Reaching the __ investor
Investment strategies and offerings reflecting investor values are increasingly prevalent, but the language used to describe this approach to investment varies widely - with terms such as ethical investing, responsible investing, impact investing, ESG investing, sustainable investing, and others appearing in promotional materials and the academic literature.
Through 15 focus groups and a subsequent survey of 993 individuals, the perspectives of retail investors, regarding terminology to describe social enterprises that resonates with potential investors and the motivating factors behind their investing are explored. The purpose is to assist social enterprises in identifying the best language to use to attract investors. Focus group participants highlighted what they look for in investments reflective of their values and the challenges in finding these types of investment opportunities.
Findings demonstrate that social enterprises should avoid traditional terms like impact, ethical, and responsible investing, in favor of terms that directly align with the mission, vision, and purpose of the firm when seeking to solicit capital from retail investors.