The most effective way to attract business is through relationship or credibility marketing. Establish yourself as a thought leader in your field, and the clients will come to you! So, how do you step into the spotlight and position yourself as a credible expert in your little corner of the universe? Marie Swift is the President and CEO of Impact Communications, a full-service PR and marketing communications firm that serves independent financial advisors and allied institutions. A thought leader in the realm of financial services, Swift hosts the Thought Leader Roundtable series and writes the popular Best Practices in the Financial Services Industry blog. She served as the Director of Corporate Communications for the Worldwide Investment Network before establishing her own firm in 1993. In the past 25 years, Swift’s work has appeared in Forbes, Barron’s, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Advisor, and On Wall Street magazine, among many other publications, and she speaks regularly at professional conferences including the International Assets Advisory, the Financial Planning Association, and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors. Today, Swift shares her journey from corporate marketing to entrepreneurship, explaining how prioritizing her family led to the creation of Impact Communications. She walks us through the significant challenge she faced in having to let people go during the recession as well as her big win landing a contract with one of the top ten broker-dealer firms in the country. Listen in for Swift’s insight around giving your team members a sense of ownership, attracting business through relationship marketing, and leveraging video to position yourself as thought leader in your field.   Key Interview Takeaways What matters most? Becoming a mother made Swift’s life working in corporate communications for a wealth management firm unmanageable. She reinvented herself as a freelancer for the sake of her family, and Impact Communications was born. Entrepreneurship comes with significant challenges. Swift was forced to let people go during the Great Recession, right-sizing her business based on the economy. This was no easy task, but the business emerged stronger. Give your team a sense of ownership. Every individual at Impact Communications has a role that makes a difference, no matter where they fall in the consulting and service-delivery spectrum. Become a thought leader and business will find you. Impact Communications walks the talk, attracting clients by way of credibility and relationship marketing. Leverage multimedia to become a celebrity in your corner of the universe. Digital assets like video can help you step into the spotlight and position yourself as a credible expert in your field. Connect with Marie Swift Impact Communications Impact on Facebook Marie Swift on Twitter Marie Swift on LinkedIn Marie Swift’s Best Practices Blog Resources The Advisor Thought Leader Summit