The primary goals of any PR campaign are to obtain quality media exposure for your business and reach the right audience. One of the best ways to do this is by leveraging topics that are already trending, and then adding to the discussion in a way that provides unique insight while promoting your firm and its mission. At Gregory FCA, we’re constantly monitoring the media to earn impactful coverage for our clients. In the process, we’ve noted five key media trends that RIAs should keep in mind when conducting PR campaigns in the coming months:
1. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing: This continues to be a hot topic for advisers and investors alike. More and more people, especially millennials and members of Gen Z, are looking to invest in ways that align with their values, so assets that emphasize ESG aspects are becoming increasingly popular. For firms looking to incorporate this trend into PR efforts, one potential approach would be to arrange a media interview with one of your financial advisers who is knowledgeable about ESG investing. The adviser could provide insight into this growing trend, its future and how investors may be able to generate returns while emphasizing environmental and social change.
2. Diversity: As with ESG, diversity is becoming an increasingly prominent topic of conversation, and not just in the financial world. Many people find great value in companies that are actively trying to become more diverse and inclusive. Highlight your efforts to increase and celebrate diversity in your business and the industry as a whole. Emphasize the importance of being able to offer different perspectives. Diverse clientele can likely be best served by a diverse staff, so showcase the great things your team has done for your firm and clients.
3. Cryptocurrency: The recent debut of the first bitcoin futures ETF is more than just a breakthrough event. It shows the strengthening heartbeat of a nascent part of the financial industry, and is emblematic of a new paradigm of the evolving tech backbone in our financial system. Is cryptocurrency really the future of money, as some people say? Is it a reliable investment option? These and many other cryptocurrency questions flood the news on a daily basis. Many investors want advice when it comes to crypto and help with understanding it. If your firm is able to offer such guidance, it can capitalize on one of the most notable media trends and likely engage a wide audience.
4. Inflation: This has been escalating for months, with one recent example being the 5.4% year-over-year rise in prices recorded in September. The worries around inflation seem to be growing too. First thought of as transitory by many observers, inflation has been stubbornly persistent, and the increasing costs are making many consumers and investors nervous. Any insight your firm can provide into the inflation spike, or how to manage money and investments amid it, may help soothe those anxieties.
5. Ongoing pandemic impact: The economic recovery from pandemic-related shutdowns has been stifled to some degree by the surge of the delta variant. Its potential future impact on consumer spending, unemployment and market performance adds another element of uncertainty to the minds of investors. In these unprecedented times, any words of wisdom about how investors can handle the ups and downs of the market as the pandemic progresses could help allay fears and position your firm as an authoritative source.
Daily news monitoring is crucial to an effective PR campaign, so media trends can be leveraged to help your firm build its brand, reputation and presence. At Gregory FCA, media monitoring and relations are at the core of what we do. If you want to ensure that your firm is best positioned to act on influential trends, contact us to learn more about the services we can offer.