What should you call your white paper?
“Should you always label a white paper with the term ‘white paper’?” Michael Stelzner asks this question on his Writing White Papers blog. My answer: it depends. When you say “white paper” to financial advisors, they probably know what you’re talking about. In fact, the term conjures up the image of a helpful tool. Say […]
"The Top Seven B2B Communications Mistakes"
“The Top Seven B2B Communications Mistakes” offers some useful advice for investment and wealth management marketers, whether you’re targeting businesses or individuals. For example: Your content should reflect your prospects’ top concerns. “Don’t sell. Inform.” When I review investment and wealth management firms’ content, I often find it focused on them, not on their clients. […]
"Never use a fancy word when a simple one will do"
That’s the bottom line of “Why Jargon Feeds on Lazy Minds” by Scott Berkun. Moreover, he warns, “Pay attention to who uses the most jargon: it’s never the brightest. It’s those who want to be perceived as the best and the brightest, something they know they are not.” Berkun offers a list of management jargon […]
"Thought Leadership: Are You Making It or Faking It?"
Plenty of investment and wealth management firms try to distinguish themselves as so-called “thought leaders.” Many will fail. “Thought Leadership: Are You Making It or Faking It?” by Fiona Czerniawska says that clients seek: 1. Something relevant to challenges they face 2. Something new and different 3. Something that is supported by hard evidence – […]
"Relevant and useful content earns trust. And trust sells."
“Relevant and useful content earns trust. And trust sells.” I love this tag line from Bob Leonard’s Bolen Communications. It reminded me of why newsletters are so powerful. Why? Because newsletters that convey a sense of who you are–and that provide relevant and useful content–build trust. And trust sells, just as Bob Leonard says in […]