Interests and lifestyle data provide non-financial insights into your clients' personal lives, helping you connect on a human level, identify shared interests, and discover planning opportunities related to their hobbies and passions.
Key benefit: This data transforms transactional advisor-client relationships into personal partnerships built on shared understanding.
Interest Categories
Interest Areas
What it is: Broad categories of personal interests and activities
Common values:
Travel
Fitness/Wellness
Food/Cooking
Arts & Culture
Technology
Home improvement
Gardening
Reading
Outdoor activities
Volunteering/Community service
Source: Consumer behavior data, online activity, magazine subscriptions, purchase patterns
Use cases:
Conversation starters and rapport building
Event planning (wine tasting for food enthusiasts, golf outing for golfers)
Content personalization (newsletter topics, social media)
Gift selection for client appreciation
Identifying shared interests with your team
Planning connections:
Travel: Bucket list planning, travel rewards optimization, international considerations
Fitness: Health and longevity planning, gym membership costs, active lifestyle retirement
Home improvement: Property value planning, renovation financing
Volunteering: Charitable giving strategies, donor-advised funds, volunteering in retirement
Example conversation: "I see you're interested in travel. Many of my clients prioritize experiences in retirement. Have you thought about how to structure your portfolio for adventure travel in your 60s and 70s?"
Household Hobbies
What it is: Activities regularly engaged in at household level
Common values:
Cooking/Gourmet food
Wine collecting
Home theater
Crafts/DIY projects
Pet care (dog owners, cat owners, equestrian)
Gaming
Photography
Music (playing instruments, listening)
Source: Purchase history, club memberships, consumer data
Use cases:
Personal connection building
Understanding discretionary spending patterns
Retirement lifestyle planning
Estate planning (collections, valuable hobbies)
Planning applications:
Wine collecting: Collection insurance, estate valuation, charitable donations
Pet ownership: Pet trust planning, expense budgeting, animal charity interests
Expensive hobbies (boats, RVs, horses): Ownership structures, usage patterns, cost planning
Sport Affinities
What it is: Sports followed or participated in
Common values:
Golf
Tennis
Running/Marathon
Cycling
Skiing/Snowboarding
Boating/Sailing
Fishing
Team sports (watching or playing)
Source: Club memberships, event attendance, consumer data, social media
Use cases:
Event planning (golf outings, race sponsorships, game watch parties)
Relationship building through shared sports
Understanding lifestyle costs and priorities
Geographic preference insights (ski town, beach, golf community)
Engagement strategies:
Host client golf tournament
Sponsor local race/charity sports event
Create sports-themed client appreciation (luxury box at games)
Discuss sports in meetings as ice-breaker
Planning connections:
Golf: Country club memberships, retirement in golf communities
Boating: Boat ownership, marina costs, seasonal usage
Skiing: Vacation property in ski resorts, seasonal cash flow
Running/Cycling: Charity race fundraising, athletic foundation giving
Example: "I noticed you're a runner. Are you planning to do the Boston Marathon? I have several clients who fundraise through their racing—might be a great way to support causes you care about."
Financial Interests
What it is: Specific areas of financial topic interest
Possible values:
Stock market investing
Real estate investment
Cryptocurrency/Alternative investments
Retirement planning
Tax strategies
Estate planning
Entrepreneurship
Sustainable/ESG investing
Options trading
Dividend investing
Source: Online behavior, publication subscriptions, webinar attendance, social media follows
Use cases:
Identifying self-directed investors
Content personalization
Service offering alignment
Understanding sophistication level
Finding conversation entry points
Engagement strategies:
Stock market interest: Market commentary newsletters, investment workshops
Real estate interest: 1031 exchange seminars, REIT discussions
Crypto interest: Alternative investment education, risk discussions
ESG interest: Sustainable portfolio options, impact investing
Tax interest: Year-end tax planning, strategy sessions
Client communication approach:
High financial interest: Peer-level discussions, advanced topics, thought partnership
Moderate interest: Educational approach, explain recommendations thoroughly
Low interest: Simplify, focus on outcomes, minimize jargon
Charitable and Cause Interests
What it is: Causes and charitable areas of interest
Common values:
Education
Healthcare/Medical research
Environment/Conservation
Animal welfare
Arts and culture
Religious organizations
Social justice
Veterans/Military
Children/Youth development
Hunger/Poverty relief
Source: Donation patterns (when available), volunteer activity, social media activity
Use cases:
Charitable giving planning
Donor-advised fund discussions
Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD) from IRAs
Legacy and estate planning
Values-based investing
Planning opportunities:
Active donors: DAF, charitable trusts, QCDs at age 70½+
Volunteer leaders: Planned giving, board service considerations
Religious affiliation: Tithing planning, church/temple capital campaigns
Environmental passion: ESG portfolios, conservation easements
Example: "I see you support environmental causes. Have you considered how your investment portfolio could align with those values through ESG strategies?"
