Money Managers as Marketing Managers

Touting an investment product is no longer the strictterritory of your wholesaler or internal sales team. Nowadays, it’s commonpractice for the portfolio manager to hawk his product as well, so to speak. MoneyManagement Executive recently spoke with SunStar’s Dan Sondhelm, senior vicepresident and partner, about this trend.

Sondhelm explains that managers are now expected to speak toall different types of clients and to even market the fund at tradeconferences. At industry events, the manager is regarded as a star and isintegral in gaining assets. One of the biggest reasons for managers tointerface directly with investors is because "clients want to talk to theperson pulling the trigger,” Sondhelm says.

As the marketplace becomes increasingly crowded, fundcompanies can’t afford not to employ all available marketing strategies.However, the manager is not just a marketing marionette—there are severalpieces to the puzzle to which the entire firm must commit.

To see what those pieces are, check out the story by MME’sTom Steinert-Threlkeld here(subscription required).