INTRODUCTION

Social media has emerged as a vital tool for bringing people together in
the modern world. They engage in online conversations with their
friends and peers using social media to converse and exchange content.
Users and online publishers are the two players in social media, and the
platform serves as a way for these people to communicate and exchange
information (Touchette &Schanski, 2015). While Evans (2008) described
social media as a communication tool where people of like minds may
connect and engage with one another to share their life experiences.
Social media, on the other hand, focuses entirely on electronic
information sharing and online contact. It involves fusing technology
with social interaction and verbal or visual thought-sharing.

The rise and expansion of technology has created a wide range of

commercial options. There are numerous internet platforms that have
helped companies increase their sales and profit margins. Social media
now serves as a marketing strategy for building brand awareness and
growth as a result of the changes in the business world. Web 1.0 marked
the start of this commercial progression, which has now given way to
Web 3.0. Through online social platforms, it has aided firms in creating
marketing strategies and monitoring brand recognition. With new
approaches to website creation that are more innovative, Web 3.0 has
raised the bar for online socialisation. Additionally, it will make it
simpler for customers and businesses to connect through a better search
engine where they can quickly locate the goods they want.

In order to inform consumers, brands develop pages on social

networking sites where they provide product insights. To attract the
target market's attention to the brand items, they post their material as
videos or photographs. A brand will deliver better and engage audiences
in brand activities so they continue to be linked with it with the support
of a healthy content strategy. However, some business professionals
claim that content marketing is a marketing strategy used by companies

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to produce and disseminate useful, consistent, and pertinent information
in order to capture the largest market share and increase profits (Content
Marketing Institute, 2015). Companies use content marketing as a
strategy to gain market share by regularly sharing insightful information
in addition to attempting to generate profitable consumer movement
(Steimle, 2014). Additionally, if the information is interesting to the
audience, they will take an active interest in the brand activities. The
material will aid customers in being identified with the brand and in
establishing a fruitful relationship between brands and consumers
because it promotes knowledge about the company and its services.
Customers are drawn to and persuaded to buy the product by this
connection.

Initially, brands lacked sufficient exposure to properly reach their target

market or disseminate information. They used to advertise their goods
through conventional marketing strategies, such as newspapers,
magazines, radios, and later television. However, it just served to notify
the client about the products' availability, without actually addressing
their wants and demands. In the past, brands simply offered
manufactured goods. While in the modern, technology-driven era, brands
manufacture the products in response to the needs of their consumers,
who then want the products, and brands work to make the consumers'
demands a reality.

By posting content on social networking sites, the company is able to

increase its market share (Potgieter & Naidoo 2017; Rosenthal & Brito
2017). The content marketing technique has been extremely effective in
forging strong connections and engaging with customers.

Numerous research have been done on social media marketing, brand

awareness, and consumer buying behaviors. The relationship between
social media content marketing, brand awareness, and consumer
purchase decisions still needs to be studied, notwithstanding the results
of these studies. This study set out to investigate the role that brand
awareness and social media content marketing have in influencing

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 customers' buying decisions. The following are the objectives: •To
research the relationship between social media content marketing and
consumer purchase decisions.
•To examine the relationship between brand awareness and consumer
purchase decisions.

The following study topics are addressed:

 Does customer purchase behavior depend on brand awareness?
 Does the marketing of social media content influence customer buying
behavior?

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 LITERATURE REVIEW

Brand Awareness: The term "brand awareness" refers to a consumer's

awareness of a brand and the things it sells. The most important thing
for every business to do is to give people the greatest information about
their brand and what it has to offer in order to draw in potential
customers. As social media is a powerful instrument for influencing
consumers' recurrent buying behaviour, brand awareness through these
platforms plays a significant part in growing market shares for the
companies. To keep their target audiences interested in brand activities
through post updates (pictures, videos, or articles), brands must employ a
variety of strategies. However, the article's substance should be
motivating and remarkable to read. To communicate with their present
and potential customers, businesses nowadays are experimenting with a
variety of technologies, with "Hashtags" being one of them. Companies
can present their ideas and notions by using hashtags.Additionally, in
order to improve page views and brand awareness for the businesses that
define their market, famous hashtag terms can also be leveraged (Daeun
Kim, 2017). In their study, Karamian, Nadoushan M.A., and Nadoushan
A.A. (2015) employed social media marketing as a component to assess
brand awareness. One of the elements that might aid in raising a brand's
visibility in the marketplace is celebrity endorsement. The
trustworthiness, familiarity, and competence of a celebrity are some
factors to consider when evaluating their credibility to increase brand
awareness. Celebrities' status as public figures can serve as a channel for
bringing customers and a company together.

Consumers interact with brands in a variety of ways, one of which is

through social media marketing initiatives. Active consumers engage
with the brand on social media and increase brand page views, which
raises brand recognition (Hutter et al., 2018). One of the main
responsibilities of marketers is raising brand awareness. Brands develop
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their social media profiles or sites in order to draw in their target
audience, keep them interested, and convert them into customers. By
encouraging virtual interaction, providing incentives, and delivering a
better information system, brands can increase their brand recognition
(Barreda et al., 2015). By building a relationship with customers and
earning their trust in the company's products, brand awareness can be
built. Each brand develops a unique content marketing strategy through
which they track various social media metrics, such as social media
reach, brand mentions, blog shares, and search volume (Hines, 2017).

