As 2017 unfolds hedge funds are facing erratic asset growth, passive investments are grabbing attention and assets, redemptions are making headlines, fees are under pressure and performance is only just beginning to show signs of life, all amid fierce competition.
“The USD3 trillion world of hedge funds is being pushed and pulled into a marketing environment unlike anything it has seen before,” says Kyle Dunn (pictured), founder and CEO of Meyler Capital, an integrated capital-raising and marketing services company for hedge funds, PE funds and other alternative investment firms.
“Old tools, old instincts don’t work,” says Dunn. “Today’s focus needs to be on building audience instead of chasing transactions; layering information precisely rather than pummelling people with decks; communicating consistently and not just when raising money; putting marketing technology to work; and integrating all of this directly with fund-raising. It’s the opposite of how hedge fund marketing has been done for decades. It’s Contrarian Marketing for today’s market.”
Meyler was the first firm to produce video advertising for a hedge fund and for five years has been a leading advocate and driver of change in how hedge funds and other alternative asset management firms market and raise capital. Meyler’s Contrarian Marketing approach brings sophisticated marketing communications strategies and tools to today’s new hedge fund landscape.
Meyler is putting its Contrarian Marketing approach to work for hedge funds of all sizes to move them out of the “dark ages and into the clear light of modern marketing”.
Key strategies include tracking and analysing how targets interact with video marketing material to help prioritise prospects ready to engage. Know Your Customer (KYC) meanwhile is moving beyond compliance and the key questions now are ‘Who’s on your website? and Where are prospects spending time? Meyler says marketing automation is changing the B2B institutional market.
With regard to decks, of the 50 decks reviewed in the last six months, on average, Meyler cut them in half with no loss of content and a greatly enhanced user experience. Meyler believes that the way people absorb information is new and content must be optimised for mobile consumption.
Integrate marketing and fundraising is another key strategy. Lacking contemporary, purpose-built marketing tools, raising capital can be a long process. Meyler says that marketing tools need to complement human capital raising talent.
“Marketing needs to help managers stand out, be remarkable and raise capital more effectively,” says Dunn. “Marketing will separate the winners and losers.”
