6 Ways to Reach Small Business Owners in California 

California is booming with opportunities to grow your retirement business, especially as the state’s retirement savings program registration deadline, December 31^st, draws near. Approximately 1.5 million businesses in California with one or more employees will be affected by this mandate. This presents a prime opportunity for you to cast a long line into the surf and catch as much new business as possible. And your bait? These actionable strategies for gaining and retaining business in and outside of California.

Key Takeaways:

• Think outside the box; expand your reach with solutions like educational webinars.
• For specific demographics like California business owners, create targeted outreach materials— from email blasts to regional mailings.
• Attend networking events to foster and strengthen relationships.
• Take the initiative to make new connections wherever you go.  
• Nurture your existing client relationships.
• Cater to your clients’ needs.

Expand your reach with educational webinars:

You’re already an expert in your field; showcase that expertise to a wider audience. Webinars can provide you with an avenue to deliver valuable mass communications, allowing you to speak to your many California clients and prospects at once. Plus, live and on-demand webinars are also convenient sources of information that busy professionals can catch when their schedules allow.

With this spotlight on you, you can also expand your reach to business owners in other states with upcoming legislation. They may not need a plan just yet, but your webinar can help them prepare in advance.

If you do decide to host a webinar, go the extra mile by experimenting with interactive elements like polls, Q&A features, and guided chats to help keep your attendees engaged. Even your webinar registration form serves multiple purposes. It’s more than just a signup sheet; it also helps you collect qualified leads and grow your email list. By including customized questions within the form, you can better understand your clients and tailor your outreach for maximum impact. 

At ePlan Services, we’re committed to supporting your business growth. If you have ideas for webinar topics that you think would be valuable to your clients or peers, we’d love to hear from you. Your input helps us create content that truly meets the needs of advisors like you and the industry as a whole.

Generate targeted outreach:

As you expand your reach, it’s equally important to be strategic about who you’re targeting and how. From email campaigns to social media and search ads, tailoring your marketing efforts to your ideal audience helps to ensure your efforts drive results. While webinars are an innovative solution, you’ll need a solid marketing approach to hook potential attendees.

Platforms like Google and social media ads allow you to advertise specifically to certain industry professionals, age demographics, regions, and more. You can also sponsor, promote, and boost your posts for more visibility. And, their included analytics tools let you easily track your audience’s behavior, from engagement to clicks.

By zeroing in on your target audience, California business owners, you stand to gain more conversions and reduce the likelihood of wasting your advertising budget on the wrong demographic.

Attend networking events:

While digital outreach helps expand your visibility, face-to-face connections can create trust and value that online marketing alone can’t always accomplish. That’s why attending in-person networking events is so important.

In your industry, it’s not always what you know, but who you know. Reaching business owners in California means going where they are. Attending networking events like galas, conferences, and conventions offer a wealth of opportunities to foster new partnerships and meet potential prospects. It’s possible you’ll find yourself engaging in conversations with the likes of C-suite professionals, CPAs, and business owners who could spread the word about your services. Take the initiative to powwow and gain information about the needs of your potential prospects. 

These events aren’t just about conversations and exchanging information; they’re also avenues for personal development. From inspiring keynote speakers to hands-on workshops, you can hone your skillset and leave with a wealth of valuable insights from industry professionals.

Put yourself out there:

Networking isn’t exclusive to galas and conferences. You never know when a casual conversation at the barbershop, grocery store, or even while out with friends might lead to someone asking about retirement planning. These everyday interactions are great opportunities to plant seeds about what you do. If there’s genuine interest, seize the opportunity to exchange contact information or offer to follow up in a few days. And hey, even if the person you meet doesn’t need your services right now, they might know someone who does!

If it isn’t already, make this your rule of thumb: never underestimate the power of organic networking. By staying approachable and ready to offer help when it makes sense, you stand to open the door to new leads and a reputation for being helpful and knowledgeable.

Connect with existing clients:

A seasoned advisor like you understands the importance of nurturing existing relationships. But even the most successful advisors can fall prey to letting communications fall by the wayside as their business continues to grow. To mitigate this potential pitfall, schedule monthly client check-in reminders for yourself to help keep your relationships solid.

Well before the December 31^st deadline, reach out to your clients in California to keep them informed of California’s retirement savings mandate and provide helpful solutions. If the relationship permits, invite them out for a cup of coffee. Sometimes the best business conversations happen when you’re just shooting the breeze. Never underestimate the power of strengthening your connections. Casual conversations like these could go a long way towards building client loyalty and improving client retention.

After connecting with your clients, don’t hesitate to ask if they know other business owners, even those out of state, who could benefit from your services. Satisfied clients tend to be happy to make referrals; all you have to do is ask! But word of mouth is only part of boosting your book of business. To retain and attract new clients, you still have to deliver exceptional and trusted solutions.

Personalize your services:

Now that you’ve used the above tactics to reach new and existing clients, it’s time to leverage them to close the deal. To entice potential clients to buy what you’re selling, small business retirement plans, you have to appeal to their ever-changing needs. Currently, California business owners with one or more employees need to register for a qualifying retirement plan before the December 31^st deadline.

Considering this, most of your California clients may flock to you for retirement plan information. Don’t wait until your clients are down to the wire; prepare talking points now so you can field questions about CalSavers—the state-administered IRA, and potential retirement plan features, administration, pricing, and more. 

CalSavers, may seem like the default choice for business owners who just want to satisfy the state’s requirements, but an alternative like an ePlan Services 401(k) offers more flexibility and financial benefits for your clients and their employees.

After assessing their needs, you may find that your clients would benefit from a plan that allows:

• Fee transparency—With ePlan Services, the quoted price is what you pay; there are no surprises.
• Flexible investment fund options—Your clients have the freedom to choose from any of our investment fund options, no strings attached. 
• Employer matching —ePlan Services 401(k) plans allow employer matching of up to 100% of a participant’s salary (subject to IRS limits).
• High contribution rates—The 2025 annual contribution rate for 401(k) plans, ($23,500), is higher than that of IRAs, ($7,000).
• High catchup contributions—The 2025 annual catchup contribution rate for 401(k) plans, ($7,500), is higher than that of IRAs, ($1,000).
• Easy plan management tools —Your clients can easily manage their accounts with convenient tools like the employee dashboard and various calculators to make retirement planning a breeze.
• And on-going support—The ePlan Services support team is available to answer questions or troubleshoot any issues that may arise.

By offering your clients an ePlan Services 401(k) plan, you position yourself as an industry leader equipped with excellent retirement planning solutions.

Conclusion:

To sell more retirement plans, you’ve got to cater to your clients who need them the most. Right now, those business owners happen to reside in California. But California business owners aren’t the only ones who will need compliant retirement savings options.

Consider expanding your reach and fostering new connections with webinars, networking events, and even everyday outings. With these helpful tips, you can feel confident in your approach.