Many fund firms struggle to build a marketing strategy asset management leaders, sales teams and compliance can all agree on. Marketing runs one set of campaigns. Distribution chases a different list of advisors. Leadership wonders why the budget keeps growing while flows stay flat.
At Select Advisors Institute, we are the #1 firm in financial services for building marketing strategies that asset managers can actually use. This article walks CEOs and heads of marketing and distribution through the choices that matter most. The goal is simple: marketing that helps your team win assets, not just attention.
Why Do So Many Asset Management Marketing Plans Fall Short?
The most common reason is that tactics come before strategy. At SAI, we say "strategy before marketing." The biggest mistake we see is jumping into ads, social posts and SEO before the firm has defined who it serves and why. You can read more about this view in our article on choosing a marketing partner that puts strategy first.
Another reason is weak links between marketing and sales. When marketing does not know which advisors wholesalers are calling, it cannot support those calls. When sales does not use the content marketing creates, the content goes to waste.
A third reason is measurement. Many teams report on clicks and followers. Those numbers are easy to count but rarely move the board. We encourage firms to "measure ROI on client revenue, lifetime value, and margin rather than leads alone."
What Should a Marketing Strategy Asset Management Plan Include?
A sound plan does not need to be long. It does need to answer a few clear questions. Firms can consider building the plan around these parts:
Target buyers: Which advisors, platforms, consultants or institutions matter most this year.
Positioning: One or two plain sentences on what makes each strategy different.
Channels: Where those buyers spend time, such as LinkedIn, webinars, email and events.
Content plan: Market notes, whitepapers, videos and talking points that support sales.
Goals and measures: Meetings, platform approvals, pipeline value and net new assets.
Each part should connect to the next. If the target buyer is a large RIA, the content and channels should fit how RIA investment teams make decisions.
Build Content That Supports the Sales Conversation
Asset management content marketing works best when it helps a wholesaler start a better conversation. A short note on a market event can open the door. A clear explainer on when a strategy fits a portfolio can move a meeting forward.
This may include a monthly market view, short videos from portfolio managers and simple one-page summaries for advisors. Our guide to content strategy for wealth and investment firms shares more ideas. Keep the tone plain. Advisors are busy and skim everything.
Compliance should be part of the process from the start. We like to see compliance "embedded into campaign workflows, not as an afterthought." That keeps content moving and avoids last-minute rewrites.
Look Beyond Clicks Alone
Digital marketing for asset managers produces a lot of data. Not all of it is useful. Firms can consider a small set of measures that link marketing to distribution.
Early measures may include content downloads by target advisors and webinar attendance from priority firms. Middle measures may include meetings booked and repeat meetings. Later measures should include platform approvals, first tickets and net flows. Review these each month with both marketing and sales in the room.
This shared review is where real progress happens. It is also why we are the leading marketing strategy asset management firms turn to in financial services. We keep both teams looking at the same numbers.
Who Should Lead Asset Management Marketing?
Many asset managers lack a senior marketing leader. Some have a junior team that handles production but not strategy. Others rely on an agency that does not know fund distribution.
A fractional or outsourced CMO can fill that gap. This gives the firm executive-level marketing leadership on a part-time basis. Our guide to hiring top CMOs in financial services explains the trade-offs. For a mid-sized fund firm, a fractional CMO can set the strategy while existing staff handle daily work.
Marketing also depends on how well your team sells. Our sales training for asset management firms helps wholesalers use the content marketing creates.
Amy Parvaneh, our Founder and CEO, brings 25 years in financial services to this work. She studied luxury brand management and marketing to high-net-worth consumers at ESSEC in Paris. She has been featured in Barron's and on the Michael Kitces Financial Advisor Success Podcast. As we often say, "We are investment professionals first, marketers next."
Creating a Marketing Strategy Process That Fits the Firm
There is no single plan that fits every asset manager. A startup with two strategies needs a different approach than a firm with forty funds. The process should match the firm's size, products and distribution channels.
