In digital marketing, communicating with the very wealthy can always be rather challenging. Ultra-high net worth individuals, observably, have different motives, different financial capabilities, and different mindsets when compared to the population at large. While these individuals are indeed still hoping to find ways to effectively allocate their wealth, the decision-making process behind this wealth is much different than what you might find in the standard American household.
For real estate syndicates, this can create distinct communication challenges. This is particularly true for syndicates heavily reliant upon digital crowdfunding—when trying to appeal to a very wide client base, you may end up losing your ability to appeal to those who are, in fact, your most qualified and capable prospective partners.
Learning to effectively communicate with ultra-high net worth individuals can help transform your firm and help you reach your goals. But in order to do that, you must first begin by understanding what makes these individuals unique.
All in the family
The first thing to note about ultra-high net worth individuals is that their family dynamic is often much different than that of their less-wealthy counterparts. Once an individual achieves a certain level of wealth, their wealth management strategies will become multi-generational, meaning they need to think about much more than simple returns and monthly budgets.
Having large amounts of wealth can be, perhaps surprisingly, incredibly stressful, especially if there many individuals reliant on a portfolio’s performance. Sudden changes in an ultra-wealthy family’s dynamic can command immediate strategy changes, requiring the pursuit of new asset classes and a fundamental change in risk tolerance.
The ability to store wealth in a trust, estate taxes, and the relationships between individual family members will all need to be actively considered. Most extremely wealthy families prefer to keep all intra-family matters concealed, meaning that marketers will be operating with a limited scope. Still, demonstrating that an investment could yield a desirable return, demonstrating flexible investment options, and demonstrating a deep understanding of the industry and an ability to plan for the future will undoubtedly be beneficial. Assume that you are a wealthy individual with a complex family situation—what would make you want to invest in a particular firm or accept a particular project?
Adam Gower discusses how high net worth families approach investing, with Andy Kane OBE. Ph.D., Chairman of Citizen FBC.
Multilateral decision-making
Another difference between ultra-high net worth families and ordinary families is that, with a larger estate in need of management, wealthier individuals will typically have many different individuals involved in the decision-making process. Beyond the individuals within the family—something that, as discussed, can create unique and volatile dynamics—financial managers, family accountants, lawyers, and seemingly limitless individuals might have a direct stake in the portfolio and, naturally, will want to be intimately involved in the decision-making process.
With a multi-lateral decision-making structure, it becomes paramount to develop a marketing strategy that can cater to many different types of people. You will not be able to pull anything “fast” with these wealthy individuals; any investment being made will very likely be screened by many skeptical, knowledgeable, and cautious individuals first. Keeping this in mind, the onus is placed upon the communicator, one who not only needs to convince the leading individual why an investment might be a good idea, but also must convince every decision-maker in that individual’s inner circle.
Overcoming skepticism
Wealthy people, all else equal, will always be extremely skeptical. These individuals are well aware that they have money, they are well aware that there are people wanting their money, and they will need evidence that making whatever investment your proposing is something that will sincerely be in their best interest.
Overcoming this level of skepticism isn’t easy. Before any money is moved, there will be many voices cautioning against a given investment, even if the perceived degree of risk being presented is relatively low. This is where developing a digital marketing campaign becomes extraordinarily important: as a sponsor, you will need to show that over time, you have continued to act as a thought leader, as an industry innovator, and as someone who has been able to deliver tangible results.
In a given day, these ultra-high net worth individuals will likely see many investment opportunities pass across their desk. Some will be accepted; most will be passed over. If you can develop a consistent, value-oriented messaging plan, extend your brand over time, and recognize the unique family and structural dynamics at play in the decision-making process, you may be able to distinguish yourself from your myriad competitors.
Adam Gower Ph.D., builds digital marketing systems for real estate professionals who want to find more investors so they can raise more money and do more deals. He is known as the creator of the Investor Acquisition System, and combines a lifetime of experience in real estate investment and finance with best-of-class digital marketing tactics, techniques, and strategies to help crowdfund real estate syndications. Find out more in this new book, SYNDICATE or at GowerCrowd.com