In order to determine brand awareness through social media, this study

looks at how important brands are to participants' life, why they follow
particular brands on social networking sites, and how they find out about
businesses.

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 SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is a platform that enables users to produce and share

content with one another. It is a collection of software programmes that
were created using web 2.0 technology (Whiting & Williams, 2013).
Customers are actively using social media (Patino et al., 2012). There
weren't many channels available at first for marketers to engage with
consumers or establish enduring relationships (Vanauken, 2014). Social
media can be considered a form of internet communication. Any person
who has access to the internet may do it; they can create, share, and
publish their thoughts and experiences. Images, text, films, and audios
can all be used to convey the ideas and experiences of others (Halpin,
2013). According to Patino et al. (2012), social media is an independent
feature that lets users connect and withdraw anytime they choose,
gratifying their irrational urges. Since the industrial revolution, social
media is thought to have undergone the most significant transformation
(Phillips, 2013).

Social Media Marketing

People are increasingly spending more time online, particularly on social
media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram (Davidsson &
Findahl, 2016). According to studies, brands are increasingly spending
more money on digital marketing initiatives than on traditional
marketing (Baines & Fill 2014). Social media marketing is a digital
platform for carrying out marketing tasks, according to Baines & Fill
(2014). Because consumers are now actively involved in brand offerings
and have easy access to remark on, exchange, and produce information,
businesses in this modern, technological era no longer have control over
how they are viewed in the market. Social media has facilitated
transparency by exposing the good, bad, and ugly of a company that can
quickly go viral through sharing.

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 Content Marketing
The goal of content marketing, according to the Content Marketing
Institute, is to "drive profitable customer action by creating and
disseminating valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and
acquire a clearly defined audience." Instead of concentrating on the
brand or business, it aims to provide answers to consumers' questions,
helping them with their current problems and the decision-making
process (Templeman, 2015). According to Pulizzi (2012), content
marketing's main goal is to:
 Consumer engagement
 Lead creation
 Sales reinforcement
 Brand recognition
 Customer upsells
 Enthusiastic followers, fans, and subscribers

Content Marketing Planning

Blogs, movies, case studies, infographics, e-books, photographs, expert
reviews, etc. are all examples of content. The most popular content
marketing strategies employed by B2C businesses are blogs, vlogs,
articles on websites, and social media platforms. While videos are
thought to be the most successful marketing strategy for communicating
business information to customers. (2014 North America Report)

User Generated Content

User-generated content is a notion that has been shown to be more
effective in interacting with customers since it allows them to get in
touch, participate, and express themselves while also contributing to the
creation of content (Huotari et al., 2015). User-generated content assists
in establishing virtual communities for the brand, which ultimately
improves the company's reputation (Holliman & Rowley, 2014). It has
been noted that young consumers are more engaged in sharing their
opinions about a product or service they receive from various brands

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(Hsu et al., 2013). A brand's healthy content can aid in keeping
customers who will serve as brand ambassadors in the future and assist
the business in attracting potential target markets by writing reviews on
social media platforms and generating positive word-of-mouth for the
business.
Rather of using traditional marketing channels like radio, newspapers,
TV commercials, etc., youngsters today are more drawn to social media
marketing on social networking sites where they are more engaged.

For their convenience, consumers need immediate access to the

information. To find the necessary information and ultimately make
purchasing decisions, they are interested in using a variety of social
media accounts (Lempert, 2006; Vollmer &Precourt, 2008). However,
this study measures social media marketing by counting the number of
profiles on social networking sites, the platform in which users are most
active, as well as their feedback on brand marketing campaigns on social
media.

Purchase Decision
The process by which consumers decide whether to buy products or
services that are on the market is known as the buying decision. In order
to draw customers, the market offers a large variety of brands that
practically all offer the same things but with distinct values. Given that
we live in a technologically advanced age, firms can use social media to
showcase their services and product details, saving consumers time and
drawing them to the company. Brand image and brand equity were taken
into account by Dehghani and Tumer (2015) in their study on the
efficacy of Facebook in predicting consumers' propensity to make
purchases. Consumer purchasing behaviour has evolved along with time
and fashion; now, consumers tend to watch vloggers' product reviews
prior to making a decision in order to find the best product for their
needs (Daeun Kim, 2017). This is because consumers now frequently
research brand quality before making a purchase. Social media brand
communities serve as virtual spaces where customers may interact with
and trust brands. This trust is built by the brand's users' sharing of

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knowledge and personal experience, which enables potential customers
to put aside their reservations about the product and piques their interest
in making a purchase. The study found that brand loyalty, social media
marketing, and eWOM were the independent variables for purchase
choice (Hajli, 2014).

According to Lamb et al. (p. 91), "buying decisions are influenced by

perceptions, motivations, learning, attitudes, and beliefs" (consumer).
According to Gogoi (2013), the quality of the product and the brand's
reputation are thought to be the primary influences on consumer buy
intentions, with some encouragement coming from user reviews and
comments.

