The Investment Writing Handbook

The writing "bible" for financial professionals

The Investment Writing Handbook provides practical, accessible guidance for crafting more effective investor communications. Written by an award-winning writer, editor, and speechwriter, this book explains the principles and conventions that help writing achieve its purpose; whether you need to inform, educate, persuade, or motivate, you'll become better-equipped to develop a broad range of communications and literature for investor consumption. Examples from real-world financial institutions illustrate expert execution, while explanations and advice targeted specifically toward investor relations give you the help you need quickly. From white papers and investment commentary to RFPs, product literature, and beyond, this book is the financial writer's "bible" that you should keep within arm's reach.

Investment writing is one of the primary influences on investors' attitudes. It educates, informs decisions, shapes opinions, and drives behavior--so shouldn't it be expertly-crafted to achieve its intended goal? This book explains the "tricks of the trade" to help you get your message across.

• Understand the principles of effective investor communication

• Master the conventions of informative and persuasive writing

• Examine well-written sample documents from real-world institutions

• Improve research papers, presentations, investor letters, marketing literature, and more

Virtually all firms with investors as clients need to communicate to them regularly, but few financial professionals receive formal training in investor communications. When investors' opinions, attitudes, and actions determine the health of your company, it is vitally important that these communications not be left to chance. The Investment Writing Handbook provides essential guidance and clear explanations to help you transform your communication strategy, execution, and results.

Autorentext

ASSAF KEDEM is an award-winning writer who has served in a range of communication roles at marquee financial institutions with global reach for nearly two decades. He is also an adjunct professor of writing and communications at New York University's master's program in public relations and corporate communication, and he lectures periodically at The Summit for Asset Management (TSAM), a global congress and series of events featuring educational discussions about the investment industry.

Klappentext
Praise for The Investment Writing Handbook "An exhaustive, highly useful bookfeaturing plenty of instructive examplesthat will serve anyone who writes for the investor."
Darla Hastings, Global Head, Marketing, Thomson Reuters Former Chief Marketing Officer, MSCI "A vital companion for investment firms seeking to foster productive relationships with their clients, address their concerns, and establish a strong communication practice."
Paul Galant, CEO, Verifone Systems Former CEO, Citi Enterprise Payments "A blueprint that advances the communications profession by offering effective techniques for simplifying complex investment matters, making them accessible and engaging, and conveying the value of investment services ethically and transparently."
Jerry Webman, Former Chief Economist, OppenheimerFunds Author of MoneyShift: How to Prosper from What You Can't Control "A valuable source of counsel tackling the most delicate aspects of substance, style, and tone when communicating to the investor."
David Maya, Partner, Financial Services, Oliver Wyman "A handbook that does an excellent job describing how to craft communications for investors, and from which I personally learned a great deal."
Wesley R. Gray, PhD, CEO, Alpha Architect Co-Author of Quantitative Momentum "A trenchant guide that provides clear, tangible direction for all communicators in the investment-management business."
Stephen Tisdalle, Chief Marketing Officer, State Street Global Advisors

Zusammenfassung
The writing "bible" for financial professionals The Investment Writing Handbook provides practical, accessible guidance for crafting more effective investor communications. Written by an award-winning writer, editor, and speechwriter, this book explains the principles and conventions that help writing achieve its purpose; whether you need to inform, educate, persuade, or motivate, you'll become better-equipped to develop a broad range of communications and literature for investor consumption. Examples from real-world financial institutions illustrate expert execution, while explanations and advice targeted specifically toward investor relations give you the help you need quickly. From white papers and investment commentary to RFPs, product literature, and beyond, this book is the financial writer's "bible" that you should keep within arm's reach.

Investment writing is one of the primary influences on investors' attitudes. It educates, informs decisions, shapes opinions, and drives behaviorso shouldn't it be expertly-crafted to achieve its intended goal? This book explains the "tricks of the trade" to help you get your message across.

• Understand the principles of effective investor communication
• Master the conventions of informative and persuasive writing
• Examine well-written sample documents from real-world institutions
• Improve research papers, presentations, investor letters, marketing literature, and more
  Virtually all firms with investors as clients need to communicate to them regularly, but few financial professionals receive formal training in investor communications. When investors' opinions, attitudes, and actions determine the health of your company, it is vitally important that these communications not be left to chance. The Investment Writing Handbook provides essential guidance and clear explanations to help you transform your communication strategy, execution, and results.

Inhalt

Preface xi

Introduction: For Whom is This Handbook, and Why? xiii

Acknowledgments xv

About the Author xvii

Chapter 1 The Building Blocks of Investment Writing 1

What's Investment Writing All About? 1

Applying Journalistic Principles to Investment Writing 2

The Five Ws and the Pyramid Principle 3

Inquisitiveness 4

Proactive Idea Generation 6

The Strategic Purposes of Investment Writing 7

Note 8

Chapter 2 Writing for Investor Acquisition and Retention 9

Framing Your Investment Proposition as the Solution to a Problem 11

Step 1: Define Your Offering 12

Step 2: Identify Your Client's Problem 12

Step 3: Acknowledge the Problem 14

Step 4: Frame Your Offering to Address the Investor's Concerns 14

Investor Retention: It's All in the Communication 15

Opportunities for Retentive Communications 17

Facts are Key for Reassuring Your Investors 19

Other Considerations for Reassuring Investors 27

Notes 31

Chapter 3 Writing for Intermediaries 33

How Intermediaries Expect You to Communicate 34

Communicate on a Consistent Basis 34

Crystallize the Details of Your Firm's Offerings 35

Provide Timely, Turnkey Investment Literature 35

Keep Your Communications Targeted 37

Intermediaries Don't Have It Easy, So Help Them Out 38

Chapter 4 Stylistic Considerations for Investment Writing 39

Setting the Appropriate Style 41

The Desired Image and Voice an Investment Firm or Professional Wishes to Project 42

The Type of Literature Being Written 43

The Investor's Presumed Knowledge about the Subject Matter 47

On Using Jargon 48

Refrain from Explaining Certain Jargon to Highly Sophisticated Investors 49

Distinguish Between the Three Broad Levels of Investment Literacy 50

Alternatives to Explaining Jargon 52

Cut Through Extraneous Technical Detail 53

If You Risk Being Vague, Err on the Side of Clarity 54

Intr…