Sometimes my eyes glaze over when I attend quantitative presentations. That was not the case with a presentation by Jeff Brown, chief investment officer of Highstreet Asset Management.
When you click to see and hear Brown's "Art vs. Science," you'll be struck by how using examples from everyday life can make your investment approach come alive.
"Inspiring presenters are short on bullet points and big on graphics," according to "Deliver a Presentation like Steve Jobs" in BusinessWeek. Brown has taken that advice to heart.
By the way, when I heard him speak at the Refining Wealth Management conference put on by the Edmonton CFA Society, Brown mentioned that he has worked with a presentation coach. More investment managers should follow his example.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Friday, June 27, 2008
"Tool: Google Trends"
Google Trends will help you figure out which of your key words are searched most frequently.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at http://www.investmentwriting.com/index.htm or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
Learn more in "Tool: Google Trends" on Erik Sherman's Writer Biz blog.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at http://www.investmentwriting.com/index.htm or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Advice from the SEC's expert on plain English
The SEC has tapped William Lutz to lead its "21st Century Disclosure Initiative."
In honor of his appointment, here's his "Rules for Writing Plain English: How You Can Write Plain Language by Just Following These 39 Steps."
Writing plain English isn't as easy as the title suggests.
For example, Step 5 is "Keep equivalent items parallel." Even if you understand what that means, I'll bet that many people don't. The article offers a good example of parallel structure. Each of the 39 steps begins with a verb in the same tense. Each uses an imperative verb--a verb that commands you to do something. Parallelism can involve more than just tense, as you'll see in the Online Writing Lab's explanation of parallel structures. Using parallel structure in lists makes it easier for your readers to understand you.
Generally, "less is more" applies to writing. But sometimes deleting words can land you in trouble. Lutz gives a good example of that with the "whiz-deletion" he describes at the bottom of his article.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
In honor of his appointment, here's his "Rules for Writing Plain English: How You Can Write Plain Language by Just Following These 39 Steps."
Writing plain English isn't as easy as the title suggests.
For example, Step 5 is "Keep equivalent items parallel." Even if you understand what that means, I'll bet that many people don't. The article offers a good example of parallel structure. Each of the 39 steps begins with a verb in the same tense. Each uses an imperative verb--a verb that commands you to do something. Parallelism can involve more than just tense, as you'll see in the Online Writing Lab's explanation of parallel structures. Using parallel structure in lists makes it easier for your readers to understand you.
Generally, "less is more" applies to writing. But sometimes deleting words can land you in trouble. Lutz gives a good example of that with the "whiz-deletion" he describes at the bottom of his article.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
2008 World Wealth Report out from Merrill Lynch and Cap Gemini
The 2008 edition of the annual World Wealth Report is now available.
If you're evaluating your firm's business strategy, the report's "Spotlight: Wealth Management Firms Adapt to Meet Unique Needs of Growth Markets" will interest you.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
If you're evaluating your firm's business strategy, the report's "Spotlight: Wealth Management Firms Adapt to Meet Unique Needs of Growth Markets" will interest you.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
E-mail tips from Seth Godin
The email checklist at Seth Godin's blog starts out with some good tips on slimming your email distribution list.
I also liked his suggestion of asking whether your email is important enough that you'd spend the price of a postage stamp on it.
I'm glad that Erika Dreifus' Practicing Writing blog sent me to this post.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at http://www.investmentwriting.com/index.htm or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The changing world of mutual fund distribution
Mutual fund distribution sure has changed since my days as a staff reporter for Dalbar's Mutual Fund Market News (now Money Management Executive) back in the 1990s.
Darlene DeRemer's presentation on "U.S. Retail Distribution Trends" at the NICSA General Membership Meeting on June 23 drove home that point.
Here are some of the key changes impacting asset managers that I heard in the presentation by DeRemer, partner and head of the advisory practice at Grail Partners LLC:
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
Darlene DeRemer's presentation on "U.S. Retail Distribution Trends" at the NICSA General Membership Meeting on June 23 drove home that point.
Here are some of the key changes impacting asset managers that I heard in the presentation by DeRemer, partner and head of the advisory practice at Grail Partners LLC:
- Financial intermediaries--especially fee-based intermediaries--are more important than ever with the rise of wrap programs, defined contribution platforms, and variable annuity and subadvisory platforms.
