Financial Life Planner Tina Weeks shared her insight into creating her Life Planning business at the Institute of Financial Planning's first Financial Planning Day.

She set out her strategy via a jigsaw people with eight pieces, these were the steps taken during the process in creating her business, London-based Serenity Financial Planning.

The eight pieces were life planning, client proposition, technology, business development, technical, people, business management and financial.

She spoke about how, when creating her business, it was important for her to have a marketing strategy. To expand on this she brought in Phil Calvert from IFA Life who said Ms Weeks was one of the few firms he knew who actually had a marketing strategy.

According to Mr Calvert, 95 per cent of financial advice firms do not have a clear and written down marketing strategy.

As part of her own strategy,  Ms Weeks gives talks at conferences and workshops to increase her profile and has a presence in the trade press. She is also starting to hold networking sessions and client seminars.

She urged delegates not to overlook the power of social media sites such as Twitter or LinkedIn or the power of a profile in the press as she said any articles would also be placed online, thereby enabling clients and potential clients to learn more about you.

Another point she made was the use of outsourcing in the firm via companies and choosing the correct staff for the firm.

She said: "My differentiator is Life Planning but whatever yours is, make sure you hire staff with the same views as you. This ensures when clients contact you, they get the same service regardless of which adviser they speak to."

Ms Weeks is one of a series of speakers on the day, which is the first in a series of technical events held by the IFP this year in place of regional conferences.

Other speakers include Shane Mullins from Fiscal Engineers and Louise Oliver CFP^CM and Claire Goodwin from Taylor Oliver.