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Turn investors into true believers

18 December 2024

John F Kennedy won the popular vote in 1960 by 0.17%. In the wake of a divisive, bad-tempered election, he took over a country split down the middle. At his inauguration, he delivered the ‘Ask not what your country can do for you…’ speech.

The result? 78% approval rating.

He didn’t just want Nixon voters to know that he was going to work hard for them too, he wanted them to believe in the story he was telling.

But how did he do it?

He told a simple, clear story using powerful words that resonated with his audience.

Simple and clear because it was easy to understand the story he was telling.

Powerful words helped everyone buy into that message – it turned them into believers. 

You can do this for your fund and business

And you don’t need to win over half the US population.

Whether you are writing a marketing deck, talking to a client or giving a speech at a conference, you can get people to buy into what your company is trying to do.

JFK wasn’t just signalling a change of government, he was showing that progress was possible and everyone could benefit.

Too many fund managers – too many businesses – talk about change. But change is passive. Change suggests waiting around for things to happen.

Instead, you should be talking about progress. Progress is active – it’s about pushing things forward and making them better.

Your fund isn’t just there to passively benefit from some market shift, some latest trend. You have a long-term vision of progress. If you can make investors understand that vision and buy into its potential, you will have clients that stick with you through the good times and the bad.

How do we do this?

With SMUBA

SMUBA is a communication framework for building visionary narratives that inspire action. It does this by converting investors into to true believers. It stands for Seeing, Mapping, Understanding, Believing and Acting.

Seeing

People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.

Of course, investors are coming to you for returns, but if they can buy into your long-term vision, they are even more likely to invest.

So, what is your vision?

Are you transforming the real estate sector? Are you revolutionising the way we think about commodities investing?

Let investors see that you exist for a reason. You’re not just absorbing or reacting – you’re actively driving positive change.

Mapping

Make sure they know you have thought this through.

Present statistics that support your vision. If people are to understand and then believe in what you are doing, they need to trust your analysis. Once you have won an investor’s heart, their head needs the data to rationalise what just happened.

Understanding

People are not persuaded by what you say, but what they understand.

Untangle the complexity.

Use simple, powerful words and phrases to explain why your vision for your fund will lead to higher returns, greater environmental impact – whatever it is you’re looking to achieve for your clients.

Believing

They understand your vision. You’ve inspired confidence that progress is possible.

Now potential clients must see it as their journey too. Be relentless. Be bold. Be optimistic. Show them why the progress you represent is worth buying into.

Say, ‘imagine what we could achieve together’.

Use ‘we’ to demonstrate common cause.

Acting

Now you share a common goal with your potential clients – investing together.

It’s time for the all-important call to action. What do they need to do to make this happen?

To make investors really believe in your company, think about why you exist. What is your vision. What are you trying to achieve.

If you do this, not only will you attract investors looking for a new approach, you’ll convert them into true believers. True believers who will take action.

At Apex Invest, we build brands that that inspire investors. Talk to us about putting your vision into action.

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