The market for funds is crowded. For asset managers marketing a fund, it can seem like an uphill battle to capture advisors’ attention and stand apart from the sheer volume of available options.
By the end of 2018, the total number of worldwide regulated open funds stood at 118,978, according to the 2019 Investment Company Institute Factbook, amounting to $46 trillion in assets — an extensive pool of funds for advisors to consider for their clients.
A crowded marketplace isn’t the only hurdle facing asset managers looking to market a fund. Mutual funds are facing increasing competition from other investment vehicles, contributing to an overload of information for both the advisor and asset manager.
Mutual funds are losing ground, as actively managed domestic equity mutual funds experienced a net outflow of $1.4 trillion from 2009 through 2018. These outflows likely signify a greater shift driven by investors and plan sponsors to other investment products, such as ones for retirement.
Asset managers need not be discouraged, however: In a world of competition and oversaturation, there are simple ways to successfully market your funds while simultaneously being a resource for advisors’ clients.
Read the rest of the article in Financial Planning.
