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.  

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.

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.

The market has been on a wild ride lately with whiplash inducing ups and downs. Now more than ever investors need to hear from you – they need to hear your thoughts and insights on the market and why you’re not running for the hills!

Imagine you are the senior marketing executive for a mutual fund family of funds and one of your funds has been featured in an influential financial publication.

You’re a busy portfolio manager and your firm tells you to go through media training before you start talking with the media. You may wonder, “Why?" 

Tired of those interviews where you're not quoted? Let’s look at how to set the stage so you’re more likely to be quoted once you’ve obtained a coveted interview opportunity.

Tough markets take a toll on most funds eventually. Some of the investment decisions you make are right on target, while others might not work out.

You've invested both time and money in your PR program. Of course you want to be sure you're getting your money's worth. But, how can you tell?

Hibre Teklemariam, VP and Partner, SunStar Strategic, joins Discovery Data for  "The Data Possible Podcast."

Have you ever scored a terrific story about your fund in the media only to find out that your compliance team won’t allow you to reprint it or post it to your website?