I recently did an experiment with AI to see if my website describes my ideal client accurately. It’s important as a business owner to know if I’m reaching the potential clients that are the best fit for the firm’s offering.
Here is what I got, and what I thought of each interpretation.
Perplexity AI says this:
The ideal client for Sullivan Financial Planning is someone who wants objective, fee-only financial advice without high costs or long-term commitments—typically individuals who are ready to make important financial decisions, value efficiency, and want straightforward help with money questions, rather than ongoing investment management or product sales.
Kristi’s take: I thought this was an accurate and concise description. It focuses on the kind of relationship the client wants with their advisor and doesn’t dwell on demographics like age, marital status, or assets to invest. This could be repurposed as my elevator speech.
From Chat GPT:
Summary of Ideal Client:
- Age: Likely in their 30s to 60s
- Income/Net Worth: Mid to high-income individuals, including professionals, families, and business owners
- Financial Needs: Focused on retirement, wealth management, tax planning, and estate planning
- Characteristics: People who value personalized, long-term financial planning and want a trusted advisor to help them meet their financial goals
Kristi’s take: Not as accurate as Perplexity. The age range I serve is broader and my planning focus is less on tax and estate planning than this would indicate.
From Microsoft Copilot:
From what I gathered on Sullivan Financial Planning’s website, the company is built around a very specific philosophy: fee-only, no-commission, personalized financial advice. That tells me they’re not chasing high-net-worth clients for asset management, but rather aiming to empower individuals who want clarity and control over their financial decisions.
Ideal Client Profile for Sullivan Financial Planning
- Self-directed individuals who want expert advice but prefer to retain control over their own assets.
- Professionals or families in the Denver metro area who are facing key financial decisions—retirement, home buying, college planning, or tax strategy.
- People who value transparency and dislike traditional financial models that charge based on assets under management or push commissioned products.
- Clients with a moderate to high income or net worth, since fees are scaled based on those factors.
- Anyone seeking clarity on financial questions without committing to long-term contracts or handing over their portfolio.
What sets them apart is the founder, Kristi Sullivan, CFP®, who emphasizes being an impartial third party. She offers advice tailored to your questions—not what she wants to sell—and even highlights that financial planning can be fun, freeing, and fast.
Kristi’s take: This is the lengthiest and maybe cuts and pastes more directly from the website than the others. I like the summary and conclusion paragraphs, and the bullet points are mostly accurate.
However, I’m not sure where the idea that clients need to be from the Denver area comes from. I serve clients in all states that accept the de minimus exception (sorry, Texas, Louisiana, and New Hampshire).
This was an interesting exercise recommended by my marketing guru (and sister!) Catherine Tidd of Social Seed Marketing.
It made me think of doing this when I am searching for a service that needs to be personalized: Therapy, personal training, auto mechanic, etc. I’m not currently looking for a CPA or attorney, but if I were, I might do the same to see if my needs fit the company’s expertise.
