Smile! You're on Candid Camera!

Rememember Allen Funt's Candid Camera? Or maybe America's Funniest Home Videos or AVF? The shows capitalize on funny moments of people being caught on camera -

When the market is particularly volatile and feels fraught with uncertainty investors get nervous. 

Do you have a communication strategy? 

When the market churns, investors very often turn to their financial advisor for guidance and even reassurance. Is your firm prepared? It’s a good idea to have a communication plan at the ready that advisors can quickly turn to when needed.  

Assets have been flowing steadily into ESG funds and are on target to hit $41 trillion by year end.

Are funds claiming to be ESG funds really observing EGS factors? Concerns are growing that many may be “greenwashing,” in that while they’re claiming their products are environmentally and socially conscious they really are not.

Marketing strategies have often consisted of companies creating their materials and sending them out into the world – essentially a variation of “throw it against the wall to see if it sticks.”

Over time, marketing efforts were finessed and became more directed. Sales personas were developed, funnels created, and prospects were channeled through.

If you’ve recently signed up for your first PR campaign and you’re not sure what to expect - it’s a good idea to set expectations for all involved.

According to the US SIF, total US-domiciled assets under management (AUM) using sustainable investing strategies grew from $12 trillion at the start of 2018 to $17.1 trillion at the start of 2020, an increase of 42 percent (SustainFi).

March was another month of inflation growth – and some have feared a negative response.

Marketers wonder – is email dead?

Nope.

Alexandria, Virginia – March 24, 2022: SunStar Strategic is pleased to announce it has promoted Hibre Teklemariam, a partner in the firm, to executive vice president.

Not sure if PR is right for you? 

 SunStar Strategic's EVP, Hibre Teklemariam, shares her best advice for effective PR.

PR Advice #1: Do it!

My first piece of advice about PR is to do it! Who has heard about you? Who knows that you have great products, who knows that you're better than the competition? And if no one's heard about you, none of these things are going to come out about your firm.

PR Advice #2: PR is a Sales Tool

Think of public relations as a sales tool. Just like a salesperson will pick up the phone and call many people, a public relations professional does the same thing, but much more effectively. With a media interview, you reach more people, and gain more credibility because you are then endorsed by a third party.  

PR Advice #3: Leverage Your Media Coverage

You can extend the life of your PR campaign by posting it on your social media sites, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and more. Make sure that your prospects and clients are getting updates on all the media that you are doing.

Be sure to put it on your website because that is the first place that people come to learn about you. When visiting your site they will see that you've been quoted or have appeared on national media platforms. Seeing you in the media adds credibility and also shares a little bit about who you are.

The Future of PR is Now

We have moved to a digital platform, social media, blogs, podcasts. It's an exciting time, these advances have allowed us to reach more people. It's allowed us to be able to market to more people. There's less traveling. People are more engaged, and people are more willing to connect just because you can just turn on your laptop, turn on your phone, and you're connected.

To learn more about SunStar's Strategic Public Relations programs, give us a call at  703.299.8390.

Kathryn Morrison, president and CEO of SunStar Strategic, authored an article featured on MF Wire. Kerri Fronczak, AVP Creative & Digital, co-authored.

Growing your practice is tough – particularly for small firms. It’s unlikely there is an unlimited marketing budget, and very often the key players are wearing multiple hats.