How Alternative Investment Companies Attract More Financial Advisors for Their Funds
Chris Mulvaney is the CEO of CMDS. I make things... I’m the creative entrepreneur with passion for (re)making brands and inventing solutions to problems no one knows exist.
One of the most intrinsic difficulties in managing an investment fund is establishing trust. In order to attract – and keep – the attention of financial advisors, alternative investment companies need to focus their efforts on ways to build relationships and reinforce the idea that there are real people and real stakes behind the curtain.
For the most part, funds are looking to capture the attention of financial advisors who have access to a lot of money. Their clients trust them to manage their money carefully and cautiously. The last thing they want to do is trust their reputation and their assets under management to a nameless, faceless investment fund.
Alternative investment companies that position themselves as real, open and transparent have the best chance of earning a second look from discretionary financial advisors. And what better way to establish a brand identity exuding trust and credibility other than your web presence? Here are some “Do’s and Don’ts” of an Investment Fund Website:
#1. Be Real
We’ll bet at least half of alternative investment companies’ sites feature something like a picture of a guy (or a man and his family) in a beautiful setting, staring off into the distance. Or a closeup of an architecturally interesting skyscraper against a blue sky. Finished off with lots of flowery, vaguely aspirational language threaded throughout the site. All of which tell you absolutely nothing about the investment company, other than they have access to stock photography and a copywriter.
Relying on these generic, stand-for-nothing images and language does nothing to build trust or establish credibility. Instead, put a name and a face behind your investment fund. Feature pictures of your actual executives. Film a short video from one of your senior investment managers talking about the fund details and strategies. Why should an advisor work with you? What challenge do you solve for them… and their clients?
#2. Be Simple & Straightforward
Make your website simple to navigate. Don’t bury salient information. Make the prospectus and annual reports easy to find and clearly written. Consider having them designed for easier legibility.
#3. Be Honest
Offer full disclosure. Focus on why your investment fund offers a strategic opportunity, including the specifics of what it is built upon. Financial advisors won’t have the patience to decipher vague descriptions or hunt for buried details — they will just move on to another, more straight-forward fund.
If the current political atmosphere, climate trends or other factors affect your fund’s growth positively or negatively, spell it out. The more information investment funds disclose, the more trust they build with potential financial investors.
#4. Introduce Yourself
Build a killer About page. Focus on the history of the fund, from both the company and people perspective, but also on its financial history and growth. Introduce your ‘story’, any overarching corporate mission or programs your investment company takes pride in.
#5. Distinguish Yourself
Do you have any tools built? What can your clients use to help their own investors with managing their dollars? Are there any calculators on your website that might differ slightly from all the rest? What could your firm do to keep advisors coming back?
The best strategy for investment funds to attract financial advisors is really just to be real, direct and focused more on them than on you. Not only is it refreshingly different in today’s market, but financial advisors are much more likely to trust their clients’ assets to actual people, with real faces, than a glamorized company hiding behind heavy marketing and industry jargon.
Investing in Your Investment Fund Website
Preparing your website to attract more financial advisors is an investment worth making to expand your business. Our world-class web design and development team can help your firm create a website that positions your brand as THE alternative investment fund to work with, all while accomplishing an engaging, user-friendly appearance.
CMDS also offers premier marketing and consulting services to help you put your brand in front of financial advisors. We can walk you through the biggest opportunities in your category and then help you execute a strategic plan to grow your social, content and marketing initiatives.
Contact CMDS at 732-706-5555 or click here to get started. We’ll help you get more financial advisors to your fund.