Tag: market your fund

Market a Fund to Investors

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias

Public relations can raise the profile of your firm. Unfortunately, the financial industry is one of the last sectors to embrace PR.

MACIAS PR has led many media campaigns for hedge funds, private equity firms, money managers and financial service providers. Our team secured media coverage for our clients with CNBC, Wall Street Journal, Barron’s Magazine and others.

This track record is partially why industry peers named MACIAS PR the 2017 Strategic PR Firm of the Year. And in 2015 and 2016, Finance Monthly named us the Financial PR Firm of the Year.

A recent white paper, How to Market your Fund under the New SEC Rules, found less than 5 percent of SEC registered hedge funds are taking advantage of PR.

The white paper found fewer than one in 20 SEC registered funds had a website, putting them out of reach of new investors. The research also discovered roughly 80 percent of the funds in Connecticut didn’t even have an email address for  investors to contact.

The white paper was published by MACIAS PR and can be downloaded by clicking here.

How to Market a Fund to Investors

Before the SEC lifted the restrictions on marketing, most funds had not developed a website, fearing it would give the impression of skirting the old SEC prohibition on advertising.

Those funds are now at a huge disadvantage since they are entering a modern world where an online presence is crucial to marketing any service.

Marketing a fund with the media is drastically different than marketing a product to the public. Every fund needs credibility before the media will even consider putting a portfolio manager on TV or quoting him as a financial expert. This is why he says it’s so crucial for all funds to establish credibility now with a strong online presence.

Here is an except from the white paper How to Market your Fund under the New SEC Rules:

Establish Credibility before any Media Outreach

Credibility matters in life, but it especially matters for journalists, says Macias who was a journalist for NBC, CBS and King World Productions. Whenever a portfolio manager is pitched as an expert to the media, journalists will quietly and overtly measure his expertise, integrity and experience in the financial industry. If a reporter doesn’t see an online presence on your fund, credibility questions will be raised, Macias says. Here are a few credibility questions you should be able to address and answer before your fund pursues media placements.

Develop a Content Marketing Plan

Your team of analysts already has a wealth of research that could be turned into white papers, blogs, articles or editorials that could be marketed on the web. This is known as “content marketing.” Content marketing is one of the most effective methods for reaching new investors because it provides a real value to consumers. When promoted on the web, content marketing platforms, like nRelate or Outbrain, can help your original content reach even more targeted business readers on influential blogs and news websites.

Research Financial PR and Financial Marketing Firms

Unlike ad campaigns that stop when your campaign ends, media campaigns keep working for your fund long after a PR campaign is over. The cost for a PR campaign effectively diminishes overtime, since news organizations rarely bring down their stories.

Another benefit to a financial PR campaign is a boost to your search engine ranking. If your PR team can convince a news organization to post a link to your website on their news site, other search engines will suddenly view your fund as more valuable, boosting its ranking to a higher position. Here are a few questions to help you determine which PR firm is the best fit for your hedge fund.

Develop an Email Marketing Campaign

Email marketing campaigns can be a targeted way to share your investor newsletters with potential investors. When written in a concise way, a fund’s newsletter can be shared with your clients’ sphere of influence, especially when it contains social media links embedded in the newsletter. The key to launching a successful email campaign is to deliver original content that educates readers on your fund.

Macias PR was named the 2017 Strategic PR Firm of the Year and 2016 and 2015 top PR Firm of the Year – USA by Finance Monthly. The founder – Mark Macias – is a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. He is also a PR contributor with CNBC, providing media analysis, insight and crisis advice on timely business topics.

How to Pitch a Story like a Journalist

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias

It’s the one question every person wants to know. How does the media decide which news stories are important? Here’s how to pitch your story like a journalist.

When I was an Executive Producer with NBC in New York, many of my friends quizzed me on whether there was a conspiracy in the media. After all, they would ask, how could it be possible that all of the news organizations would typically run the same stories?

There is no conspiracy and there is no magic formula, however there are ingredients that do make for a news story.

If you want to get your business on the news, you need to first identify what is different, new or unique about your product or service. News is based on the root “new,” which is why all news stories must be timely.

How to Pitch a Story like a Journalist

The more you can make your pitch sound timely, the better chances you have of getting your business on the news.

You can increase your chances for news coverage by answering these questions before you reach out to reporters:

* What is different about my business?

* How does my business help the public and why is that service unique?

* Is there something timely about my business or product?

* Is there a personal story to tell about my business, like maybe a grandfather is passing the 75-year-old family business onto his grandchildren in a public ceremony?

* Is there a new trend arising in my business field that will affect the pocket books of consumers?

* Have any trade organizations recognized my business as a leader in innovation that will help shape the future?

