2026 Colorado Financial Advisory Buyer Preferences Report
We asked 100+ Colorado buyers how they research financial advisors
Top 7 old-vs-new findings arrow_downward
Executive Summary
Almost all financial advisory buyer research are national. We wanted to know if the same patterns hold for regional buyers. Colorado, which ranked #5 highest in median household net worth according to SmartAssets 2026, was our starting point.
We surveyed 100+ Colorado buyers with household income of $100k - $200k+ and total investable assets of $250k - $5M+ who actively researched financial and wealth advisors from January 2026 to June 2026.
The Fundamental Shift
The old model of data scarcity, where vendors intentionally gate-kept data from buyers to incentivize a sales call, is being replaced by data abundance, where buyers with the help of AI can easily find answers, compare competitors, and prescreen vendors for fit without talking to them.
This means opportunities are won or lost before a sales conversation even takes place.
For businesses, particularly local and regional professional services firms that continue to gatekeep critical data (price, competitor comparisons, level of effort), this is a significant vulnerability.
What we uncovered
3 distinct types of buyers in Colorado
First-Timers
True novice. Never researched advisors before.
Total investable assets: <$500k (55%), $500k-$1M (28%), $1M+ (17%).
Searchers
Been looking, but haven't found an advisor they like yet.
Total investable assets: <$500k (48%), $500k-$1M (32%), $1M+ (20%).
Switchers
Currently have an advisor, but looking to switch.
Total investable assets: <$500k (23%), $500k-$1M (32%), $1M+ (45%).
Click on a buyer type to see how they research and screen advisors.
1 What type of buyers are actively searching for financial or wealth advisors?
Key Insight 59% of buyers have prior experience shopping for financial advisors. 26% are actively looking to switch advisors.
Old Reality Buyers want you to educate them on the financial basics.
New Reality Most of today's buyers already know what they need. They just want proof that you can deliver.
2 How many advisors do First-Timers in Colorado already have in mind when they first start researching?
Key Insight 48% of First-Timers have 1 or more advisors already in mind when they start researching. 24% has 3 or more advisors in mind.
Old Reality First-Timers start their research with an open mind and blank slate.
New Reality Almost half of First-Timers start their research with at least one advisor already in mind.
Compare
2 How many advisors do Searchers in Colorado already have in mind when they first start researching?
Key Insight 50% of Searchers have 3+ advisors already in mind when they start researching advisors. No one started with a blank slate.
Old Reality Searchers start their research with an open mind and blank slate.
New Reality Every Searcher starts their search with 1 or more advisors in mind. Half of Searchers start 3+ advisors.
Compare
2 How many advisors do Switchers in Colorado already have in mind when they first start researching?
Key Insight 77% of Switchers have at least 1 advisor in mind when they start researching for advisors to switch to.
Old Reality Searchers start their research with an open mind and blank slate.
New Reality Every Searcher starts their search with 1 or more advisors in mind. Half of Searchers start 3+ advisors.
Compare
Most buyers today are educated and informed. What they want to know is why you'd be a better choice than the vendors they're already thinking of.
If you can't answer that quickly and clearly, buyers will just move on to the next vendor.
Lisa McGuire, Ed.S.
Co-Author
3 What content do First-Timers in Colorado actively look for on advisor websites?
Key Insight First-Timers want the things that most advisors gate-keep behind a discovery meeting.
Old Reality First-Timers just want to see a track record of success.
New Reality First-Timers want to see if you are the right advisor to help them: cost, investment strategies, and testimonials from people like them.
Compare
3 What content do Searchers in Colorado actively look for on advisor websites?
Key Insight Searcher want the things that most advisors gate-keep behind a discovery meeting.
Old Reality Searchers just want to see a track record of success.
New Reality Searchers want to know if you're the right advisor for them: cost, investment strategies, and account minimums.
Compare
3 What content do Searchers in Colorado actively look for on advisor websites?
Key Insight Searcher want the things that most advisors gate-keep behind a discovery meeting.
Old Reality Searchers just want to see a track record of success.
New Reality Searchers want concrete details that most advisors don't make publicly available: price, investment strategies, and testimonials from people like them.
Compare
4 If First-Timers in Colorado can't find answers on the advisor's website, where do they turn?
Key Insight 35% of First-Timers just move on to another advisor if they can't find the answers readily available on the website.
Old Reality Gatekeeping important info will incentivize First-Timers to reach out to the advisor.
New Reality Gatekeeping important info will incentivize First-Timers to move on.
Compare
4 If First-Timers in Colorado can't find answers on the advisor's website, where do they turn?
Key Insight 35% of First-Timers just move on to another advisor if they can't find the answers readily available on the website.
Old Reality Gatekeeping important info will incentivize First-Timers to reach out to the advisor.
New Reality Gatekeeping important info will incentivize First-Timers to move on.
Compare
4 If First-Timers in Colorado can't find answers on the advisor's website, where do they turn?
Key Insight 35% of First-Timers just move on to another advisor if they can't find the answers readily available on the website.
Old Reality Gatekeeping important info will incentivize First-Timers to reach out to the advisor.
New Reality Gatekeeping important info will incentivize First-Timers to move on.
Compare
The traditional strategy of gatekeeping critical info to incentivize buyers to talk to sales is not working anymore. AI has made finding answers so easy that it's no wonder buyers turn to AI instead of sales.
The question companies have to ask themselves is how can you make sure AI will give accurate answers.
Katie Lantukh
Co-Author
5 How many advisors did First-Timers in Colorado actually talk to?
Key Insight 51% of First-Timers talked to only 1 or 2 advisors.
Old Reality First-Timers will talk to many advisors to explore fit.
New Reality First-Timers screen and shortlist advisors before reaching out. Sometimes, no advisors make the cut.
Compare
6 After talking to advisors, what caused First-Timers in Colorado to not choose them?
Key Insight Sounding like other advisors (no differentiation) is the most common reason why advisors don't win over the buyer.
Old Reality Buyers talk to sales first then do their analysis.
New Reality First-Timers want to know how you're different than everybody else.
Compare
It's clear that AI is helping buyers shortlist vendors to decide if a conversation is worth having. That means gaining a buyer's interest is no longer enough. Now, you have to be in their top 4 or 5.
This is a big shift in buying behavior that many businesses might not be ready for, particularly those that rely on referrals without understanding how they compare to their competitors.
John Way
Co-Author
7 What was the outcome of the research?
Key Insight 44% of buyers chose an advisor that was on their initial list when they began their research.
Old Reality The right pitch or referral can overcome any disadvantage.
New Reality First-Time buyers choose an advisor they already know almost half the time. If you're not on their initial list, you're fighting uphill.
About the authors
5
Industry conferences spoken at
1,400+
Total founders and business professionals advised
200+
Podcast episodes hosted or appeared in
John Way, Katie Lantukh, and Hillary Gale Meehan have 50+ years of combined experience helping founders and business owners adapt their websites to match how B2B buyers actually buy.
John Way
John is a B2B lead-gen & conversion specialist and founder of Pipelineapp.io. He specializes in helping professional service providers capture and convert the website visitors who did not book a meeting.
Katie Lantukh
Katie is a brand positioning & messaging strategist and founder of Murphy Marketing. She has spent over a decade helping founders and small teams attract more of their Favorite Clients.
Hillary Gale Meehan
Hillary is a marketing specialist for financial advisors, wealth managers, and CPAs and is the founder of Moneta Advisor Marketing. She is based in the Denver-area and hosts The Finance Marketing Podcast.