Let’s talk about due diligence events. The majority of asset managers are holding them – especially now that in-person events are back in full swing. But not all firms are delivering a high-class experience to advisors.
Read on for tips on designing an event advisors will want to attend.
Create a Compelling Event
We’ve seen a number of sponsors putting together due diligence for the first time. A key aspect to remember is that you’re asking advisors to leave their offices for one to two days to attend. You must make it worth their while and provide them the avenue to learn something new about your firm so they don’t feel it was a waste of their time to be away from their office and clients. A key way to do this is to provide advisors with access to your management team, including members of the property team. They are the source of the nitty gritty details advisors want to know. And if you prep them well for the event also the source of the stories, advisors will remember and share with their clients.
Make it Convenient for Advisors
Another key consideration is the travel you’re asking advisors to take. Put yourself in the advisors’ shoes. Do you want to travel to a location that’s hard to get to? This will be a barrier to attendance. Is your agenda robust enough to attract advisor attention, but not so heavy that three days out of the office are required?
Are you asking them to travel midweek vs. at the beginning or end of week? The start or end of a week allows advisors to easily tack a weekend onto their trip. Focus on event days of Monday and Tuesday or Thursday and Friday.
What’s the registration process for the event? Have you streamlined it as much as possible? Are you providing ground transportation to the hotel? How can you make is as user friendly as possible? When they get to the hotel, is it easy to check in at the hotel and for your event? What’s the meeting room like? Is it set up comfortably? Are you providing snacks? Snacks are critical to keep people fueled and engaged. Planned breaks are equally as important so people know when they can check in at work, return calls, etc. And don’t forget to provide Wifi access during your event for consistent email service.
It sounds like a lot – and it is. And in-person due diligence events are not cheap. Make sure you maximize the advisor experience by creating a checklist of all the key elements that should be covered well in advance of the event so you have them top of mind while you’re in the thick of making your event come to life.
Maximizing Event ROI
Every due diligence event should have a solid follow-up plan to ensure you’re positioning it to maximize ROI. Think about it in terms of the time commitment you’ve just asked your firm’s management team, sales team and marketing team to make. Not to mention the advisors’ time spent to get to and from, and attend your event.
Think about what your sales team needs from marketing for a solid follow up. How can you help them continue conversations with the advisors who attended? How can you help advisors learn more, overcome objections and start investing their clients in your fund?
Also, be sure to ask advisors to complete a survey about the event so you can gauge how the event was received and ask for referrals of other advisors they suggest attend a future event and ask advisors if they’d like a meeting with your sales team.
Finally, ask your sales team to pull capital raising results by advisor before and after the event. Positive results indicate your events are on par. Negative and they need improvement.
If you need help with a due diligence event, we have almost 20 years of experience designing successful, impactful events – organizing, planning and marketing them. We would love to help you maximize your event’s ROI.
About Marketing Intent
We are a sales-focused marketing group specializing in alternative investments with a track record in marketing that helps drive sales. We live by the mantra, “nothing happens until something is sold.” Our marketing serves as the backbone of sales. Our work makes your prospects and clients take notice, ask questions and listen to your story.
