Asked and Answered

An institutional salesperson tells this story: At the conclusion of a strong presentation, a board member asks, “What part of your process is top-down versus bottom-up?” Instead of answering the question, the portfolio manager embarks on a 20-minute...

Getting Safely Down*

“I am rather inclined, personally, to believe that success depends on getting safely down.”―Sir Edmund Hillary As the first man to conquer Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary well understood the necessity for a successful round trip. Yet many portfolio managers, when...

Low-Tech, High-Touch

An investment firm for high-net-worth individuals recently made a presentation to an elderly couple representing a major piece of business. The investment firm made a point of showcasing its cutting-edge technology, emphasizing how account information would be...

Call On Me … I Know!

A seasoned salesperson recalls the following question-and-answer session with a shudder. The president of a large corporate plan asked a reasonably simple question. Every member of the three-person presentation team proceeded to answer the question, each putting a new...

Creating an Attentive Environment

An institutional salesperson recalls the agony of regularly presenting with a hyperactive portfolio manager. While members of his team were presenting, this person would shuffle papers, look inside his briefcase, look out the window and generally fidget as if he...