E-COM & Brand Advocates

Through numerous research, it has been found that customers are twice
as likely to believe product reviews posted by friends or other users as
they are to believe brand-sponsored advertisements (Ludwig et al.,
2013). The word-of-mouth (eWOM) is a comment posted by users on
social networking sites; it can be either positive or negative. According
to a study on online retailing, 73% of the participants felt that reading
brand customers' evaluations and comments about a product helped them
get over their reservations and motivated them to make purchases online
(Mintel, 2015). It's crucial to regularly share brand insights with
consumers in online forums and to keep them informed through content
marketing in order to increase brand word-of-mouth (CMO MindJet
Corporations, Lisa Arthur). However, from a marketing perspective,
blogging is seen as the most effective type of eWOM .According to a
study on online retailing, over 73% of the participants believed that
brand consumer reviews and comments about a product assist consumers
in overcoming their anxieties and motivate them to make online
purchases.

Nowadays, consumers rely on their friends' recommendations for any

product on social media. According to (Mintel, 2015), about 21% of
consumers in Ireland have had positive experiences with products that

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 have reviews posted by their peers on social media.However, this study
uses consumers' choices regarding the online medium via which they
check brand updates and how it aids in their decision-making for the
product purchase to assess if they made their purchase decisions through
social media.

On various facets of the customer buying decision, studies have been

undertaken in the past. This study focuses on evaluating the connection
between brand recognition and social media content marketing and
customer purchasing decisions. Consumer purchase decisions are taken
into account in this study as dependent variables, whereas brand
awareness and social media content marketing are considered
independent variables. This study will look at the elements listed below
and how they relate to the variables. Brand Awareness Factors:

 Hashtags
 Blog sharing

Vlogger evaluations and electronic word of mouth are factors for social
media content marketing.

Social media has developed into a powerful tool for connecting and
interacting between businesses and their customers. Social media is
crucial for brands to comprehend since it raises consumer knowledge of
the brand and aids in its promotion (Irfan et al. 2019; York, 2015).
Through social media platforms, content marketing helps firms spread
brand information that raises brand recognition and modifies consumers'
perceptions of their products (Odden, 2013). As a result, this study
investigates the hypothesis:
H1: Brand knowledge significantly influences customer purchasing
decisions.

It is believed that content serves as a foundation for brands to interact

with consumers; the calibre of content is what draws consumers to any
given brand. In order to influence clients to make a purchasing decision,

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businesses should focus more on the quality of their content than their
quantity (Puro, 2013). If the information is compelling enough, it can
also influence consumers' purchasing decisions (Odden, 2013).
information marketing functions as a relationship-building approach that
allows customers to identify with businesses. A creative marketing plan
incorporates appropriate textual content, designing frameworks, and
adequate execution to increase the likelihood of the intended result on
the target market.
H2: Social media content marketing having a substantial impact on
customer purchasing decisions will thus be tested in this study.

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 FINANCIAL SERVICES SECTOR

Financial services encompass a wide range of activities, including

banking, mortgages, credit cards, payment processing, tax preparation
and planning, accounting, and investing. Financial products are the
means for managing money that experts provide to their clients, whilst
financial services are typically the sole purview of corporations and
experts.

Financial services are provided by the financial services sector to both

private citizens and commercial entities. This area of the economy is
dominated by a broad range of financial industries, including banks,
investment houses, lending institutions, financing firms, real estate
agents, and insurance organizations.

One of the most important segments of the economy is the financial

services industry, as was already said. Despite having a wide range of
smaller enterprises, this industry is dominated by enormous corporations.

The processes by which consumers or businesses acquire financial goods

are referred to as financial services by the International Monetary Fund's
(IMF) finance and development division. A payment system provider is
offering a financial service if, for example, it collects and distributes
money between payers and recipients. This includes accounts cleared
using similar processes like electronic fund transfers, credit and debit
cards, and checks.

Businesses in the financial services industry manage money. For

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instance, a financial advisor manages assets and makes suggestions on a
client's behalf. The adviser facilitates the transfer of funds between
investors and the businesses that produce securities and other financial
instruments; they do not directly provide investments or any other goods.
As opposed to being a tangible asset, this service is a transitory activity.

The opposite of tasks are financial commodities. They are things.

Mortgage loans may seem like services, but they are really durable
goods. Stocks, bonds, loans, commodities, real estate, and insurance
policies are examples of financial products.

Importance of the Financial Service Sector

The financial services sector is the main driver of a nation's economy. It
enables market liquidity and unrestricted capital movement. When this
sector is healthy, the economy grows and businesses there are better able
to manage risk.

A country's population's prosperity is also influenced by the state of its

financial services sector. When the economy and a sector are strong,
consumers usually make more money. This boosts both their self-esteem
and purchasing power. When customers need to borrow money to make
large purchases, they turn to the financial services sector.

However, the economy of an entire country could suffer if the financial

services sector struggles. A recession may arise as a result.
As soon as the financial system starts to fail, the economy starts to suffer.
Capital begins to dry up as lenders impose lending restrictions.
Customers cut back on their purchases as a result of rising
unemployment and probably decreased salaries.
To encourage economic growth, central banks make adjustments by
decreasing interest rates. This essentially reflected the events that
occurred during the financial crisis that led to the Great Recession.

