Tell the stories, find the fans

Jul 5

Founder / PM: Why aren't more investors downloading our content?

Me: You are writing for the wrong person.
Founder / PM: 😕
Me (again): Your content is about you, what you care about, not about them, what they care about.
Founder / PM: But what I'm saying is really good. Look, in this piece, I have 10 charts in size 2 font, 15 wordy paragraphs about how our process works and how we beat all the benchmarks. This is great stuff! They should care.
Me: Okay... but they don't. Let's put ourselves in the investor's shoes. Write about their problems, things they are thinking about, potential solutions, how we can be their guide.
Founder / PM: I guess, but I wouldn't want to read it.
Me: Exactly. It's not for you, it's for them.
🥴 (error: circular reference)

Time to kick some new flava in their ear.

Step back and start again with better questions:

What do you want to be known for? Whatever that thing is - that unique ability… that thing you are great at… that thing you are super passionate about… that other people turn to you for - that thing should be the central pillar of your content model. Your backstory and personal brand; jump in to add authenticity.
What are you deeply passionate about?
What taps your talent?
What meets a real need in the world?
Who do you want to be a hero to?

Great content has dimension. You aren't one dimensional; your content shouldn't be one-dimensional.

Put your unique ability at the center.
Add elements of who you are.
Tell stories of where you've been.
Connect with people on shared interests.
Be authentic. Authenticity doesn't mean you share everything. It means you share what you are comfortable sharing - with intention around it.

You might be asking, does creating content actually work?

Yes. Let me give you an example.

$4 mm allocation on a $70 mm fund
5.7% increase in AUM from one deal
In about two weeks. 15 days from deal to dollars.

If you create the right content, it will resonate with the right prospects. It will help with a lot of their due diligence so they reach out to you at the right time. A few last steps to complete their research so the deal closes right away.

My favorite part? When the prospect called to say they were investing,

They acknowledged the content, research, blogs.
They appreciated the access to the investment team.
They remembered the portfolio manager from his days leading a prior fund and are thrilled to be investing with him again.

That last one though. The power of backstory. Every. Dang. Time.

Stacy Havener

Blue-collar girl from the Berkshires who combined a lot of grit with a little glitter to become a successful female entrepreneur in the investment world. Founder of Havener Capital, raising capital ($8B and counting), stomping glass ceilings, and shaking things up.