Finding a unique angle is not as difficult as it may sound. You just need to open your mind to timely events that impact and influence sales of your product or service.

The more you understand the definition and value of “newsworthy” the better chance you will have of getting the media to do a story on your business.

Mark Macias is a former Executive Producer with WNBC and Senior Producer with WCBS. He’s also the author of the communications book, Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media. Macias now consults small and large businesses on how to get publicity. You can read more on his firm at MaciasPR. The company also does financial PR – which you can read more at MarketYourFund.com.

Publicity on a Limited Budget

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias

It is possible to run an effective publicity campaign on a limited budget. The PR firms Edelman or Rubenstein might bring your company reassurance with their large staff and beautiful buildings, there are affordable alternatives that can deliver the same results.

Potential clients always ask me how much we charge for a PR campaign. I like to use the accountant example. You and I may use the same accountant but our costs are likely going to be different based on our needs. It’s the same with public relations.

Your needs actually influence the scope of the media campaign. Do you want a local or national publicity campaign? Is it B2B or B2C? Are you in a niche field or does your narrative have a broad appeal? All of these questions factor into the complexity and cost of a media campaign.

But if you’re a small start-up or nonprofit, you can run an effective PR campaign by narrowing down your targeted news outlets. My PR agency has been running a social media campaign for a small East Village restaurant for several years, which was much different than the state-wide US Senate campaign we ran for another client.

Every client wants national exposure, but if you want to run a cost-effective PR campaign on a limited budget, you need to prioritize. In the world of PR, time equals money.

So don’t assume just because you have a small budget that you don’t have a PR budget. If you can afford Facebook ads, you can probably afford a targeted publicity campaign that reaches reporters.

The global PR firms might shy away from your small budget, but if your expectations are in check, you can use the media to reach customers.

Mark Macias is a former Executive Producer with WNBC and Senior Producer with WCBS. He’s also the author of the communications book, Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media. Macias now consults small and large businesses on how to get publicity. You can read more on his firm at MaciasPR.

 

 

Get My Business on the Local News

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias

How do you get your business on the local news? Would you like to publicize a local event with the local newspaper? It’s a much different approach than trying to get your business on the national news.

Local newsrooms operate differently than national newsrooms like CBS and NBC. Likewise, local news markets approach the approval process differently based on the city or region of the country. For example, a local story in Miami will be covered differently than a similar local story in Phoenix or New York.

As a reporter and news producer who worked in Phoenix and Miami, I recommend putting your thoughts in a concise email first. By putting your thoughts in writing, you will have a more concise and focused story idea. Once you put your thoughts on paper, pick up the phone and call. I say put your thoughts on paper before you call because most people ramble on when they get a reporter or producer on the phone. They lose their focus and as a result, lose their one opportunity at publicity.

It should be common sense, but don’t call as the newscast is about to start – or in the middle of it. However, here’s a media insider tip: call as the newscast is ending. This is when the desk and producers are unwinding, waiting for time to pass so they can go home. It is also when they will be most receptive to your story pitch.

And if you’re in a large TV market like Los Angeles or New York, consider targeting the smaller news outlets.

In New York, there are several smaller cable news outlets that operate like smaller TV markets – News 12 and NY1. Just remember, you only get one shot to pitch your story, so make sure you have that story angle down.

Mark Macias is a former Executive Producer with WNBC and Senior Producer with WCBS. He’s also the author of the communications book, Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media. Macias now consults small and large businesses on how to get publicity. You can read more on his firm at MaciasPR or MarketYourFund.com

 

How PR Helps with SEO

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias

If you type “PR Help” in Google, you will see a link to public relations site on the first page, called PR Help.  That high profile search engine ranking didn’t happen by accident and it didn’t arrive solely because of the website name.

It was a choreographed PR strategy that took a little less than 3-months to achieve.

There are many strategies that can help push your website ranking with the search engines: key word optimization, Internet marketing, promoting your website through back links – but one of the most cost-effective ways to increase your search ranking is via public relations.

It is called Search Engine Optimization or SEO for short.

How can PR my search engine ranking?

If you want potential clients or customers to find your website via search engines, consider looking to public relations as an alternative.

Unlike online ads, which expire with your budget, with public relations, your news stories keep working long after your media campaign is over, especially if you can convince the news outlet to post a link to your website.

All of the search engines will rightfully believe your company has more valuable information if a prominent news organization, like the New York Times, posts a website link to your website. That in turn, will raise your profile and ranking with the search engines.

Here’s another way PR can help your website get a higher ranking with the search engines.

Smaller blogs frequently run stories or snippets from the larger media outlets. If a major newspaper runs a story on your company, there is a good chance smaller websites will want to run the story, which helps your SEO.

So before you devote that marketing budget to Facebook ads, take a minute to research the ROI of PR.

