will be a presentation, document or webpage in less than a minute — no formatting or designing required. As with all AI output, you’ll want to take a good look at the product before you share it. The results can be customized to suit you.

3. More presentation help.

Two other options for creating presentations are available on Beautiful.ai, which offers two levels of presentation tools —Beautiful.ai and DesignerBot. The latter is a tool for non-designers; the user enters a short description of the presentation they want, and the bot does the rest. 

All the same caveats apply to presentations that apply to copywriting. As mentioned above, the rule of thumb is to treat AI with caution —the same kind of caution you would bring to an on-the-record interview.

4. Another copywriting option.

Another option that could help you with writing tasks.

Simplified is a content generator with a heavy focus on copywriting (blogs, articles, ads, social and SEO, etc.). You can do many of the same things as other generative AI platforms, but Simplified is aimed straight at marketing.

5. What about video?

Lumen5 is a tool for creating videos. Lumen says it’s easy for anyone to create engaging videos using this online tool. 

Dos and don’ts

You will want to approach the tools above (or any AI tools) with caution. Here are four quick dos and don’ts as you start to explore AI.

• Do: Protect the privacy of your clients and colleagues and protect your firm’s proprietary products and processes. What you put in AI may not stay in AI. 
• Don’t: Copy and paste AI-generated content and simply hit “send.” Look at everything carefully before you share. 
• Do: Use AI to increase efficiency. You can use the valuable time it frees up for strategic thinking (OK, or maybe to just take a nap).
• Do: Take your time and learn what works best for you. As AI use increases, you may gain benefits from knowing what’s worth it—and what isn’t.

The search may be worth it when you find a system that can assist with the work you don’t always have time to do. So you have more time to focus on the work that inspires you.

Above all, make sure the content generated by these or any AI tools you use follows advertising rules and is compliant with your company policies.

Insights on Athene Connect. Tips, tools and resources to grow your business by helping clients retire with confidence.