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Asset Management Communications Blog

A Resource for Investment Management Marketing & Communications

Does Inbound Marketing Work for Money Managers

September 14, 2015

Does Inbound Marketing work for money management firms?

Yes.

But like most worthwhile business initiatives, Inbound Marketing for money managers requires planning, testing, and continual re-evaluation and refinement.

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The DQCOMM Guide to Inbound Marketing for Investment Managers

August 31, 2015

Today we are excited to release our new guide to Inbound Marketing for Investment Managers.

In this complimentary guide, we explore everything an investment management firm (institutional managers, hedge funds, wealth managers, money managers, and private equity firms) needs to know about initiating or adding an  Inbound Marketing component to their investment management marketing strategy.
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Good Performance Isn't Special: Investment Management Marketing

August 18, 2015

We hold these truths to be self-evident...

These words introduce, not only our nation’s founding principles, but also the attitude investment firms sometimes take when drafting their investment management marketing messaging.

I’ve written before about all the reasons why investment managers would be wise to avoid relying on performance numbers when creating and executing their marketing strategy.

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Second Opinions are Crucial for Investment Management Marketing

July 21, 2015

Last week I had a glaring and embarrassing typo in my eNewsletter. Last time I checked, “shortchage” isn’t a word.

As a marketing specialist who hangs his hat on using writing and editing skills to differentiate my work and that of my clients, typos are pretty much inexcusable… especially in a 100-word email blast that goes out to clients, prospects, and colleagues.

But here is the thing: The editing work I do for my clients is impeccable. But editing my own work? Not so much, apparently.

But that got me thinking...

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In Defense of Investment Management Marketing

July 14, 2015

Investment management firms cannot count on their performance numbers to grow their business.

They must employ a professional marketing strategy, including both a traditional relationship-based approach, as well as Inbound Marketing.

Solid performance is preferable (obviously), but it’s not a requirement for managing a successful investment management firm.

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Investment Management Marketing vs. Sales

July 07, 2015

Investment management firms that rely extensively on their performance numbers to grow their business are doomed to underperform their potential.

Investment management marketing cannot overrely on portfolio performance numbers. Doing so ignores the realities of the market, and betrays a firm’s fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to have a professional sales & marketing effort.

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When Everything Looks Like a Nail: Drafting Website Content for Investment Managers

June 30, 2015


In my post introducing the topic of website usability for investment managers, I offered a veritable laundry list of traps most firms fall into with regard to their online content creation effort and creating a solid content strategy for investment managers.

Here, I’d like to unpack each of those traps, explain why they are wrong, and how we can make investment management communications better. 

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Content Strategy for Investment Managers: Intro to Website Usability

June 23, 2015


An important consideration when crafting a content strategy for investment managers is the problem of website usability.

Website usability for investment managers is the study of how web audiences interact with online content.

A quantitative approach, website usability analyzes behavior and provides insights that allow for website design and content creation that accounts for the observed behavior of the audience.

No doubt, we all have visited investment management websites that were, well, awful. But have you ever given much thought to what makes a website atrocious, beyond the simple knee-jerk reaction to aesthetics or content?

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Rethinking Investment Management Pitchbooks

June 09, 2015


Over the course of my career, I have had the opportunity to review and consult on numerous investment management pitchbooks.

Most are professional, highly serviceable pieces of marketing that do what they should, and are what any potential client would expect to see in a presentation from an asset manager.

In other words, most are, at best, unremarkable; at worst, forgettable.

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Content Marketing for Investment Managers: Lessons from Home Depot

June 03, 2015


When thinking about content marketing for investment managers, there are a few lessons to be learned from the ways in which a pair of retail giants manage their online content.

Earlier this morning, I found a link to this excellent article posted on Twitter, entitled, “Stop Thinking Content, Start Thinking Resources.” It was written by Carlton Hoyt, a marketing pro working with the Life Sciences industry.

He touches on a number of issues, but what I found compelling about his piece was the comparison between the ways in which Home Depot and Lowe’s manage and organize their online content.

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Why Consistent Content Delivery for Investment Managers is Important

June 02, 2015


Some investment management firms aspire towards industry thought leadership.

Others are content to reach out to clients and prospects on a quarterly basis.

In either case, an important best practice is ensuring that content is delivered to its audience on a predictable timetable.

I understand that not every investment management firm feels the institutional tug to implement a comprehensive content marketing strategy.

And that’s fine - what’s important is that a firm stays true to its identity and doesn’t try to be something they’re not.
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Content Strategy for Investment Managers: Overcoming Roadblocks

May 26, 2015


Everyone is overworked.

That’s just a truism in the investment management industry. Nobody is sitting back and thinking, “If only I could find some way to fill the hours in my day..."

Unfortunately, that’s the drawback to content marketing for investment managers – it requires a long-term, open-ended commitment to the strategy.

Luckily, a professional, dedicated effort doesn’t have to be as daunting and time-consuming as it may appear from the outside.

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Do's & Don'ts for Investment Management Communications

May 19, 2015


I’m starting a new Tuesday feature on the blog: Content Strategy for Investment Managers.

I’ll be going through various aspects of creating an effective content strategy that align with our philosophy of Be Clear. Be Concise. Be Consistent.

I’ve already touched on a few of these items in my earlier posts:

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Growing AUM with Google: Content Marketing for Investment Managers

May 11, 2015


In my earlier iteration as a pure communications consulting firm, I often found myself speaking with clients about the importance of revamping their website as a central part of a new messaging strategy.

 When the subject turned to optimizing their content for search (or, search engine optimization – SEO), my standard line was to say,

“It’s important to do because it demonstrates that you ‘get’ that side of things, but I know you’re not getting a million dollar account through a Google search.”

We’d both chuckle and move on to other topics. However, in fact, that crack about Google searches is factually incorrect. Search can be an important part of marketing for investment management firms.

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Content Marketing in 2015 = Websites in 2005

May 07, 2015


Content marketing for investment managers has yet to become an accepted practice within the industry.

I think the reason why is three-fold:

  1. There’s an inherent conservatism in the industry that, culturally, discourages deviation from long-accepted practices;

  2. An omnipresent fear of “talking too much” and running afoul of the SEC; and

  3. Commitment issues, as in, “Will we have the discipline to blog once or twice a week, every week… forever?”

These issues aside, I believe that the industry eventually will HAVE to embrace content marketing as a cornerstone practice.

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Measuring ROI: Preliminary Stats for 2015

May 07, 2015

That there is a perceived ROI measurement problem for content marketing for investment managers and inbound marketing for investment managers is well understood by the industry. I say "perceived" because it simply isn't true.

While investment management has some characteristics unique to its fundamentals, it is not so different as to be immune from marketing strategies that work elsewhere.

With that in mind, HubSpot is in the process of releasing their ROI Report for 2015 (the full report is pending), but they have released some preliminary numbers.

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CLEAR, CONCISE, CONSISTENT MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS FOR INVESTMENT MANAGERS

The Asset Management Communications Blog is a resource from Daniel Quinn Communications for investment management firms on effective marketing and communications:

   ~ Inbound Marketing / Content Marketing
   ~ Website and other online content
   ~ Content marketing for asset managers
   ~ Style guides
   ~ Presentation materials
   ~ General advice on effective writing.