Why Marketing Isn’t Optional for Investment Banks in 2025

Think investment banks don’t need marketing? Think again.

Gone are the days when big-name deals and relationships alone did the heavy lifting. In 2025, capital will become a commodity. What’s scarce is attention, trust, and differentiation.

And marketing? That’s how you win those battles.

In a hyper-competitive landscape of PE firms, fintech disruptors, and boutique advisors, the ability to position, communicate, and convert is your edge. If you're an investment bank still relying on handshakes and legacy, it’s time to upgrade your growth engine.

Let’s break down why marketing isn’t optional and how GrowthJockey helps investment banks build scalable demand engines.

The Shift: Investment Banking Has Become a Noisy Market

1. Commoditisation of Deals

Investment banking isn’t just about access anymore. Every mid-market banker claims they know VCs and strategic buyers. So, what sets you apart?

Stat: Over 80% of middle-market deals are now initiated via digital or outbound channels, not legacy relationships.

2. Digital-Native Clients Expect Visibility

Startup founders, D2C operators, and even family offices do their own research. If you’re not searchable, you’re invisible.

Example: A growth-stage founder seeking a Series C advisor will likely Google “top investment banks for tech IPOs” before checking their email. Are you showing up?

3. Rise of Boutique Banks and Platforms

New-age investment banks are aggressively branding themselves on LinkedIn, Twitter, Substack, and podcasts. If you’re not building credibility online, someone else is faster.

How Marketing Builds Deal Flow

Marketing isn’t fluff for investment banks - it’s a multiplier.

Here’s how:

1. Positioning = Premium

A clearly communicated value proposition attracts better mandates.

• “We help Indian SaaS startups raise Series B+ within 90 days” is different from “We advise on capital raises.”

• Sharp messaging builds category authority.

2. Thought Leadership = Trust at Scale

Whether it’s a newsletter, LinkedIn post, or whitepaper - your POV becomes your reputation.

Stat: 68% of founders said they chose an investment advisor based on industry understanding and visibility online.

3. Funnel = Predictable Growth

Marketing builds a lead funnel where your BD team doesn’t always need to chase.

• Paid campaigns for niche mandates (e.g., fintech exits)

• Retargeting past interactions with case studies

• Organic SEO for long-tail keywords like “M&A advisors for EV startups in India”

Key Marketing Levers for Investment Banks in 2025

1. Account-Based Marketing (ABM)

Target PE funds, family offices, and unicorn founders with highly tailored outreach.

• Sponsored LinkedIn In Mails

• Dynamic landing pages per vertical

• ROI-focused email drips

2. Performance Marketing

Use paid media to drive qualified founder/VC leads.

• Google Search Ads: "Capital raise advisor in India"

• Meta & LinkedIn ads for whitepapers

• UTM attribution and conversion tracking

3. SEO & Content

Establish top-funnel awareness with:

• Long-form blogs on fundraising trends

• Founder-friendly explainers on deal structures

• Glossaries of IB terms for early-stage readers

Example: Ranking #1 for “How to prepare for a Series A fundraise” can generate 50+ leads/month organically.

4. LinkedIn Thought Leadership

Position partners and analysts as the voice of authority.

• Weekly posts with charts, data, or deal commentary

• Engaging with founder/VC content in the feed

• Building personal brand equity across teams

So, Where Does GrowthJockey Come In?

GrowthJockey is India’s only performance marketing agency that understands both finance and founder psyche.

We don’t just run ads. We:

• Build full-funnel marketing systems

• Craft conversion-first messaging for IB audiences

• Use MarTech to attribute performance across channels

Why work with us?

• We’ve helped B2B brands scale from 0 → 1

• Deep experience with high-stakes, regulated verticals

• Founder-led GTM strategies, not cookie-cutter playbooks

IB One-Liner: We build high-performance demand engines for investment banks in India.

Conclusion: You Can’t Rely on Referrals Forever

The investment banking market in 2025 demands a marketing-first mindset. With digital-native clients, rising competition, and the need to build inbound deal flow - marketing becomes a strategic lever, not a cost center.

GrowthJockey can help you:

• Identify your highest-value audiences

• Build performance funnels for deals

• Convert visibility into trust—and trust into mandates

Investment Banking Marketing FAQs

1. What are markets in investment banking?

In investment banking, “markets” refer to capital markets where securities like stocks and bonds are issued and traded. IBs help clients access these markets by facilitating Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), private placements, and debt issuances. This includes both primary markets (new issues) and secondary markets (trading of existing securities).

2. What are the 7 P's of banking?

The 7 P’s in banking—adapted from the marketing mix—are:

• Product (financial services)

• Price (interest rates, fees)

• Place (branches, digital platforms)

• Promotion (advertising, campaigns)

• People (bank staff, relationship managers)

• Process (loan approvals, KYC)

• Physical Evidence (website UX, office ambience)

3. What is the IB salary?

An investment banker’s salary in India varies by role and firm:

• Analyst: ₹10–20 LPA

• Associate: ₹25–40 LPA

• VP/Director: ₹50 LPA to ₹1 Cr+

  Global firms often pay more, with bonuses tied to deal performance.

4. What is the Big 4 for investment banking?

While the “Big 4” usually refers to accounting firms (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG), in investment banking, the top global players are often called “Bulge Bracket Banks.” These include:

• Goldman Sachs

• J.P. Morgan

• Morgan Stanley

• Bank of America Merrill Lynch

  In India, ICICI Securities, Kotak, Axis Capital, and Avendus are major domestic players.