By Richey May & Co. | Featuring ImageArb
In a world where artificial intelligence (AI) can draft messaging in seconds, fund managers might be tempted to let algorithms craft their investor materials. But as ImageArb’s Blayn Barnard Smith and Megan Nicholson explain, what truly resonates with investors can’t be automated.
As a part of Richey May’s Capital Raising Education Series, the ImageArb team explores how AI can accelerate early-stage ideation, but also derail authenticity and focus if left unchecked.
Why Authenticity Still Wins Investor Trust
Institutional allocators are inundated with outreach—often 150 emails or more per day from emerging and established managers alike. To stand out, a firm’s pitchbook needs to reflect its unique conviction and differentiated strategy, not just data points or market jargon.
“AI-generated content is, by definition, pulled from other sources,” explains Smith. “That means it’s not authentic—and allocators can tell.” Investors aren’t assessing only portfolio performance; they’re evaluating a team’s credibility, communication, and capacity to scale.
When AI Becomes a Double-Edged Sword
AI introduces both speed and complexity. Many fund managers experience “analysis paralysis”—a flood of new options that makes decisive progress harder.
ImageArb shared one example: a client landed on a strong name and logo for his new fund but revisited his AI prompts over the weekend. By Monday, he returned with dozens of alternatives and serious doubts. The result: stalled branding, diluted confidence, and delayed outreach.
Too many choices can be as dangerous as too few. In capital raising, momentum matters.
The Right Way to Use AI in Your Pitch Process
AI can be an asset if you know its limits. Smith and Nicholson recommend a structured, intentional approach:
- Use AI for idea generation, not final drafts.
- For design inspiration, choose no more than 10 worthy options and refine with a professional designer.
- For content ideation, distill outputs down to five meaningful takeaways and review with mentors, peers, or trusted service providers.
- Always perform a human authenticity check before sharing materials externally.
“The best results happen when human creativity and emotional intelligence take the lead,” notes Nicholson.
The ROI of Human Storytelling
Artificial intelligence can’t comprehend investor psychology or the emotional nuance of allocating capital. It can’t understand what drives an allocator to trust your firm.
ImageArb’s decades of capital-raising experience have proven a consistent truth: the firms that secure lasting investor relationships are those who lead with genuine conviction and clear purpose.
That’s why investing upfront, whether with a creative partner, investor relations advisor, or brand consultant, pays long-term dividends. One authentic story, told clearly, is worth more than 100 algorithmic variations.
Build Branding that Resonates, not Replicates
AI can make your marketing faster, but only you can make it authentic. When raising institutional capital, human creativity, clarity, and connection remain your greatest edge.
To learn more about how Richey May and ImageArb can help your fund succeed, contact Steve Vlasak.
About The Richey May Capital Raising Education Series
The Capital Raising Education Series is a value-add educational series brought to you by the alternative investments experts at Richey May, where we dive into raising capital for fund managers. This series features our team member and other industry experts to help emerging managers learn more about how to raise capital and launch a fund. Review all parts in the series and enhance your capital raising knowledge here.
