As we wrap up 2016 and head into 2017 there is quite a  bit of uncertainty.

The Economist often has a unique way of looking at things. Take the fund management industry, which they compared to books and music. 

Staying true to who you are.

If you’re a sports fan, particularly the NFL, then you might recognize the line "They were who we thought they were" from Dennis Green who was coaching the Arizona Cardinals at the time. He said this famous line at a press conference after being defeated by the Chicago Bears in a disappointing fashion.  If you are not familiar, watch the video for the rated-PG rant at the 30 second mark.

I am often reminded of the line when speaking with mutual fund managers and marketers when talking about their funds that have had some recent bumps and bruises in their performance.

Often times, it’s because a conservative manager can’t keep up when everything is going up or an aggressive manager underperforms even more than the market.

They often attribute sizable outflows to their poor relative performance and ask me for tips on how to deal with the situation. My answer is often a question, “Do your investors know that you are being who they thought you were?"

Industry conferences present fund companies an efficient channel to market their products to their target audiences. Often these conferences attract hundreds of advisors, brokers, institutions and/or retail investors, many of which are looking for good investment ideas.

Why you should cool it with the corporate jargon

I know you know what AUM, basis points, and ROI mean. You even know how to define ROI, P/E, yield curve, duration, and EBITA.

As 2016 closes and 2017 gets off and running, it is an important time for fund managers to be communicating frequently with clients and prospects. The first quarter of 2017 has the potential to put a great deal of money in motion. In addition to the traditional fund sources and flows noted below, many investors may seek to seize new opportunities in sectors likely to benefit from the Trump administration.

With so much money changing hands, it’s important to ensure the financial advisor community knows your positioning, where you believe you can make money for their clients in 2017 and how your track record stacks up.

Ever been in a board room debate about growing too fast? A fund company executive shared the heated discussion that took place at her firm's last executive meeting.

The annual Schwab IMPACT Conference was held last week in San Diego. It’s a four-day gathering of RIAs and the firms providing investment products and services to this important investor category.

Market uncertainty and a bizarre presidential administration have made some financial advisors, and their clients, a bit anxious. Here are what some mutual fund companies are doing to help alleviate some of that anxiety.

And, what they don't want!

So, you are a fund company and you are trying to figure out what financial advisors truly want and don’t want.  You want these advisors to tell their clients to buy your fund.  

Fund firms are likely to face downward pressure on fees, as well as fewer mutual fund share classes, based on the Department of Labor’s (DOL) fiduciary rule, according to a recent story in Investment News. 

When launching a new fund, there are myriad considerations. Perhaps the most critical is whether investors will be interested. We are pleased to share our review of another research paper by Morningstar: The Rise and Fall of New Funds, Why Some Funds Succeed and Others Don't.