According to a 2022 survey from UBS, 8 out of 10 family offices have invested in private equity and are increasingly allocating to the asset class.

In this article, you will find information on:

What family offices are
What characterizes family offices
How to: Marketing to family offices
Where can I find a list of family offices and contacts (Family Office Databases)?
A list of Family Office events
Example distribution channels to target family offices

What is a family office?

A family office is a private wealth management advisory firm established to serve ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWI).

Family offices are different from traditional wealth management shops in that they offer a total solution to managing the financial and investment needs of an affluent individual or family ¹

The two main types of family offices are 1) Single Family Offices (SFO) and 2) Multi-Family Offices (MFO). The main difference, as the names would suggest, is the number of families they serve.

Another nuance is that a multi-family office can also be professionally run, compared to it being 100% owned by the family.

Characteristics

Secretive, prefer to stay out of the limelight
Patient capital compared to other investor types
Many like making direct investments

Marketing to Family Offices

Finding Family Offices

As family offices are secretive in nature, they are often difficult to identify. Take LinkedIn for example, frequently used as a source for contact information when researching your target audience. In the case of family offices however, you will often see that family office employees don’t list the entity they work for. So how do you find family offices?

The primary methods include:

Family office databases
There are numerous databases available online, a selection of which I have listed below. The main differences between them are geographic focus and coverage.
Events
Attend and/or sponsor conferences that are popular with family offices. One of the main ways to build your network, going to these events can be a quick way to expand your relationships. Scroll down to Family Office Events to find a list.
Referrals
Single family offices are generally small organizations so in some cases rely on their peers to identify opportunities and share information on industry participants.

Family Office Databases

Family Office Databases | Founded in 2006, they offer data on 910 single family offices, 1,379 multi-family offices, and 1,575 wealth management firms. It includes over 8,900 contacts.

Estimated pricing: $1,000-2,000 depending on # of datasets + monthly $79 subscription fees.

Highworth Research | Founded in 2007, Highworth Research specializes in single family offices with over 1,950 profiled globally (1,000 in EMEA, 750 in Americas, 200 in APAC). Highworth Research has recently been acquired by With Intelligence.

Estimated pricing: unknown

FINTRX | Founded in 2014 and with over 1,000 clients globally, FINTRX tracks 17,000 family office professionals. It also includes their Affinity Relatability feature, which shows how you can relate to key decision makers and suggests custom conversation starters.

Estimated pricing: unknown

Family Office List | Founded in 2001, Family Office List covers over 3,000 offices and 6,000 contacts.

Estimated Pricing: Subscription model from $1,495 annually

Money Market Directories | Part of a larger database on institutional investors, Money Market Directories covers 4,900 family offices, 35,000 global contacts and 1,900 family office service providers worldwide.

How Can Gaining Access to the Database Portal Benefit Users?

Expand Your Network with Thousands of Investors

Gain immediate access to detailed firm and contact information for single and multi family offices. Build direct relationships to significantly expand your content distribution.

Enhance Your Existing Databases

Revitalize your outdated CRM with fresh, meticulously curated information. Save time that would otherwise be spent on manual updates and additions.

Maximize Your Team's Performance

The database is not just a list of contacts; it's a tool designed to boost your team’s productivity:

Road Shows and Business Trips: Plan more effective roadshows and business trips with pre-qualified leads.
Conference Follow-ups: Seamlessly follow up with leads from industry conferences and meetings, ensuring no opportunity is missed.

Family Office Events

For all upcoming events taking place in the private markets, visit our events page.

Opportunities to Speak on Stage at Events

Taking the stage at high-profile events can significantly elevate your personal and professional brand.

Example Distribution Channels

LinkedIn Advertising
Use LinkedIn’s Marketing Solutions to drive web traffic. It will be difficult to use LinkedIn audiences to target family offices so the best way to reach family offices will be to upload a contact list. The match rate will be below average (as the company name is one of the matching variables) but aligning this channel with your content strategy will set you apart from other GPs.
*Keep in mind that you will require a minimum of 300 contacts to use this functionality. If you do not meet that criteria, direct connection requests would be the alternative.

Hosted Events
Invite local family offices to your next roadshow/event to create an in-person connection.

Run a newsletter (E-mail Marketing)
E-mail marketing is still one of the best performing distribution channels. By setting up a newsletter, you are able to capture leads on your new content pieces and regularly engage your audience.

Quick tips:

Ensure you always add value in your newsletter for the intended audience.
Brand your newsletter. There are many newsletters out there branded as ‘blog’ or ‘newsletter’on the company’s website, set yourself apart by branding yours.
Write what’s included in the newsletter in the subject line and ensure your preview text is updated.

1: https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/family-offices.asp

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Raising From Family Offices in 2024 | Private Equity Marketing