In marketing of mutual fund investment products, understanding the competitive landscape is essential for developing a successful sales strategy. This means identifying the other mutual fund providers that are appealing to the same target audience as you are, as defined by the investor profile and buyer intent you have identified through your own sales data analytics. The success and failure of your competitors’ marketing campaigns can be as instructive to your sales strategy as your own.
The Range of Offering
- The Performance History of the Funds
- The Fees and Expenses Charged
- The Management Expertise
- The Investment Strategy/Philosophys
By scrutinizing your competitors’ product offerings, marketing messages and pricing strategies in light of their sales performance you will gain insight beyond your own experience into what appeals to your target audience and what trends are at work in the market. By understanding your competitors, you can differentiate your mutual fund offerings and create a unique value proposition that resonates with your target audience.
The Service Level
- A Unique Investment Strategy
- The Expertise of the Fund Managers
- Lower Fees and Expenses
- Risk Management Strategies
- Sustainability and Social Responsibility
Understanding what has been successful for your competitors empowers you to appeal more acutely to what matters to the target audience. Your sales data analytics will give you insight into what strategic adjustments are working so you can adjust your approach with changes in the market.
Conducting a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) will give you a deeper understanding of how your competitors compare to you and help in identify areas where you can differentiate your offerings. Marketing teams often commit themselves to strategies of a set duration regardless of changes in the market creating opportunities for you to exploit their blind spots in a changing landscape.
After analyzing your competitors, focus on areas where your funds can offer something different or better, whether it’s lower fees, better performance, superior client service or a unique investment strategy. Tailor your messaging to highlight these differentiators across all marketing channels and materials.
Continuous monitoring and analysis of competitors is essential, as the market dynamics and investor preferences change. If you stay adaptable and ready to refine your approach based on your sales data analytics and ongoing insight into competitor performance, you will maintain a competitive advantage through a deeper understanding of your target investor audience.
