How Financial Planners Should Talk About Market Volatility Without Sounding Like a Doomsayer or a Salesperson
Every time markets get rocky, financial planners face the same two temptations: go quiet and hope clients don't notice, or lean in hard with "this is exactly why you need to talk to us NOW" messaging that reads as opportunistic. Both miss the point. The best comms during volatility aren't trying to generate leads or manage panic — they're trying to sound like the calm, steady person clients already pay you to be 💖.
What most planners get wrong when markets get rocky
The doomsayer version overuses words like "unprecedented" and "brace yourselves," which — even when well-intentioned — spikes anxiety rather than settling it. The salesperson version leans too hard on urgency ("book now before it's too late"), which can look like it's exploiting fear for bookings, and risks straying into predictions or specific recommendations that don't belong in general communications. And the silent version — saying nothing at all during a period clients are clearly worried about — leaves clients feeling like their planner has gone missing exactly when they wanted reassurance.
The volatility comms structure
- Name what's happening, plainly. "Markets have moved sharply this week" — not "unprecedented turmoil," not silence.
- Normalise it, without dismissing the feeling. "Periods like this are uncomfortable, and it's completely normal to feel unsettled watching your balance move — that reaction doesn't mean something's wrong with your plan."
- Redirect to the plan, not a prediction. "Your plan was built with periods like this in mind. We're not going to guess what happens next week — we're going to keep watching how it lines up with your timeframe and goals."
- Offer an easy, low-pressure way in. "If you'd like to talk it through, reply to this email or book a 15-minute call — there's no cost and no obligation." Avoid urgency language like "act now" entirely.
Putting this into practice
Have the four-part structure written and approved (through your compliance process, if you have one) before a volatile period hits — trying to draft calm, careful language while markets are actually moving is much harder than adapting a template you prepared in advance. Keep every piece of content general — describing markets, plans and timeframes in general terms — rather than personalised recommendations, which belong in a one-on-one conversation, not a mass email or public post. Match the channel to the moment: a same-day email or SMS for existing clients feels attentive; a public social post is better used for general education than for anything that could read as commentary on where markets are headed next. And always close with a genuine, pressure-free invitation to talk — the goal is to be findable and calm, not to convert the moment into bookings.
Mistakes to avoid
- Making any prediction about what markets will do next — even a hedged one.
- Using urgency or fear-based language ("before it's too late," "protect yourself now") that can look like it's exploiting client anxiety.
- Going quiet for the whole period and then acting surprised when clients ask why they didn't hear from you.
- Publishing anything client-facing during volatility without it passing through your usual compliance review, just because it feels time-sensitive.
- Talking about volatility only when markets fall — clients get unsettled by sharp rises and by ongoing uncertainty too.
Frequently asked questions
Should we send an update every time markets move?
No — reserve direct outreach for genuinely significant moves or sustained volatility, not every daily fluctuation. Constant updates can create the anxiety they're meant to soothe.
Can we mention specific numbers or percentages?
You can describe general market movements factually (for example, how a major index moved over the month), but keep any commentary about what it means general rather than tailored to an individual's holdings — that shifts into personal advice territory, which has its own requirements.
Is it okay to reassure clients that "it'll come good"?
Be careful — reassurance should point to process and time horizon ("your plan is built for periods like this"), not a guaranteed outcome. Markets don't always recover on a predictable timeline, and implying they will can be misleading.
What if a client wants a straight answer on whether they should sell?
That's a personal advice conversation, not something to resolve through a general comms piece — the right response is inviting them to a call where their specific situation can actually be considered.
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