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Benjamin Ball B. G., Opalesque Geneva: Benjamin Ball Associates, a London-based financial presentation training company, has been helping big and small fund managers improve their pitches, talks, and presentations for 11 years. Right now, requests are flowing in from managers from all over the world who are looking to stand out in conference calls and webinars. Indeed, it is not enough to have yourself, a PowerPoint presentation and a laptop anymore. You have to think of your video presentation as a full production, with lights, judicious content and much more.
Founder Benjamin Ball will present in the upcoming two-part Opalesque webinar workshop called Eight ways investment managers should be using digital marketing right now, taking place on 7 and 10 December.
Opalesque: You train fund managers to improve their investor pitch. Can you tell us more?
Benjamin Ball:
For all funds, a really good pitch is important. It is very often difficult for fund managers, who are very close to their subject, to create a really persuasive pitch deck. For the large funds with big marketing teams, this is easier because they have a lot of people to look at it and to bounce ideas off. But for smaller funds, this is often challenging. And that's when organisations like ours come in because we can help people think through what is special about their fund, what is different about themselves, and also make sure they address exactly what an investor wants to know about.
Opalesque: Is there a difference between a pitch given face-to-face and a pitch given through a webinar?
Benjamin Ball: A webinar is a very different experience. The way you would interact is different. Long gone are the days when people used to run through a PowerPoint. Investors don't want that these days. You can send the PowerPoint in advance, so people can read it, but then you would have a very interactive meeting, for example over a webinar these days.
Opalesque: What about your tips for convincing video calls and presentations. Could you tell us more?
Benjamin Ball: These days we are all having to pitch remotely. So one has to think really hard about the impression one makes. That means making sure everything works. The big idea here is to think of it as a home studio; this is not just you and a laptop. You have to think about whether the lighting is right, the camera, the sound, the background. All of those things add up to the impression you make when you are on a call.
Opalesque: What are the most common mistakes made during a pitch?
Benjamin Ball: The first one is being boring. If someone is bored, they are not going to engage. The challenge is, the drier your subject area, the drier the assets you're investing in, the more important it is not to be boring.
The second is not being differentiated, not standing out. You have to explain to the investor what it is you can give to them that other people cannot.
The third most common mistake people make is, as mentioned earlier, running through a PowerPoint, and giving the same pitch for everyone. It has to be personalised, different. You and the investor have to find a match.
Opalesque: Have you had a uptick in customer requests this year?
Benjamin Ball: Yes. It has been really interesting. It's a big advantage for a company like ours to work remotely. In the old days, I was on the plane the whole time flying to see clients. These days I am working with clients from all over the world. We've worked with our first Australian client for example. The other day, I was working with Moscow, then with Helsinki, then with New York. Location is no longer a barrier.
Upcoming webinars:
Eight ways investment managers should be using digital marketing right now
Part I: Monday, Dec. 7th at 10.30 a.m. EST
Part II: Thursday, Dec. 10th at 10.30 a.m. EST
REGISTER HERE (free): www.opalesque.com/webinar/
Related articles:
19.Nov.2020 Opalesque Exclusive: Eight ways investment managers should be using digital marketing right now
02.Dec.2020 Opalesque Exclusive: The unknown journey and the changing face of the investor: a marketing challenge
03.Dec.2020 Opalesque Exclusive: On the multiple talents required for a successful webinar
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