Banking Service

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The financial services sector is built on the banking industry. While the
financial services sector includes investments, insurance, risk
redistribution, and other financial activities, it is primarily focused on
direct saving and lending. Large commercial banks, neighbourhood
banks, credit unions, and other organisations all offer banking services.
The primary source of income for banks is the spread between the
interest rates offered to depositors and those charged for credit accounts.
These kinds of financial services mostly make money via fees,
commissions, and other means, like the difference in interest rates
between loans and deposits.

Banking Segments

Retail banking, commercial banking, and investment banking are the

different divisions of the banking industry. Retail banking, also referred
to as consumer or personal banking, caters to individuals rather than
businesses. These banks provide a range of personal financial services,
such as checking and savings accounts, mortgages, loans, and credit
cards in addition to some investment services.

On the other hand, corporate, commercial, or business banking works

with both small and large firms. It offers account services and credit
products that are customised to the unique requirements of businesses,
just like retail banking.

An investment bank normally does not work with regular people but
instead with deal makers and high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs).
These banks secure capital market access, provide wealth management
and tax guidance, counsel businesses on mergers and acquisitions
(M&A), and ease the buying and selling of stocks and bonds, among
other services. This market also includes bargain brokerages and
financial counsellors.

Investment Services

Through investing services, people can gain access to financial markets

like stocks and bonds. In exchange for a commission, brokers—human
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or self-directed internet services—help investors buy and sell assets. In
order to build and manage a well-diversified portfolio, financial advisors
may make multiple trades and charge an annual fee based on assets
under management (AUM).

Robo-advisors, which use completely automated algorithmic portfolio

allocations and trade executions, are the most recent iteration of
financial advice and portfolio management.

Investment partnerships, mutual funds, and hedge funds all put money
into the financial markets while earning management fees. For trading
and servicing their portfolios, these organisations need custody services.
They also need legal, compliance, and marketing guidance. Software
developers who work with the investment fund industry also create
programmes for client reporting, portfolio administration, and other
back-office functions.

Investment capital is given to businesses by private equity funds,

venture capitalists, and angel investors in exchange for ownership
interests or profit sharing. In the 1990s, venture funding was extremely
crucial for technological companies. This group is responsible for a lot
of the behind-the-scenes activity involved in the creation of significant
deals.

Insurance Services

Another significant segment of the financial services sector is insurance.

There are insurance services provided for protection against liability or
lawsuits, property loss or damage, or against death or injury (for
example, life insurance, disability income insurance, health insurance).

An insurance agent is distinct from a broker in the US. While the latter
represents the insured and compares insurance policies, the former is a
representative of the insurance carrier. The underwriter, who evaluates
client insurance risk and counsels investment bankers on loan risk, also
works in this area.

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Reinsurers sell insurance to insurers directly in order to help shield them
against catastrophic losses.

Tax & Accounting Services

Accountants, tax preparation services, wire transfer services, currency

exchange services, and networks for credit card machines are all
included in this industry. Additionally, it consists of exchanges that
support the trading of stocks, derivatives, and commodities, as well as
debt resolution services and international payment processors like Visa
and Mastercard.

Accountants make ensuring that all financial documents and reports,

including the balance sheet, income and loss statement, cash flow
statement, and tax return, are compliant with applicable federal laws,
rules, and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

Accountants also gather the data required to write entries into corporate
books like the general ledger and they keep track of the financial
activities of businesses throughout time. Cost accounting reports and
weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annual closing statements are prepared
using this data.

Accountants are also responsible for resolving any contradictions or

anomalies they uncover in documents, statements, or recorded
transactions. Usually, they use an accounting system or software
programme to monitor defined accounting control procedures.

Along with assessing financial data and statements, accountants are

frequently given additional finance-related responsibilities to complete.
Monitoring the effectiveness of accounting control methods or software
programmes is one of the ancillary job responsibilities that ensures they
are compliant with federal and state standards. Additionally, accountants
are expected to advise other departments or the C-suite on how to use
resources and processes inside the organisation in an effective manner.
These suggestions are meant to address financial issues that could be
expensive for businesses.
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In some cases, accountants will additionally draught and analyse bills
for clients and suppliers in order to facilitate prompt payment of unpaid
accounts. An accountant's routine duties may also include reconciling
paychecks, checking contracts and orders, creating a budget for the
business, and creating financial models or projections.

Accountants also prepare and submit taxes for both businesses and
individuals in addition to these responsibilities. To determine the entire
amount of tax due for the year, they consider all corporate assets,
income received and paid, or projected expenses and obligations.
Accountants are expected to offer a thorough analysis of tax efficiency
or inefficiency and make recommendations for how to reduce total tax
payments in the future with regard to both corporate and individual tax
preparation and filing.

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 COMPANYS PROFILE

Centricity Financial Distribution Private Limited

About
Established in 2022 Centricity offers a simple, cost effective and
transparent technology enabled platform that helps investment
professionals to manage their client portfolios better. As private Wealth
Management professionals with decades of experience behind us we
have deep insights into the challenges faced by wealth managers, their
clients and Asset managers. It is our endeavour to empower these three
stakeholders using technology in order for them to achieve better
outcomes.

