The Critical Role of Websites in Growing AUM and Revenues A Five-Part Series
Asset manager websites are more important than ever for building and maintaining relationships with investors and advisors.
“Asset manager websites wield big influence on advisors’ decision to invest,” according to a groundbreaking study by J.D. Power. The study revealed that 91% of advisors are extremely likely to increase their allocations to asset managers with informative and user-friendly websites in the next three months. However, only 13% of asset manager websites earn high overall user satisfaction scores.
Asset managers with low-scoring websites will miss out on advisor allocations yet only 40% of advisors say they intend to increase allocations to those brands.
Does your website provide the information and user experience allocators seek? Or is your website a drag on your fundraising? To compete and thrive, boutique and specialty asset managers must create an online experience that highlights their unique value.
"Asset managers need to recognize that their websites are often the most significant touchpoint they have with advisors," according to Mike Foy, Senior Director and Head of Wealth Intelligence at J.D. Power. "We’ve all become accustomed to being able to quickly find information online without having to pick up the phone or send an email for every question.”
Your Website Must Provide What Investors Seek
Asset manager websites play an increasing role in the daily workflow of financial advisors and due diligence professionals. What do these pros seek from your website?
Allocators and analysts seek to evaluate every fund and asset manager across five key dimensions commonly referred to as the “5 P's”:
The “5 P's” comprise the classic and time-tested framework of due diligence professionals. Investors of all types will naturally explore the 5 P's of each investment opportunity, even without a formal due diligence checklist.
Keep in mind that every reader is asking W-I-I-F-M: “What’s in it for me?” You must frame your attributes in terms of how they benefit the investor or website visitor.
Here’s how your website should approach the first of the 5 P's:
People
When you describe yourself, explain:
- How your strengths benefit the reader.
- How you may have similar experiences.
- How your experience led you to create an investment that solves the challenge you and the investor share.
For example, a prominent real estate sponsor describes their commitment:
“Real Estate Fund Managers With Skin in the Game”
They explain how the co-founders have personally committed $75 million to their own real estate funds alongside their investors.
They then describe how they are just like their investors:
“We started [our firm] to build and protect our own wealth. That goal remains the same today and we are proud to be the largest investors with the company.
We believe that a good partnership is one where everyone wins together.
We invest significantly in all of our funds because we believe it’s the best place for our own capital…
We compensate our team based on performance to ensure alignment…
We are privileged to partner with you…”
The website then introduces the team with a benefits-oriented and reader-focused headline:
“An Institutional Team Working for You”
The website provides clear, concise, well-organized bios of their team members. Each individual narrative highlights a record of accomplishment and educational pedigree from top universities around the world. The reader quickly learns that management has staffed every function of the firm with specialists. Notably, each team member has a history of contributing to successful group efforts.
It’s more than credentials, it’s culture:
- How long has your team worked together?
- How does your team collaborate to implement the investment process?
- What are their motivations?
- Do they provide mutual support when faced with challenges?
You can provide engaging narratives to illustrate the answers. The answers to these questions should infuse your content, from website text and images to blogs and videos, and even your social media posts.
The blogs and social media posts will drive growing traffic to your website. The website text, images, and videos will capture sustained engagement. Together, all these touchpoints tell a unified story about you.
People invest with people. By helping your investors understand your team, you build trust, the foundation of any investment relationship.
Next Steps
Read the next blog in this 5-part series on the key topics for asset manager websites that help drive inflows as we examine Topic #2: Process.
To reach the next level in web-based sales and marketing for asset managers, watch our video series or download our eBook on Digital Distribution.
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