Mark Macias is a former Executive Producer with WNBC and Senior Producer with WCBS. He’s also the author of the communications book, Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media. Macias now consults small and large businesses on how to get publicity. You can read more on his firm at MaciasPR or MarketYourFund.com

 

International PR Campaign

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias

Would you like to introduce your product or service to consumers in the USA? Imagine the growth an international campaign could bring to your company.

New York City alone has a $1.29 trillion economy, larger than the economy of Mexico ($1.15 trillion), South Korea ($1.12 trillion) and the Netherlands (S838 billion), according to a report by HIS Global Insight (http://usmayors.org/metroeconomies/0712/FullReport.pdf)

And don’t assume you can’t afford a solid PR campaign in the USA, especially if your start-up can afford to buy Facebook ads. A publicity campaign is almost always more cost efficient than an advertising campaign. The cost for a PR campaign varies by the complexity and scope of the campaign, but it can increase your brand awareness, introduce a new product and improve your website’s ranking with Google. (Click here to read how a PR campaign can improve your SEO ranking).

But where do you begin as a foreign company, trying to enter the US market?

MaciasPR has worked with many international companies and start-ups trying to enter the US market. We have gotten our clients publicity inside some of the most influential news organizations, including the New York Times, CBS News, Good Morning America, CNN, Fox News, as well as targeted industry publications like Venturebeat, BusinessInsider and Ecommerce.com.

But before you enter the USA market, you should be prepared to answer a few questions on your company’s vision.

Do you want a national or local media campaign? Is it B2B or B2C? How complex is your message? Who exactly do you want to reach?

We can guide you via Skype if you would like to hear a more targeted media approach for your company. Just message us at www.MaciasPR.com.

Mark Macias is a former Executive Producer with WNBC and Senior Producer with WCBS. He’s also the author of the communications book, Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media. Macias now consults small and large businesses on how to get publicity. You can read more on his firm at MaciasPR or MarketYourFund.com

SEC Rules – Marketing Your Fund

Posted on by Mark Macias

What impact will the new SEC rules on advertising have on investors and the overall hedge fund industry?

From an operational perspective, most hedge funds are now at a marketing disadvantage since they have not developed an online presence. An analysis of more than 3,100 funds registered with the SEC revealed that fewer than one in 20 of those funds had developed a website, according to the white paper, How to Market your Fund under the New SEC Rules. 

Marketing a fund to investors is drastically different than marketing a product to the public. It requires content marketing, credibility for the fund, targeted marketing to investors, a prominent online presence and a media outreach to stand out from others.

Credibility must be established from the start before the media will even consider putting your portfolio manager on TV or quoting him as a financial expert. He may manage a $100 million portfolio, but the media is not going to take his word for it without seeing evidence of his expertise. This is why it’s so crucial for all funds to establish credibility now with a strong online presence before the new proposed SEC rules on advertising go into effect.

Hedge fund managers can read more white papers on the topic at www.MarketYourFund.com

Mark Macias is a former Executive Producer with WNBC and Senior Producer with WCBS. He’s also the author of the communications book, Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media. Macias now consults small and large businesses on how to get publicity. You can read more on his firm at MaciasPR or MarketYourFund.com

Use PR to Drive Holiday Sales

Posted on by Mark Macias

MaciasPR has just published a holiday guidebook for businesses trying to increase their holiday sales, titled: Publicity During the Holiday Season: How to Use PR to Increase Holiday Sales.

The PR guidebook written by media insider, Mark Macias, reveals tactics he learned during his career as a journalist, writer, producer and Executive Producer with the news organizations NBC, CBS, KTVK, King World Productions and the Arizona Republic.

Consumers can download the PR guidebook for free by clicking here.

The guidebook, Publicity during the Holiday Season, identifies 5-tactics business owners should apply when trying to get the media to cover their business. The guidebook elaborates on the following tactics:

Identify your Story Narrative

A good story idea will drive coverage in any market. Many business owners have a misconception that who you know is better than what you know. This section of the guidebook explains why a creative idea is more valuable than a reporter contact in the world of journalism and PR. The guidebook also gives business owners tips on how to identify a timely narrative for the holiday season.

Pitch the Ignored Reporters

Every newsroom has reporters or writers who never get the plush assignments. These may be journalists working weekends or the overnight shifts. In many situations, these are the best reporters to pitch since they have the most to gain from your good idea. This section of the guidebook explains how to come up with unconventional pitches for these reporters.

Identify your Holiday Gimmick

If you want to stand out at a holiday party, revelers need something to push you above the crowd. It’s no different with the media during the busy holiday season. This section of the guidebook teaches entrepreneurs and business owners how to identify a gimmick for coverage.