Vision
To be a technology and product partner of choice for all Independent
financial advisors and distributors.

Mission
We believe that there is a fundamental need to empower IFAS/MFDs in
India so that investors achieve better outcome. Centricity handholds
financial services professionals to engage their clients efficiently.

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 Founder
Manu Awasthy is the Founder & CEO of Centricity. He has a 20 Plus
years of combined experience in Private Wealth Management &
Consumer Banking.

Independent Financial Advisor / Mutual Fund Advisor

These experts may be an individual or an entity.

They are professionals in the field of finance who aid with advice-
giving, create reports by studying your investments, and ensure that
your transactions are successful. They typically demand payment for
their services. As a result, a financial counsellor is crucial for investors.
The following are reasons why registered independent advisors are
important:
 Expertise
 Financial objectives
 Accountability
 Transparency
 Convenience

Advantages of becoming an IFA or MFD

 Your earning potential as a financial counsellor is basically limitless.
 Between 2016 and 2026, there should be a 15% increase in job opportunities
for financial advisers due to the industry's high rate of growth.
 Once an advisor builds up a clientele, the profession is conducive to flexible
work schedules.
 It presents you with a fantastic opportunity to organise your own funds.

19
 Independent Financial advisor through his Expertise can help in :-
 Investment advice that is specifically tailored to your needs - An IFA
will take the time to learn about your financial condition, goals, and risk
tolerance. They can then suggest an investment plan that is customised to
your unique requirements and goals.

 Access to a wide variety of investment alternatives – IFAs frequently

have access to a variety of investment options. including those that
individual investors would not have access to. They can therefore
provide more varied investment portfolios and perhaps even higher
returns.

 Professional experience - Investment advisors (IFAs) are financial

experts with training and experience in this area. They can assist you
make wise investing selections by offering insightful information about
the financial markets.

 Ongoing assistance - Throughout your financial journey, an IFA can

offer continuing advice and direction, including portfolio monitoring and
adjustments as necessary to keep you on pace to reach your objectives.

 Accountability and transparency - IFAs must act in the best interests of

their clients and must declare any conflicts of interest. This indicates that
you can rely on them to offer unbiased guidance consistent with your
financial objectives.

 No upfront or very little upfront investment necessary - There is no

upfront investment or very little upfront income needed to become an
IFA.

Importance of Associating with a Platform

Why should distributors associate with a platform?

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 Regulatory reforms will make it challenging for sellers of single
products.

 Lower customer acquisition costs as a result of technology use

 A decrease in servicing costs.

 Having access to various MIS and business-growth technologies.

 Future adherence to compliance requirements.

How can being a distributor be a Game Changer?

 Spend more time with customers.
 Wealth Creator Products
 Product for every household
 Repeated buy
 Only 3 crore customers
 Less than 1 lac distributors
 Growing awareness and demand
 Huge potential for growth
 Attractive and unique earning opportunity

How can MFD increase bandwidth by associating with a

platform in India?

 Tap huge investment market in India

 Freedom from operational work. Get access to best researched product

 Build your own brand with marketing tools,

 Stay updated with regular and relevant training sessions Spend more
time with customers

How can you become a successful distributor?

 Have Patience & believe in the magic of Compounding.

 Believe in asset allocation and portfolio diversification.

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 Have Conviction.

 Set Goals

 Be Consistent & Keep reviewing Clients IPS.

 Prospecting Clients.

 Focus Products

 Meeting Clients Regularly & Sharing Follow-up on Investment.

 Keep your knowledge Updated

 Distinguish Between Facts and Opinion

ONE DIGITAL PLATFORM BY CENTRICITY

Value Adds
 OMS (transaction portal) - Digital transaction placement and execution
 Goal Planning
 Family-wise basic reporting with Capital Gain/Loss, Corporate Action
 MIS (Brokerage module, RMMIS etc.)
 CRM (Birthdays, Anniversaries, Meetings, Tasks etc.)
 Product listing Customised model portfolio and product selection engine
via RAQ
 journey
 IPS (guardrails for portfolio management)
 Quick invest - Tactical funds deployment engine
 Consolidated multi asset and multi product reporting dashboard
 Multi advisor "held away" portfolio reporting
 Compare tool Consolidated Dashboard
 Investment reckoner
 Scheduler
 Insurance Dashboard Loan Dashboard

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 Real estate Dashboard
 Asset register
 Asset Allocator tool
 Generate portfolio Quants & Analysis
 Enable IPS guardrails aligned portfolio tracking- Basis risk and return
profile
 Liquidity and cash flow insights
 Product & proposal scanner - Insights on products or investment
proposals offered by third parties
 Hyper personalised portfolio review presentations.
 Access up to date market intelligence for meaningful engagement -
Views on economy, sectors, events
 Dedicated support from a qualified and experienced Investment
counselor
 Dedicated Operations & service support
 Dedicated support from team of qualified investment analysts

Access value added services -

Delivered by associated third party service providers

 Estate & succession planning services
 Credit solutions
 Immigration consulting

Equity Mutual Funds

A mutual fund is a professionally managed investment programme that

pools a group of investors' funds and invests them in stocks, bonds, and
other securities. These funds are typically handled by asset management
firms.