Lifestyle Indicators
Lifestyle Segment / Psychographic Profile
What it is: Overall lifestyle classification
Common segments:
Luxury seekers
Family-focused
Experience collectors
Homebodies
Social butterflies
Outdoor enthusiasts
Culture consumers
Tech early adopters
Frugal/Value-conscious
Status-oriented
Source: Aggregated from multiple lifestyle data points
Use cases:
Communication style matching
Service approach customization
Event type selection
Understanding values and priorities
Service customization:
Luxury seekers: Premium experiences, white-glove service, exclusive access
Family-focused: Education planning emphasis, legacy discussions, family meetings
Experience collectors: Travel planning, bucket list funding, YOLO vs. legacy balance
Frugal: Value demonstration, efficiency emphasis, cost-conscious solutions
Technology Adoption Level
What it is: Comfort and engagement with technology
Categories:
Early adopter
Mainstream user
Technology skeptic
Digitally disconnected
Source: Device ownership, online behavior, app usage
Use cases:
Portal adoption likelihood
Communication channel selection (app vs. phone vs. in-person)
Digital document signing readiness
Robo-advisor vs. human advisor preference
Communication strategy:
Early adopters: Digital-first communication, mobile app, video calls, e-signatures
Mainstream: Balanced digital and traditional, client portal with support
Skeptics: Paper options available, phone and in-person preference, gradual digital introduction
Disconnected: Traditional methods, paper statements, in-person meetings
Media Consumption Preferences
What it is: How clients consume information and entertainment
Indicators:
Newspaper/Magazine subscriptions
Podcast listeners
Social media activity level
TV/Streaming preferences
Book readers
Use cases:
Marketing channel selection
Content format decisions (video, written, audio)
Publication advertising choices
Thought leadership distribution
Using Interests & Lifestyle Data Effectively
Building Personal Connections
Before Client Meetings Review interests and lifestyle data to:
Find common ground ("I see you're a golfer—I play at...")
Prepare relevant questions ("How was your trip to...?")
Reference recent activities ("Congratulations on the marathon!")
During Conversations
Use interests as ice breakers
Show genuine curiosity about their passions
Remember details for future meetings
Connect financial planning to lifestyle goals
After Meetings
Send relevant articles related to their interests
Invite to appropriate events
Remember interests for holidays and client appreciation
Note new interests discovered in conversation
Client Events and Engagement
Interest-Based Events
Golf outing for golf enthusiasts
Wine tasting for food/wine lovers
Art gallery opening for culture consumers
Charity race sponsorship for runners/fitness enthusiasts
Tech trends seminar for early adopters
Targeted Invitations Don't invite everyone to everything—use interests to create targeted, relevant events.
Example: Invite travel enthusiasts to "Retirement Travel Planning" workshop, not to a golf outing they won't enjoy.
Content Personalization
Newsletter Segmentation
Send different content based on interest areas
Include lifestyle topics alongside financial content
Reference sports, hobbies, or activities relevant to segment
Social Media Engagement
Post content aligned with common client interests
Share articles on travel, sports, hobbies, and causes
Create community around shared interests
Blog Topics
"Financial Planning for Ski Enthusiasts: Vacation Home Considerations"
"The Golfer's Guide to Country Club Membership Planning"
"Travel Rewards Strategies for Retirees"
Identifying Life Priorities
Interests reveal what clients value:
Heavy travel interest: Experiences over material goods, active retirement, bucket list
Family/home focus: Stability, legacy, local community
Charitable interests: Values beyond wealth accumulation, impact focus
Hobby intensity: Willingness to fund passions, lifestyle cost priorities
Use in planning: "Based on your passion for travel, let's make sure your retirement plan budgets for 3-4 major trips per year. What's on your bucket list?"
Discovering Hidden Planning Opportunities
Expensive Hobbies
Boats: Ownership structure, insurance, financing, seasonal costs
RVs: Purchase vs. rent analysis, travel budgeting
Horses: Boarding, care, competition costs, property considerations
Collecting (art, wine, cars): Insurance, valuation, estate planning
Property-Related Interests
Skiing → Ski condo purchase/timeshare analysis
Boating → Marina slip ownership, waterfront property
Golf → Golf community real estate, club membership vs. equity
Charitable Passions
Deep cause commitment → Charitable trusts, foundation planning
Volunteer leadership → Board service, governance, major gift planning
Limitations and Considerations
Data Accuracy
Interests may be outdated (past hobbies, not current)
Household data may reflect spouse's interests, not client's
One-time purchases may be misinterpreted as ongoing interests
Aspirational vs. actual activities (bought golf clubs but doesn't play)
Privacy Sensitivity
Don't assume you know everything about their personal life
Let clients share interests organically when possible
Be careful not to seem intrusive ("How do you know I like...?")
Use interest data to prepare and listen, not to presume
Verification Through Conversation Always validate assumptions:
"Do you enjoy [interest]?" not "I know you [do interest]"
"What do you like to do in your free time?" (open-ended)
Listen for new interests not in data
Update your records based on conversations
Ethical Use
Do:
Use interests to build genuine connections
Share your own related interests authentically
Remember and reference interests over time
Connect lifestyle goals to financial planning
Don't:
Fake interest in topics to manipulate relationship
Use interest data to sell inappropriate products
Disclose how you know about interests if it seems intrusive
Make clients feel surveilled or researched excessively
Best practice: Use interest data as a starting point for authentic relationship building, not as a replacement for genuine curiosity and active listening.
Related Articles
5.7: Life Events & Eligibility Milestones
6.2: Personalizing Outreach
6.4: Building Conversation Starters
6.5: Event and Campaign Planning
5.12: Characteristics & Personas