Private equity companies are now using content marketing to highlight their expertise within the industry and company culture due to a new focus on brand building, a report published by BackBay Communications and PitchBook has found.
Investment management companies have not traditionally used engaging articles and in-depth whitepapers to demonstrate their value proposition to customers and clients, but the latest survey of 45 private equity businesses revealed that 91 per cent believe that the need to build a strong brand is now much greater compared to two years ago.
Brand image has come to the fore, as it is now more challenging for enterprises to secure work. More than half of respondents said that competition for deals has driven the desire for brand building, while other top factors included increased competition for fundraising and a growing pool of private equity companies.
Major players in the industry now believe that high-quality content is a key part of the brand-building mix, and 58 per cent are investing more into marketing to ensure that they drive awareness and reach across various online and offline touchpoints. About four in ten said that they are working hard to increase the visibility of their brand.
Social media appears to be the preferred outlet for content, as a third of respondents said that platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn are necessary for distributing news and opinions, while over a quarter said that they are planning to use social in some form soon.
“There is consensus among private equity firms that building a strong brand is essential for deal sourcing, fundraising and recruiting, and it is encouraging to see private equity firms embrace the need for differentiated firm positioning and ongoing integrated communications programmes that position them as experts,” BackBay Communications CEO and President Bill Haynes said.
Pitchbook’s Manager of Custom Research, Garrett Black, added: “With private equity firms of all sizes needing to compete for dollars and deals, and with more team members spinning off to start their own firms, articulating a firm’s positioning and then raising awareness through complementary tools and tactics in an ongoing campaign is more important than ever.”
