Brand & communication: top 3 things that matter most in investment management?

Greenwich's Rodger Smith had some absolute pearls on offer today. 

Pearls, that is, if you work in asset management / funds management marketing or communications.

Probably the best of the best, and with most direct relevance to the audience, were his points about brand.

The top three things that matter most, as judged by Greenwich research, are these:

1. Strength and reach. This includes attributes such as "is a high quality manager"; "has a strong heritage"; "has a strong presence in the industry"; "offers a broad range of investment solutions" and; "has expertise in global markets"
2. Innovation. To do well on this you must leverage technology; stay ahead of changing needs; challenge conventional thinking in the industry and; provides critical thinking and analysis
3. Client focus. One of the key attributes here is "are you there for us, your client, in good times and bad?"

You can't do everything well says Smith. So don't be a mile wide and an inch deep - choose your territory carefully on which to compete. Unless you're Blackrock or PIMCO you just can't do it ALL well. 

I am attending the 2012 PAICR conference #paicr2012 for BlueChip Communication on the 10th & 11th of September in New York. During late 2012 and early 2013 I will be providing summaries and presentations to clients and industry colleagues. Please let us know if you'd like to hear more.