The ‘pitch’ is out!

In life and in business there often is a tendency to gravitate towards things that are easy give us immediate gratification. Think buying the latest Apple iPhone or posting an industry award win on LinkedIn that gets liked by your network. 

This can also apply when pitching your investment strategy. In many case the typical answer to what makes you better and different is the same as everyone else. How often do we use and see these chestnuts: 

· You have 38 people in 7 countries.

· Your team has collective experience of 200 years.

· Your firm values include trust and transparency.

· You build portfolios with a rigorous fundamental research process. 

Compelling stuff – not!

Instead, successful fund managers firstly focus on understanding their unique value proposition and here are some tips on how to get there.

1. What client problems do you solve?

For example, it may include helping investors:

• access to difficult to research investments 

• challenge the old ways and offer fresh perspectives and strategies

• navigate complex markets, asset classes and solve operational challenges 

2. How do you complement others?

• does your strategy provide exposure to different asset classes or investment themes?

• is your performance experience unique i.e. perhaps not better but different?

3. Avoiding the Performance Trap

· Many fund managers focus solely on performance metrics

· When performance falters, investors quickly exit.

· Consistent marketing efforts, thoughtful content and transparency builds trust and loyalty.

Understand and serve investors instead of pitching

Once you have a good understanding of and confidence in your value proposition, then you are ready serve investors (through sharing, asking and listening) rather pitching. Here how: 

1. Be Authentic: Recognise that you won’t appeal to everyone – its liberating!

2. Ask the Right Questions:

· Founder’s Backstory: Understand why the firm exists. What drove the founder?

· Current Focus: Who does the firm serve, and how do they help?

· Specialization: What makes the firm different from peers?

· Meeting Attendee’s Story: Learn about the person you’re meeting with (if not the founder).

3. Share Your Perspective:

· Client Success Story: Illustrate how you helped a client with a similar issue. Let prospects see themselves benefiting from your expertise.

· Investment Insights: Discuss an investment idea you implemented. Explain your thesis. Show your process at work.

4. Listen Actively:

· Allocator’s Concerns: Ask what the allocator hears from clients or their investment committee. This reveals their hidden problems.

· Engage with Empathy: Be genuinely interested. It’s not about charts; it’s about understanding their needs.

Forget the rehearsed pitch and engage in meaningful conversations around understanding their world and your unique value proposition. Have a few illustrative slides that support the conversion rather than a large pitchbook which dominates and stifles connection. Investors appreciate and connect with authenticity. That’s how you will win business and build lasting connections.

Get in touch if you want to discuss a practical and effective way I can help uncover and articulate your unique value proposition.