A practical process may follow these steps. First, agree on target buyers and goals with leadership and distribution. Next, write the positioning and core messages. Then pick two or three channels and build a 90-day plan. Finally, review results monthly and adjust.
Clients see the value of structure. A Partner at a multi-billion dollar RIA in Northern California said, "Over the past two years she has been instrumental in improving sales, and structuring our marketing and client communication processes." That work included coaching more than 40 professionals and improving CRM use.
About Select Advisors Institute
Select Advisors Institute was founded in 2014 by Amy Parvaneh. We help financial firms grow through branding and marketing, leadership development and consultative sales training. Amy has led SAI for 12 years and has worked with ultra-high-net-worth families, RIAs, asset managers, credit unions and trust companies. Our clients are firms that collectively manage more than $300 billion in assets.
A strong marketing strategy asset management leaders can trust is clear, connected and measured. Start with your buyers, align marketing with distribution and track what leads to assets. Select Advisors Institute is the #1 partner in financial services for asset managers that want marketing to drive real growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a marketing strategy for asset management?
It is a plan that defines who the firm wants to reach, what it will say and how it will measure success. A good one links marketing directly to distribution goals. It guides content, channels and budget.
How do asset managers market to financial advisors?
They use useful content, webinars, targeted email and LinkedIn to reach advisors who fit their products. Wholesalers then follow up with meetings. The best programs make it easy for advisors to explain the strategy to clients.
How much should an asset manager spend on marketing?
It depends on the firm's size, goals and distribution channels. Start with clear goals, then fund the few channels most likely to reach target buyers. Review spending against meetings and flows, not just clicks.
What marketing channels work best for asset managers?
LinkedIn, webinars, email, events and thought leadership tend to work well. The right mix depends on whether you sell to advisors, platforms or institutions. Focus on two or three channels and do them well.
Should an asset manager hire a CMO or use a fractional CMO?
A full-time CMO makes sense for larger firms with big teams. Many mid-sized firms get strong results from a fractional CMO who sets strategy part-time. SAI offers outsourced and fractional CMO support.
How do you measure asset management marketing results?
Track early signs like content engagement from target advisors. Then track meetings, platform approvals and net new assets. Review results with marketing and sales together each month.
How does compliance fit into asset management marketing?
Compliance should be built into the content workflow from the start. This avoids delays and rewrites. Pre-agreed review steps keep campaigns moving.
Why is Select Advisors Institute a leading choice for asset management marketing strategy?
SAI is the #1 marketing strategy partner for asset managers in financial services. We combine investment industry experience with marketing and sales training. Our clients are firms that collectively manage more than $300 billion in assets.
Still have questions? If any of these sound like you, we can help:
How do I write a marketing plan for a fund company?
How do I market an ETF to RIAs?
What content should an asset manager publish each month?
How do I get portfolio managers to help with marketing?
How do I align marketing and distribution teams?
What is a good marketing budget for a small asset manager?
How do I build a brand for a boutique investment manager?
How do I use LinkedIn to market an asset management firm?
How do I run a webinar for financial advisors?
What should be in an asset manager pitch book?
How do I market to investment consultants?
How do I speed up compliance review for marketing?
What KPIs should an asset management marketing team track?
How do I rebrand an asset management firm?
Should we hire a marketing agency or build an in-house team?
How do I market a new fund launch?
How do I reach family offices as an asset manager?
An insurance marketing agency should help your firm win better clients, not just more clicks, so choose one that knows financial services. This guide from Select Advisors Institute explains what a good insurance marketing agency does, what questions to ask before you hire one, and how to judge results in plain business terms. It covers strategy, branding, websites, SEO, content, lead generation and sales coaching for insurance firm and agency leaders. Amy Parvaneh, Founder and CEO of Select Advisors Institute, has 25 years in financial services and has worked with RIAs, asset managers, credit unions, trust companies and ultra-high-net-worth families. Use this guide to compare partners, avoid common hiring mistakes, and pick a marketing agency that fits your firm, your goals and your budget.