Still Using a Handshake Image in Your Wealth Marketing?
Why It’s Time to Rethink Your Wealth Management Imagery
Let’s talk about that handshake.
That stock photo you see everywhere in wealth management: two well-dressed people shaking hands—sometimes cropped at the elbow, sometimes in dramatic lighting, always accompanied by a caption like “trusted guidance” or “building financial futures.”
We all know it’s a dated visual. Yet many firms and advisors still use it to this very day. Why is that? The handshake image has become the beige wallpaper of financial marketing. It has no real impact or thoughtful meaning. Yet visuals are such a critical part of marketing and brand.
So why are you still using that handshake image?
As a marketer, I understand the theory behind it. The handshake symbolizes trust, partnership and respect. These are foundational values in wealth management. But here’s the problem: so many firms and advisors are using it and have been for over 20 years. Not only does that make an unintended statement about marketing creativity and the ability to differentiate your services, the bigger issue is that when everyone looks the same, no one stands out.
In a world where wealth clients expect personalized experiences, modern tools and relatable communications, the handshake looks like a creative cop-out. There are even some who feel that the handshake itself is a thing of the past, but we will leave that debate for another day.
Why Wealth Marketers Default to the Handshake
To be fair to those who still use the handshake, it is not necessarily laziness. Often, using the handshake image is the result of:
Not knowing what else to use
Wanting to look “professional”
Playing it safe in a regulated environment
But even playing it safe does not mean being vanilla or predictable. And being professional does not have to mean being bland.
In fact, if your visuals do not reflect the real energy, value or approach of your business or firm, you are leaving opportunity on the table.
What Your Marketing Imagery Should Be Doing Instead
In wealth management marketing, your brand visuals should:
Reflect the sophistication of your service
Connect emotionally with your ideal clients
Set you apart from the sea of sameness in other advisors/firms
And most of all: your imagery should feel intentional and thoughtful, not like a last-minute download from page one of a stock site.
So What Images Should You Use Instead?
The images you use in your wealth management marketing don’t have to be earth shattering or completely out there, but they should be thoughtful and on brand for your practice or your firm.
Here are a few modern, creative alternatives to the handshake image that better reflect today’s client expectations. Use these sample concepts to get your creative ideas flowing. In all cases, you can incorporate brand voice, diversity, inclusiveness and other aspects of your overall marketing strategy that fit your brand. The bottom line is to inject a little thoughtful intent into your image selection process to differentiate and customize your marketing.
Journey or Navigation Visuals
Visual Style: Moody, cinematic, or lifestyle travel photography
Concepts:
A person looking out over a clear landscape after coming through an untrodden path
Open road stretching into a mountain horizon = future planning
a vehicle navigating from rough terrain onto a clear highway = clarity, big picture thinking
Boats on calm water = steady navigation of complex waters
Why these work: Planning your financial future feels like navigating an unknown journey — this taps into that powerfully.
This approach offers the ability to be more creative and far more tailored to your business value proposition.
Real-Life Moments
Visual Style: Clean, editorial-style photos or illustrations that illustrate wealth as a way to intentional living
Concepts:
A couple reviewing a bucket list on a weekend getaway
A woman toasting with friends at a rooftop dinner
A family building a treehouse — a visual metaphor for long-term planning
A young professional walking confidently through a museum or gallery
Why these work: It’s about financial freedom enabling richer life experiences — not just numbers on a screen.
Abstract or Conceptual Visuals
Visual Style: Minimal, abstract, or macro photography. While these are more traditional in wealth management, they are far more interesting and meaningful than a handshake.
Concepts:
Bonsai tree pruning = curated wealth growth
Chessboard = strategic decision making
Origami crane = financial planning as a precise art
Time-lapse styled rings in a tree = longevity and patience
Stacked stones = balance and structure
Why they work: Metaphors speak to the wealth advisory process, not just the outcome.
Using design-forward graphics that speak to growth, clarity or structure without being literal are also impactful. Get a little creative. Again, you don’t have to be literal and AI image creation platforms can be a great resource for this type of imagery.
Client-Centric Imagery
Visual Style: Documentary-style photography or cinematic still photos with storytelling depth is a powerful way to go, when done well. Focus on the client’s life, not the advisor or charts
Concepts:
A series showing a client opening the door of their new business, hugging their child, or checking into a boutique hotel — their milestones, not yours
First-person POV images — hands on the wheel of a classic car, a pen signing a charitable donation, a boarding pass in hand
A visually consistent campaign with something like “What Wealth Makes Possible” that features different walks of life
Creative Addition:
Pair each image with a short quote (not a testimonial) that starts with:
“Because I wanted to…”
“So we could finally…”
“Because it was time to…”
Why it works: This approach put the focus from “what we do” to who we serve and why it matters, in a narrative-forward way that builds trust and connection. Client-centric marketing is always a strong approach
Instead of focusing on you, show what success looks like for your clients. This creates emotional resonance to a much greater degree than a generic handshake. Once again, original photography or AI images from custom prompts will allow for far more customization of the image style and tone to fit your business.
The Bottom Line
The handshake image had its moment in the early 2000s. It served us well. But in a digital-first, highly visual world, your wealth marketing imagery needs to work harder—and smarter. Having a defined brand strategy in place will always help, because your imagery will be created to fit your brand visual identity. Without a brand strategy and brand voice, everything becomes so much harder than it has to be (and not just for imagery).
If your website, social channels or brochures still rely on tired old stock-like visuals, it is time to rethink how your brand shows up. Your clients are more discerning than ever. They expect clarity, creativity and authenticity. And frankly, they deserve better than another elbow-cropped handshake.
Let’s Ditch the Handshake.
If you are ready to reimagine your marketing and stand out in wealth management, I can help. From creative direction to full strategy and content, I build brands that feel modern, trustworthy and uniquely you—no handshake required.
Learn more about my marketing services for wealth advisors and firms. Together, we can move beyond the handshake into something far more thoughtful and meaningful.
by Mike Belobradic