Marketing Tactics
Unique Fund Marketing Tactics (1/5)
This is part 1 of a 5 part series on unique hedge fund marketing tactics that managers should investigate further while attempting to raise capital for their funds, to read Part 2 please click here. Before taking any of these actions please consult with your compliance and legal counsel for confirmation that you are able to use these methods to market your specific fund.Public Relations Management - Public relations has to be one of the most ignored marketing tools of hedge fund managers today. I have worked with over three dozen hedge funds on their marketing plans and capital raising efforts and so far the most intense public relations effort I have seen set forth was a single press release over a four year time period. This is not to say that any hedge fund that is not putting out 4 press releases a year is doing something wrong, but many could benefit by being more available to the press.
The media is hungry for real time opinions for hedge fund managers, traders and marketers. They need comments on current market conditions, trends in hiring and firing of traders and portfolio managers and what prospects lay ahead for the industry as a whole.
Many hedge fund managers shy away from contributing to news stories in the press. I would strongly encourage you to speak with your legal counsel and see if they would approve of your discussions with the media if you stick to industry trends, general market trends and long-term movements you are seeing within the industry.
Top 4 Tips for Taking Advantage of Public Relations for your Hedge Fund:
- Speak to your legal counsel to check on exactly what you can say or not say within the press.
- Develop a list of 10-15 targeted publications which you would like to appear in. Identify the editor of financial columns within that publication or news source and introduce yourself to them as a resource.
- Speak at public events, conferences, networking events and other places in the industry where you will be heard not only be others in the industry but probably a few members of the press as well.
- Consider writing a book on your insights and experience. Many professionals in the hedge fund industry are asked to come onto TV or are interviewed often after they have published a book on a core issue related to the hedge fund industry such as regulation or quantitative trading.
To read Part 2 of this series on "Unique Hedge Fund Marketing Tactics" please click here.
