"Asset managers need to elevate both the accessibility and quality of content focused on alternatives."

So says Mike Evans, partner and director of advisor research at Fuse Research Network. On December 3, the Needham, Massachusetts-based research shop's team released "Alternative Products: The Advisor View," a report in Fuse's Advisor Trend Monitor series. That report, authored by Evans, draws on a November 2025 survey of more than 530 FAs "across all channels."

A solid majority of financial advisors, 63 percent, "believe educational materials on alternative strategies from asset managers remain insufficient," Evans tells MFWire via email. "The findings are highly consistent across all advisor demographics."

Those findings are a change from 2024, when 76 percent of FAs had the same complaint about alts education.

"While it's encouraging to see improvement, the percentage of advisors who feel underserved by current educational resources remains far too high," Evans states. "Advisors continue to struggle with effectively communicating the role of alternatives to clients, and they're seeking better, more intuitive communication that helps them position alternatives more effectively."

"While asset managers have made progress in improving educational materials on alternatives, the landscape remains complex and relatively new. Clear explanations of alternatives and strategy-specific content remain invaluable," Evans writes:

Asset managers need to elevate both the accessibility and quality of content focused on alternatives. Asset managers that prioritize modernizing and simplifying their educational materials, making them easily accessible and compliance-ready for client use, will be strategically positioned to win advisor trust and drive deeper engagement in the booming alternatives space.

 

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