Benefits of Investing in Mutual Funds

 Diversification
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 Better Inflation adjusted returns
 Expert Management
 Tax Benefits

Factors to be considered before investing in Mutual Funds

 Size of the fund (AUM)
 Expense Ratio
 Fund Performance
 Experience of the Fund Manager
 AUM of the AMC

Types of Mutual Funds

Equity Funds :- Equity Funds are mutual fund programmes that
allocate their assets depending on the investing goals of the underlying
programme to equities of various companies. These funds are excellent
choices for capital growth investments since they have the ability to
generate wealth over the long term.

Equity Schemes :- Large, Mid, Small, Large & Mid, Multi, Dividend
yield, Value Funds, Contra Funds, Focused Funds, Flexi, Thematic,
ELSS Funds, FOF

Debt Mutual Funds :- Fixed-income securities and other money-

market instruments make up a sizable component of the investments
made by debt mutual funds. By making investments in these kinds of
opportunities, debt mutual funds significantly reduce the risk element
while providing investors with substantially larger profits. This is a
potentially lucrative investment option because of how stable it is. Debt
funds are a better alternative to stocks for investors seeking modest risk
and generally stable income. Mutual funds that invest in debt carry less
risk than those that invest in equities.

Debt Schemes: - Overnight, Liquid, Ultra Short-Term, Money

market, Low duration, short term, Banking & PSU, Medium term, Long
24
term, Corporate bond funds, Credit risk, Floating rate, Fixed maturity,
Dynamic bond, Government securities Funds.

P2P lending-based investments

P2P lending enables people to borrow money directly from other people.
P2P lending is booming because it is especially beneficial for people
without access to the established banking system or credit markets.
Based on factors including cash flow, salary, and previous credit data, al
driven analytics assist P2P organisations in determining a borrower's
credit worthiness and ability to pay.
Market participants right now include Lenden, Liqui Loans, Faircent,
Monexo, and others.

Fixed Deposits
The length of the investment and the rate of interest are predetermined.
For risk-averse investors, a fixed deposit is the greatest option because it
allows them to collect interest on the amount placed over time. Your
funds are secured the minute you deposit them, and you can withdraw
the interest at maturity. available from practically all of India's major
banks and NBFCs. No risk because the RBI controls it. penalty for early
withdrawal on the interest rate.

Types of FDs

Standard FDs - Standard FDs programme offered by all banks.

Deposited funds have a defined tenure of 7 days to 10 years. The bank
has already decided on the interest rate. Interest rates exceed those of a
savings account.

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Senior Citizen FDs - An FD account can only be opened by citizens
who are at least 60 years old. An extra 0.50% in interest is paid on top of
the usual interest rate. This plan also allows for adjustable tenures.

Tax Saving FDs- A tax-saving tool that is accessible at practically all

banks. A one-time lump sum payment is made. Tax exemptions of up to
1.5 lakh rupees are available annually. A five-year period during which
you cannot withdraw the money.

Recurring FDs- Customers must deposit a set sum of money on a

monthly basis for a specified amount of time. You can open recurring
deposit accounts for short, medium, or long terms, and the interest rate
the bank offers may change depending on the term you select.

Flexi FDs- Combining recurring payments with fixed deposits.

Consumers profit from the higher interest rates offered by fixed-rate debt
and the liquidity provided by savings accounts. Various terms are
available so that customers can select the term that best meets their
financial needs.

Corporate FDs- Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) made a

deposit. It has fixed duration. Greater rate of interest than bank FDs.
Compared to bank FDs, a good company FD will produce larger returns.

NCDs
NCDs are debt securities, similar to bonds, that corporations issue to
raise money over the long term. They are issued publicly and contain
features similar to those of bonds, such as a fixed term and an ongoing
fixed interest rate. Since they cannot be converted into equity shares at
the conclusion of the term, they are referred to as non-convertible. The
name serves to distinguish one type of debenture from another that is
converted into equity shares.

Types of NCDs

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 Secured
Financial instruments are secured by the assets of the business, and
investors may choose to make payments by having those assets
liquidated.
Unsecured
Instruments are inherently riskier than secured NCDs since they are not
backed by corporate assets. However, they frequently provide greater
yields than secured NCDs.
Risk-Return
Interest rates are based on the company's reputation, and often, returns
are better than those on other government bonds and money market
investments. Interest payments can be made on a monthly, quarterly,
semi-annual, or annual basis.

Criteria
Credit Rating of the Issuer - Ability to raise funds from internal or
external sources and sustainability.
Interest Coverage Ratio - Number of times the interest is covered by
the earnings of the company.
Capital Adequacy Ratio - Gauges the company capital and sees
whether the company has sufficient funds to survive potential losses.
Debt Level-Debt-Equity ratio should be considered

Pros
 Higher interest rates
 Tradable on the exchange
 Carry priority charge on the assets of the company
 Only companies with a good credit rating can issue secured NCDs.

Cons
 Fixed Return
 Interest is taxable at marginal rates

Bonds

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Bonds provide debt holders with a fixed rate of interest. Bonds are a
strategy to invest and protect capital because, if held to maturity,
bondholders receive their entire investment back. Bonds are a good
option for risk-averse investors. Bonds from rated corporations should be
accumulated by investors that choose safe debt products.