Establish Credibility with the Media

This section of the guidebook explains how business owners can position themselves as “experts” in their industry, leading to potential publicity. But before a business owner tries to position himself as an expert, he or she must first establish credibility in the community. This section reveals how business owners can establish credibility.

Preparing for the Interview

If the first four tactics are executed properly, the chances are higher that a reporter will be interested in your holiday story. But now what? Is your business prepared for the media coverage? This section of the guidebook explains how to prepare for the reporter interview.

Mark Macias is a former Executive Producer with WNBC and Senior Producer with WCBS. He’s also the author of the communications book, Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media. Macias now consults small and large businesses on how to get publicity. You can read more on his firm at MaciasPR or MarketYourFund.com

 

 

 

Who are the Best PR Firms

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias

How can you find the best public relations firm for your business? What traits make for a great publicist?

I worked with a ton of publicists throughout my journalism career with NBC and CBS. Now, as the owner of a PR firm, I speak with business owners, entrepreneurs and large companies about their publicity needs. One of the major trends I’ve discerned is most people ask the wrong questions when it comes to finding the right PR firm.

If I were to hire a publicist, here are the questions I would want my publicist or PR firm to answer.

Can you give me a publicity strategy for my business?

You question reveals how the publicist thinks on his feet. A great publicist will have his or her own ideas. He will be able to explain a strategy off the top of his head because he understands how the media works and what will get traction.

How do you see my industry?

This question reveals how well the publicist understands your business. This is a valuable revelation because every publicity campaign will need to identify the unique angle that makes your business different from the competitors. If the publicist doesn’t understand why your business is different from your competitors, he will be at a great disadvantage when it comes to pitching the media stories.

Tell me about your clients and media placements you have secured?

A diverse portfolio suggests that your PR firm knows how to identify a solid news story. It takes a special talent to secure media placements in various industries and if your publicist can demonstrate that with his or her portfolio, you are likely getting an experienced publicist who will perform at the highest level.

Many business owners like to work with a PR firm that specializes in their industry. This can sometimes work against you in the world of PR because ideas quickly become stale. If a publicist has spent a lifetime solely in fashion or tech, they risk becoming complacent with their thinking or creativity.

Will I be working directly with you?

You should meet with the publicist or account executive who will be selling your story to reporters. Does he or she accurately represent your business? Whether it’s fair or not, journalists will associate your product or brand with how well your publicist presents it.

What if we don’t get along? What if I want out of the contract because you can’t deliver results?

Every PR firm hates these questions, but it’s a valid point to raise during your initial discussions. If you’re working with a publicist and the chemistry is bad or he/she doesn’t get along with you, you should be able to get a new person or get out of your account. It’s okay to have a difference of opinion with strategy, but it’s another challenge when you just don’t get along with the person. Make sure you get insurance in case this happens to you.

How long before we get to see results?

This answer can vary by the complexity of your campaign, but the PR firm should be able to give some guidance over a time frame.

What is your media experience?

Experience matters when it comes to figuring out how to frame a story or pitch it to the media. If I were hiring a publicist for my future business, I would ask him or her to sell me on their experience. This will also give you an idea of how well your publicist can sell your stories to the media.

You can read longer versions of these articles at www.prhelp.co.

Mark Macias is a former Executive Producer with WNBC and Senior Producer with WCBS. He’s also the author of the communications book, Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media. Macias now consults small and large businesses on how to get publicity. You can read more on his firm at MaciasPR or MarketYourFund.com

 

How to Pitch a News Story

Posted on by Mark Macias

By Mark Macias

Most publicists typically take the same approach when it comes to pitching stories, but in many ways, you will have more success by reaching out to a writer who is not the first choice that comes to mind.

For example, if you are trying to get a fashion story in a magazine, most publicists would rightfully pitch a style or fashion writer first. However, you can increase your chances for coverage by expanding the story with an angle that reaches an unconventional writer.

Pitch Beyond the Stereotype

Take the example of the profile story on a fashion designer. Could the story angle include an athletic angle? Sports reporters are always pitched ideas on high school coaches and athletes, but they aren’t always pitched angles on athletic fashion trends for women. Of course you should always concentrate your pitch on the desired audience, but make sure you look beyond the stereotype. Your story idea or client will stand out if you can find that unconventional angle that others haven’t pursued.

And remember, there is nothing wrong with pitching a conventional story the conventional way. But if you find no one is biting on your story ideas, take a moment to review your idea from a different angle. You might find unconventional is the new conventional. Want to learn more strategies on getting your product or service on the news? You can read more at PRHelp.co

Mark Macias is a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. He’s also the author of the communications book, Beat the Press: Your Guide to Managing the Media. Macias now consults small and large businesses on how to get publicity. You can read more on his firm at MaciasPR or MarketYourFund.com