Every so often, we like to do a client spotlight where we ask them about their company and how billboard advertising has benefitted them. This time we chatted with Michael S. Cohen of Cohen Financial Group in Spartanburg County, SC.
Cohen Financial Group was founded with the goal of assisting their clients with every aspect of their financial lives. While they focus on retirement planning, they also aid clients with purposing their money so they can accomplish their goals and have a secure financial future. Michael has always put considerable value on his relationships with his clients over the past 36 years. He told us his slogan is “We don’t do what’s popular; we do what’s right.” Their clients are not just a number to them. He is proud, and rightly so, that if you call their office, they will actually answer the phone. They welcome anyone who walks through their doors and people with fewer assets are never disqualified from financial assessment.
We asked Michael how he’s seen his billboard ads benefit his company. “The Lord blessed us during Covid, and we made it out almost unscathed. We had tried billboards 30 years ago, but hadn’t in a while, and I thought, ‘Let’s try them again!’” Michael worked with us to put up a billboard ad with his face on it to give Cohen Financial some local recognition and communicate their purpose. “I wanted to spend some money on letting people know what we do,” said Michael. He chuckled and mentioned that after the billboard went up, he was at the local Ingles, and the cashier said, “Don’t I know you?” He mentioned that the best thing about a billboard is being able to reach your local community and help them associate who you are with what you do. They help with branding and seem to work more quickly than other types of marketing. He also gave an anecdote about a man who came in to work on his retirement plan. He drove up on his motorcycle; Michael knew where he lived and that he drove by their billboard every day!
Most people in the Spartanburg area have seen them or recognize their name. While Michael has clients in SC, NC, Georgia, and even NY, Ohio, and Texas, 65% of Cohen Financial Group’s client base is right in upstate South Carolina. He places significant emphasis on the relational aspect of working with his clients. We at Grace Outdoor couldn’t agree with this sentiment more! “I like dealing with Grace Outdoor. I know I can trust them. You have always done exactly what you said you were going to do, and that’s important.”
Thank you so much for chatting with us, Michael. We appreciate you and your work!