The broker-dealer channel is an important one, but asset managers are finding themselves fighting for limited sales space, according to a new report from Cerulli Associates.

The Boston-based researcher asked asset managers about the challenges of the industry, and 35 percent of asset managers said differentiating their offering in the marketplace was their biggest. In its report, titled Shelf Ready, Cerulli comes to conclusions about the best way to get a product into a competitive field.

"Asset managers must assess the degree of control they have over the variables that impact access to shelf space," Cerulli says. To do this, a manager must turn to the areas where it has the most control, such as the hiring and firing of portfolio managers and subadvisors. Cerulli also recommends that managers exert influence over gatekeepers and effectively manage account and wholesaler teams.

For fund companies hoping to put a new product on the market, the report tackles other topics such as picking the right investment strategy and gaining momentum. 

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