Author: Anu Heda

Consider the Cost of Feeding a Campaign First

Posted by Anu Heda on Jul 03, 2012, in Thoughts , tagged with ,

One of modern business’s most cliche ideas is “if you build it, they will come.” That iconic line from Kevin Costner’s last good movie gets abused in all contexts. So it was refreshing to hear the opposite sentiment during the MFEA Distribution Summit.

There’s an uptick in new marketing campaigns. Some campaigns are product-focused (Global Funds and Oppenheimer). Some are channel-focused (New World, BlackRock, & Retail). Some are pricing-focused (5x and VG). In most cases, the campaigns drive people to learn more via a comprehensive Web site and hopefully campaign-related interactions with Sales.

Marketing organizations need to drive people to investigate the concepts behind the campaign. Build a campaign with a microsite and they will NOT come. You need to compel “they” to come. Those resources, such as television, print media, radio and social media, are not trivial. Actually, they can be very expensive.

Before thinking about ROI or other financial metrics, ask one crucial question: how much is the organization willing to spend in order to compel the desired prospects to listen? Take that number to the PR and Media groups and ask for an estimated sizing: for that amount of spend, how much media can the organization purchase.

Designing a campaign and building the creative executions is the first step. In our industry, a few firms advertise often and effectively. These firms have processes (not dissimilar to a consumer products company) that begin with those questions. For some mid-sized or small but growing firms, those processes may not exist, so analyzing the full cost, time, and resources first is a good approach to advertising.

If the estimate doesn’t seem sufficient to compel prospects and clients, then using those dollars for something else may be more effective.

Best Blogs of the Week

Posted by Anu Heda on Jul 02, 2012, in Best Blogs of the Week , tagged with , ,

By Friday morning, only 1 asset manager addressed the Affordable Care Act – Wells Fargo. That’s impressive and deserves top-billing. Additionally, we found two compelling posts that would be immediately beneficial for most FAs.

Top Billing – Wells Fargo – This post adds an economic lens to the Affordable Care Act’s political battle. Dr. Jacobsen fixates a bit on 49-person versus 50-person, nonetheless, the content is highly valuable.

 

  • BlackRock – This post provides 3 reasons to expect higher volatility in the 2nd half of 2012.
  • Putnam – This post includes a visual that quickly clarifies the massive differences in government bond yields.

 

Improve Your Blog (2 of 5)

Posted by Anu Heda on Jun 29, 2012, in Thoughts

In the end of 2011, tThe industry welcomed new blogs (Columbia Management, AllianceBernstein, and Jim Swanson of MFS) as well as second edition blogs from a few firms (e.g., Franklin Templeton’s Beyond Bulls & Bears). Our best series has never had so much selection. Our first idea to improving your blog was obvious: inject personality.

The second idea is also pretty straightforward: blog frequently enough. What’s enough? That will be different for every firm but here are some guidelines.

  • More than five per week is too much.
  • Less than once per week is too little.

1 to 5 is the right range because it keeps your investment team top of mind without being overbearing. There’s a relationship between frequency and length. And we’ll explore length in the next edition.

Marketing Munis

Posted by Anu Heda on Jun 28, 2012, in Thoughts , tagged with

While reading about the Supreme Court’s decision, Google served this ad (see below) on The New York Times Web site. The landing page provides an introduction to DWS municipal bond funds along with a video.

Two positives about the video:

  1. Freshness – The expert cites Stockton, CA as a source of concern. Stockton declared bankruptcy less than two days ago.
  2. Q & A Format – Two people on camera is four-times more interesting than one person. And the questions are pretty interesting.

Best Blogs of the Week

Posted by Anu Heda on Jun 26, 2012, in Best Blogs of the Week , tagged with , ,

Fiscal cliff? Until this weekend’s paper and morning talk shows, I hadn’t heard that term. And then two of last week’s best blogs reference the fiscal cliff. A third blog introduces a straightforward but unusual manner for FAs to discuss returning from “all cash” positions.

  • BlackRock – This post covers four reasons not to expect a double dip recession, and touches on the fiscal cliff.
  • Putnam – This post is a video Q&A that starts with the fiscal cliff.
  • Russell – Many FAs and clients will be immediately turned off by an algebra formula. But those who are not may find this post a clear way to discuss re-entering the markets.