The following post is courtesy of Diane Harrison who is principal and owner of Panegyric Marketing, a strategic marketing communications firm founded in 2002 specializing in alternative assets.
When the nation experiences a shocking event, such as the assassination on 9/10 on live TV of young generational activist Charlie Kirk, it creates a turmoil of emotion and unease across the political divide. I refer to such an event as a Before and After. What was taken for granted is shaken up and a new way forward must form. The nation had a reminder of another such event just one day after this latest shock, with the 24th anniversary of 9/11. Those of us who lived through that awful day know all too well how the world changed forever. The youth of today who were not alive 24 years ago just experienced their own such unforgettable tragedy, and the results of this 2025 Before and After are already starting to take shape.
How does a salesperson manage the heightened anxiety and diviseness an event such as this creates, while still attempting to reach out, persuade, and educate people about alternative investment funds that are fundamentally based on economic and political policy?
This short article is not about the divisive nature tragic events like this sparks; rather, it is an attempt to find common ground for people of all persuasions to focus on. In recognizing what brings us together, we can hopefully find a way to travel through the unrest and get back to being a civil, socialized community that can disagree without descending into violence.
First, let us all remember that the youth of our country need optimism, guidance, and opportunities in order to prioritize long-term planning. Without a strong base of career options, financial independence, and growth, this positive environment suffers. The older generations need to stabilize the financial base we are all dependent on in order to provide the youth with hope- for their future now and long-term. If you are in the business of selling investments, ground your sales efforts in the focus on a long-term path that inspires the achievement of goals and legacy planning for the betterment of all generations. Safety, security, smart choices, and prudent planning all support this perspective.
Second, maintaining a strong program of communication and education as integral to your marketing outreach will lead to a greater chance of satisfying the needs and questions of prospects. Be an active listener, but also be a proactive prober of the issues that are top-of-mind for your target audience. Ask the questions that are meaningful to your clients and prospects. Don’t wait for them to initiate the issue- do your research and be prepared with responses to issues such as: How do I ensure I can fund the higher education/training my children will want? What steps do I take now in my investment plan that will cover both my retirement needs and my family needs currently? How do I calibrate the amount of risk I feel comfortable with while still making investments that keep me on track?
Always be refining and adjusting your knowledge of and approach to answering the concerns of your clients and prospects. Taking the pulse of where your audience is through asking the questions and looking into deeper answers to their worries will enable you to provide better service to a greater number of your circle. It’s not a hard leap to make that, if a number of people are concerned with funding the educational, health, and living needs of their family members, your ability to help them tailor their investment goals to support the realization of those needs makes you a valued agent of their planning.
Starting with a solid understanding of the emotional and personal space your clients and prospects are working from allows you to explain and position the investment solutions you provide in a relevant way that they will hear. This has always been true, of course, but in these charged times of too many Before and Afters, it becomes much more important to return to the common ground of problem-solving people are looking for, in investing as in life.
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