How to Use Social Media Like Donald Trump

As such, Trump's social media focus allowed his team to roll out new messaging quickly and, depending on the result, promote it more widely or pull it before much money was wasted. The campaign sent more than 100,000 uniquely tweaked ads to targeted voters every day. The results? A ten-fold increase in the amount of merchandise the campaign was selling and $250 million raised in just four months, mostly from small donors.

Advisors would also be wise to take advantage of social media's nimble nature. It's easy to track the performance of free posts and then sponsor those that do well, allowing them to reach a wider audience. Many advisors could see a greater return on investment by simply shifting some of the money they're spending on traditional advertising into the social sphere.

Partner effectively. The Trump campaign tapped into the Republican National Committee's data machine and hired outside companies to track voter sentiment, monitor conversations around key topics, and identify messaging opportunities. The third-party help allowed them to not only keep their campaign staff smaller, but also boost the impact of their social media efforts.

(Related: When Trump Tweets, Investors Listen)

Similarly, for busy advisors, there are plenty of tools and platforms available to help make social media management easier and more effective. Identify the areas where you need the most help: Do you need a better way to schedule posts? The ability to manage multiple platforms from one place? A way to track conversations about your company or products? Then seek out options that fill those gaps.

This year's election made it very clear that social media is incredibly effective when it comes to reaching the right people and inspiring action, whether you're planning to land more clients or become the next president of the United States.

— Read 3 Powerful Benefits Financial Company CEOs Realize by Getting Social on ThinkAdvisor's TechCenter.