Creating content that educates or takes a view on the market or industry trends can help you engage with both clients and journalists. But that doesn’t work if your title sounds like you’re about to give a rundown of your value proposition.
Readers, especially journalists, are going to be skeptical about spending time on something called something like How our time-tested process guided our EM investment selections this quarter.
They might, however, be interested in De-dollarization is real. Here’s how we’re approaching it.
The latter is more interesting —and doesn’t preclude you from touching on your value proposition within the discussion. There’s nothing wrong with talking about process … including to journalists. Just don’t frame it in a self-serving way.
- Don’t be afraid to divide the house. A strong opinion or perspective can create engagement and discussion: Why we’re doubling down on XYZ.
- Avoid question marks—unless you’re presenting (and answering) a question you’re asked. So, not this: “Is XYZ the future of investing?” But this can work great: Mail bag: ‘Should we worry about market breadth?’
- Allude to data. The grim reality behind the latest XYZ data.
- Connect to topics in the news—but give a glimpse of your perspective on it. So, rather than “What investors are missing about AI” consider Don’t leave Utilities out of the AI conversation.
- Don’t be too cute. “Riding the Bull or Fighting the Bear?” isn’t going to impress anyone with your cleverness. Try to just say what you have to say: Recession risk: We’re on the knife’s edge now.
My eleventh grade English teacher once said when handing out blue books for an essay test: “Be about what you’re about.” A headline should telegraph your confidence that you’re saying things that matter (to your audience) and you won’t be too self-promotional if they give you the gift of their time and attention.