Tax Free Bonds - Issued by major PSUs like HUDCO/ NHAI etc.
between 2010-2015, therefore negligible Risk
Tax free yield trading at approx. 5%
If booked before maturity, capital gain accrued will attract 10% plus
capital gain if held for > 1year Returns are higher than FD on post-tax
basis.
Corporate Bonds - Issued by Private Companies, NBFCs.
Coupon interest is taxable at marginal rates
Good quality paper available at 10%
Thing to consider is credit rating
Yield relation with rating.
Government Bond & PSUs - PSU Bonds are the bonds in which
the government shareholding is generally >576
PSU Bonds are highly liquid and are easily tradable, have a 10-15 years
tenure
Government Bonds are issued by both Central and State governments of
India with a tenure of 5 to 40 years. Government bonds issued by State
Governments are also called State Development Loans (SDLs)
Perpetual Bond - Bonds with no maturity date and interest rate is
paid till lifetime of the Bond. It generally comes with a call option i.e.
issuer can call back the bond and pay back the principal amount to the
bondholder
Zero Coupon Bond - Issued by Government & Companies. Don't
pay periodic coupons but entire interest at maturity.

REITS/InVITS

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In recent years INVITS and REITS have become popular with individual
investors. These offer investors the opportunity to invest in alternate
asset classes like real estate, power plants, roads etc.

REITS [Real Estate Investment Trust) Can be described as a company

that owns and operates real estates to generate income. Real estate
investment trust companies are corporations that manage the portfolios
of high-value real estate properties and mortgages. For instance, they
lease properties and collect rent there on. The rent thus collected is later
distributed among shareholders as income and dividends

Types of REITS

Equity - It is most popular and common source of income is rent

Mortgage - Lending money to proprietors and extending, common
source of income is interest
Hybrid - Income source both rent and interest are the sources of
income

Examples of REITs in India are. Brookfield India Real Estate Trust,

Embassy Office Parks REIT, Mindspace Business Park REIT, etc.

InVITS- Promote the infrastructure sector of India by encouraging

more individuals to invest in it and can be modified according to a given
situation. Their units are listed on different trading platforms like stock
exchanges and are a wholesome combination of both equity and debt
instruments. Investment Infrastructure Trust, they hold Infrastructure
Assets like Roads, Ports, Gas Assets, Power Assets.

Types of InVITS

Investment in Revenue generating finished projects

Investment in project under construction

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 Examples of InVITs in India are, IRB InVIT Limited, PowerGrid InVIT,
etc.

Both REITs and INVITS are a hybrid of debt and equity. Regularity of
income gives it a touch of debt and like equity these offer capital growth.
There are 3 listed REIT and INVITS each in India. The yields range
between 5.49% to 8.5%. They are taxed also according to the income
accrued - dividend, interest or capital gains. Also, both are regulated by
SEBI.

Portfolio Management Services (PMS)

By actively managing the portfolio, which may be tailored to match
particular financial objectives, PMS is a systematic way to maximising
returns while minimising risk on your investments. Unlike a mutual fund
investor, when you invest in PMS, you become the owner of specific
assets.

Types of PMS

Discretionary- Fund manager decides the timing as well as

investment allocation.
Non-Discretionary - Investor decides the timing as well as
investment allocation. However trades are processed by fund managers

Benefits
 Professional Management
 Diversification of risk
 Transparency
 Rebalancing
 Scope of higher risk adjusted return

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 METHODOLOGY

Research Design: A research design is a framework for the

methodologies and procedures that a researcher will use. It will focus on
research methodologies which is appropriate for the topic set up the
studies according to that design. Kind of study and its sub-types are
explained by the research design on the research subject. For the report,
Descriptive Research Design is used because the research
focuses on knowledge expansion through the collection of data and
interpreting the same. It denotes the reasons how content marketing and
brand awareness plays a vital role in choosing the financial product.

Sample: In order to collect the secondary data for the purpose to do this
research, following parameters were used:
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Sample Unit: A single value within a sample database is known as the
sampling unit. In my research the sample unit is a Single respondent who
have interest in purchasing Financial Product.
Sample Size: It is the number of individuals who is participating in the
sample study.
For the research, a sample size of 105 respondents is taken.

Data Collection

Sources of data collection: The data for this research has been
collected
from the Primary sources.
Primary Data: This data was collected from the Content Marketing
questionnaire
which were filled by the respondents.
Tools used to Collect the Data: The tool used to collect the
secondary
data was Google Forms.
Data Analysis Technique
The data collected from the responses have been entered in Ms-Excel
and then
graphs are made.

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 FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

STATISTICAL FINDINGS
1)
Age Count of Age
18-25 49
26-35 25
36-45 16
46-55 13
55 above 1

33
 60

50

40

30

20

10

0
18-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 55 above

INTERPRETATION: From the above data we find that most of the

youngsters are taking keen interest in the Financial Services Sector.