- It's harder to know the ultimate client because of omnibus accounting
- Fees are under pressure, yet revenue-sharing is costing 45 basis points or more
- Distribution costs are coming out of fund sponsors' profits, rather than simply out of the fund expense ratio
- There are new, lower cost share classes, such as W or P shares for wrap or platform shares with about 10 basis points of 12b-1 fees
- Fund selection at broker/dealers is shifting from individual reps to the firms' fund selection units (see my other June 24, 2008 post for more on B/Ds' fund selection)
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Shifting emphasis at mutual fund distributors
The rising importance of fund selection units at broker/dealers (B/Ds) was reflected in the June 23 NICSA General Membership Meeting's panel on "The Distribution Road Ahead and Back," chaired by Marty Griffin, director of sales operations for Pioneer Funds Distributor.
Mutual fund distributors are ramping up their efforts to satisfy those units. For example, two-and-a-half years ago MFS Fund Distributors set up an Advisory Resources Group that's dedicated to servicing analyst teams performing due diligence at B/Ds, said Jim Jessee, president, MFS Fund Distributors. Jessee said, it used to be that reps had the most point-of-sale influence. But now, increasingly, that role is offloaded to the analytic group in the home office.
Eaton Vance is taking an approach similar to that of MFS, said Matt Witkos, president, Eaton Vance Distributors. Those B/D analyst teams are increasing in influence, he added.
Even smaller firms like Pax World Management Corp. are feeling the change. There's more of a need for communication through the home office, said Keith Bernard, senior vice president.
These mutual fund distribution executives' employee requirements are changing, too. Analytical skills are more important than 10 years ago. Jessee is hiring more people with the CIMA or CFP credential. He has even hired a couple with the CFA credential, "though I'm not sure how many have the stamina to tackle that one."
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
Mutual fund distributors are ramping up their efforts to satisfy those units. For example, two-and-a-half years ago MFS Fund Distributors set up an Advisory Resources Group that's dedicated to servicing analyst teams performing due diligence at B/Ds, said Jim Jessee, president, MFS Fund Distributors. Jessee said, it used to be that reps had the most point-of-sale influence. But now, increasingly, that role is offloaded to the analytic group in the home office.
Eaton Vance is taking an approach similar to that of MFS, said Matt Witkos, president, Eaton Vance Distributors. Those B/D analyst teams are increasing in influence, he added.
Even smaller firms like Pax World Management Corp. are feeling the change. There's more of a need for communication through the home office, said Keith Bernard, senior vice president.
These mutual fund distribution executives' employee requirements are changing, too. Analytical skills are more important than 10 years ago. Jessee is hiring more people with the CIMA or CFP credential. He has even hired a couple with the CFA credential, "though I'm not sure how many have the stamina to tackle that one."
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
One millionth CFA exam
The CFA Institute has administered its one millionth CFA exam, according to a recent email from its president. About 119,000 registered to take the exam on June 7.
The CFA Institute's reach sure has expanded since I took the exam. My CFA candidate number is under 12,000.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
The CFA Institute's reach sure has expanded since I took the exam. My CFA candidate number is under 12,000.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Your website's "About Us" page could make the sale
The company information in your website's "About Us" page could make the difference between winning or losing a new client.
"Although it might not solely make a purchase, a bad 'About Us' page can definitely stop a purchase from happening," according to "Why You Must Pay More Attention to Your ‘About Us’ Page" on the MarketingSherpa website.
Keep your "About Us" page up-to-date and filled with information that will convince your prospects' executives of your firm's reliability, advises MarketingSherpa.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
"Although it might not solely make a purchase, a bad 'About Us' page can definitely stop a purchase from happening," according to "Why You Must Pay More Attention to Your ‘About Us’ Page" on the MarketingSherpa website.
Keep your "About Us" page up-to-date and filled with information that will convince your prospects' executives of your firm's reliability, advises MarketingSherpa.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
"Lazy Bastards: How We Read Online"
"Lazy Bastards: How We Read Online," Michael Agger's article in Slate.com, gives some good tips for grabbing your online readers' attention.
He reinforces points I often make, including the value of using:
On the other hand--and this is important for financial advisors--"If you want people who really need a solution, focus on comprehensive coverage. This is a good strategy if you sell highly targeted solutions to complicated problems."
Still, in Nielsen's example, "short" is defined as 700 words and "long" as 1,000 words.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
He reinforces points I often make, including the value of using:
- White space
- Bullet points
- Informative subheadings
On the other hand--and this is important for financial advisors--"If you want people who really need a solution, focus on comprehensive coverage. This is a good strategy if you sell highly targeted solutions to complicated problems."
Still, in Nielsen's example, "short" is defined as 700 words and "long" as 1,000 words.
_________________
Susan B. Weiner, CFA
Investment Writing
Writing that's an investment in your success
Check out my website at www.InvestmentWriting.com or sign up for my free monthly e-newsletter.
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