Frequently Asked Marketing Questions

Frequently Asked Marketing Questions

Q. What is financial marketing?
A. Financial marketing is a specialized level of marketing expertise grounded in an understanding of the needs of financial services firms and the intricacies of investment products as solutions to consumer needs.

Q. Have you had experience in launching investment products?
A. Yes. We have extensive experience in launching new investment products. From mutual funds and mutual fund-based platforms to fee-based products and specialized sales platforms, we are quite experienced in products across the spectrum. We also hold securities licenses.

Q. How would you approach a failing product or a product that needs to be “relaunched”?
A. Products fail or fall flat for a variety of reasons:

faulty assumptions or insufficient market research
structural flaws in the product
weaknesses in distribution
insufficient promotional support

We examine each of these issues to assess the foundation for the product and make appropriate recommendations.

Q. Do you specialize in marketing firms or products?
A. The same principles apply to both. We have extensive experience and familiarity with marketing financial products and services. At the same time, when we work with financial advisors on marketing strategy and initiatives, it is helpful that we offer a comprehensive view of the services they have at their disposal, including mutual funds, fee based investment management platforms, and planning services.

Q. Why is there increased value in Investment Education?
A. In the historic settlement with securities firms, the government stipulated that $52.5 million be set aside for investor education. The SEC will influence how an independent foundation will be organized to accomplish this public financial education mission. Now more than ever, financial services firms realize that the SEC considers investment education a priority and that informed investors make good clients. These firms understand best the relationship between their financial advisors and themselves.

Q. How do you help firms to raise their profile?
A. First, we find out the methods and messages the company currently uses to market your company to key audiences. You have multiple constituencies: customers, investors, employees, commercial partners and others.

Q. Can you help us to execute our marketing strategy on the web?
A. Yes. Many companies have discovered that they must pair their web designers with marketing muscle to maximize their web presence. Your website must not only look attractive; it has to work for users. It is the functionality, ease of navigation, meaningful and useful content that demonstrates your company's competence and draws visitors to a site time and again. We can assemble a team or work with yours to develop a web strategy and see it through to completion.

Q. What special insights do you bring to companies that may be considering "going public"?
A. For more than a decade, our president served as the senior marketing officer for two brokerage firms, regional brokerage firm Legg Mason and the investment banking firm Alex. Brown (now known as Deutsche Bank Securities). She had then worked in the new public company arena, from sitting on the firm's deal screening committee, to attending road shows and helping companies to establish stock option and stock purchase plans. She has learned how companies need to speak the language of investors when they prepare to take their company public.

If you have a question that is not answered by our FAQ section, please contact us and we will be happy to answer your question.