Whatever Floats Your Boat

How do you take your news?

You don’t need a degree in marketing to know that sex sells… A simple google search will give you all the evidence you need, too much most likely.

Myself? I prefer to get my economic reports the old fashioned way, from a monotone guy in a jacket, preferably with a tie on... and absolutely fully clothed. I’m the kind of guy who felt the news was more believable when I knew the newscaster was sitting reading the bulletin in a dinner suit, with his pants on, even if the report came over the radio.

When online trading first started, the conundrum was how to get to get your name in front of potential clients while at the same time providing cutting edge commentary designed to retain those already onboard. Retention, retention...

Just about the only concession to the methods employed by the banks is the daily market report.

Differentiation...

FXPIG and by extension its team of PIGs have it in spades; it’s one of our most telling USP’s after all. Massaging a client's ego or telling him what happened yesterday simply won't cut it. What's going on today is only just acceptable, but what’s happening tomorrow and more importantly, why, is what clients really want to hear, and what they need to be successful.

Operating in a mass market inside of a numbers-driven game doesn’t allow too much personal interaction. Distilling client information and statistics in a way that provides insight can be helpful, but it's the ability to engage the customer and tie in the information to a tradable plan that is vital. This is where big money is made. After all, perspective is essential. How many ways can you slice and dice NFP?

Retail traders are, predominantly, technically driven but their systems are like alchemy so it’s pointless sending out a technical market report.

Delivery?

That’s the easy part. Send him an email and pray. Most retail traders will be on someone’s list of hot leads so imagine how many emails he or she must receive daily promising cutting edge insightful commentary and untold riches.

Anyone who has seen Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” will remember Jack Skellington's awe when he finds something new rather than the dull old Halloween masks and costumes.

Well, now we can all share in the bliss that is .

I bet you were wondering where I was going with the “sex sells” entrance.

Yesterday one of my FXPIG colleagues alerted me to a Youtube video from a site that purports to have cutting edge blah blah blah. Their USP is that this blah blah blah is presented by a pouting brunette with a “foreign accent.”

It reminded me of a weather forecast I saw once where the presenter had about as much meteorological experience as a bunch of seaweed, and come to think of it I believe that may have been all she was wearing. See it works... I remembered.

Do I hear cries of shameless? I am sure I do, but this tactic raises a more serious point. Does anyone actually bother to read any commentary or are we now just slaves to the rhythm?

Economics degree? Who cares? A 'Page Three' experience? Yes, please.

The Foreign Exchange market was always a bastion of sexism. The eighties and nineties where absolute havens for double-entendres and other such totally Non-PC activities.

Times have changed. And progressive companies change with the times. The problem? Most companies are not progressive, and they look to appeal to the lowest common denominator with the sole purpose of increasing their bottom line. The FX Marketplace is no different. It’s a community of sales guys… low level sales guys and high level sales guys with fancy titles. All spouting the same useless marking retorts and trying so hard to project an image of astuteness... by cold calling retirees and sponsoring sport teams.

Quality always rises to the surface and commentary, good commentary, will always have a place, but as a marketing tool? I’m not so sure.

The search must be on for the next sure-fire way of attracting potential clients to a site but for now, an appeal to the “inner caveman” seems to be fashionable again.

It must get lonely locked away in a basement staring at charts all day. A little light relief is always welcome, but remember this little tidbit the next time you find yourself looking at some click bait...

'If it ain't monotone, it ain't economics...'

… and coming back on this ‘times have changed’ topic, and just to clear the air, that was sarcasm, we here at FXPIG have been fighting to change this industry for years but we need your help. HELP us change this trend by doing your small part to show the industry that the 'norm' is no longer acceptable... by becoming a PIG today and raising your snout at all the ridiculousness that this industry has thrown at us over the years. FXPIG™, 'Where Traders Come to WIN'.