2)
Testimonials of a financial product or Count of Testimonials
web blogs gives an idea what is unique
about this brand or product
Agree 54
Disagree 7
Neutral 21
Strongly agree 19
Strongly disagree 3

34
 Count of Testimonials of a financial product or web
blogs gives an idea what is unique about this brand or
product
Strongly
disagree
Strongly
agree

Neutral

Disagree

Agree

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

INTERPRETATION: After analysing the above data we found

that majority of the respondents have agreed that Testimonials of a
financial product or web blogs give an idea about uniqueness of the
brand or product.

3)
Content used in blog give a true Count of Testimonials
picture about the features and
utility of the financial product

Agree 46
Disagree 8
Neutral 19
Strongly agree 27

35
 Strongly disagree 4

Count of Content used in blog give a true

picture about the features and utility of the
financial product

Strongly
disagree

Strongly
agree

Neutral

Disagree

Agree

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

INTERPRETATION: After analysing the above data we found that

majority of the respondents i.e.73 respondents have partially or strongly
agreed that Content used in blog give a true picture about features and
utility of the financial products.

4)
Content of videos should be based Count of Testimonials
on latest trends and environment

Agree 43
Disagree 15
Neutral 17
Strongly agree 28
Strongly disagree 1
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 Count of Content of videos are based on latest
trends and environment

Strongly
disagree

Strongly
agree

Neutral

Disagree

Agree

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

INTERPRETATION: Out of 105 Respondents, 71 have

partially/strongly agreed that Content of the videos should be based on
latest trends and environment which is liked by the investors.

5)
People actually get convinced by Count of Testimonials
the products with intellectual
content used by the marketers in
content marketing
Agree 37
Disagree 14
Neutral 25

37
 Strongly agree 24
Strongly disagree 4

Count of People actually get convinced by the

products with intellectual content used by the
marketers in content marketing
Strongly
disagree

Strongly
agree

Neutral

Disagree

Agree

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

INTERPRETATION: After seeing the above data we found that

out of 105 respondents, 37 people have partially agreed that people get
convinced by the products with intellectual content used by the marketers
in content marketing, where as 25 people believe that content marketing
does not affect the decision making.

6)
Customers get an opportunity to Count of Testimonials
compare the features of different
brands

Agree 33
Disagree 9
Neutral 28
Strongly agree 29
Strongly disagree 5
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 Count of Customers get an opportunity to
compare the features of different brands

Strongly
disagree

Strongly
agree

Neutral

Disagree

Agree

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

INTERPRETATION: In the above data we find that majority of the

respondents have agreed that because of content marketing and brand
awareness, customers get an opportunity to compare the features of
different brands and then make a proper buying decision. In this case
investors can analyse the financial products and select the ones which
give most returns.

7)
Consistency and updated content Count of Testimonials
used by companies helps in
developing brand loyalty among
customers

Agree 29
Disagree 15
Neutral 24
Strongly agree 31
39
 Strongly disagree 5

Count of Consistency and updated content

used by companies helps in developing
brand loyalty among customers

Strongly
disagree

Strongly
agree

Neutral

Disagree

Agree

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

INTERPRETATION: Most of the people have partially/strongly

agreed that Consistency and updated content used by the companies
helps in developing brand loyalty among customers.

8)
Referral codes and making points Count of Testimonials
by giving references to your
friends or groups keeps the
customer engaged and motivated

Agree 24
Disagree 7
Neutral 28
Strongly agree 41
40
 Strongly disagree 4

Count of Referral codes and making points by giving

references to your friends or groups keeps the cus-
tomer engaged and motivated

Strongly
disagree

Strongly
agree

Neutral

Disagree

Agree

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

INTERPRETATION: After analysing the above data we have

found that majority of the respondents have strongly agreed that Referral
codes and making points by giving references to your friends or groups
keeps the customer engaged and motivated.

9) which financial Product will you Count of Testimonials

choose
Bonds 16
Insurance 30
Mutual funds 30
Stocks 28

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 Count of which financial Product will you
choose
35

30

25

20

15

10

0
Bonds Insurance Mutual funds Stocks

INTERPRETATION: After analysing the above data we find that

People have the equal amount of interest in investing in Insurance and
Mutual Funds. Then their second preference is stocks for Investment.
People in our Country have less likings for Bonds.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, Centricity Financial Distribution Private Limited's success

and market positioning are greatly impacted by the brand recognition and
content marketing that are used in the B2B distribution of financial
products. It is clear from a thorough review of the material at hand that
content marketing and brand recognition are crucial to positioning
Centricity Financial Distribution Private Limited as a credible operator in
the cutthroat financial sector.

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All marketing initiatives are predicated on the principle of brand
awareness. According to the report, having a strong brand presence
increases the company's recognition and credibility with potential B2B
customers, which promotes loyalty. Centricity Financial Distribution
Private Limited may effectively set itself apart from rivals and inspire
confidence in its target market through consistent branding methods,
which will enhance consideration and preference for its financial
products.

Another crucial component is content marketing, which has become a

potent tool for informing, involving, and luring B2B customers.
Centricity Financial Distribution Private Limited is positioned as a sector
thought leader through the creation and dissemination of meaningful,
pertinent, and educational material. The organisation influences the
decision-making of potential clients by creating thought-provoking
articles, reports, whitepapers, and films that not only meet the
informational demands of its clients but also demonstrate its expertise.

In the instance of Centricity Financial Distribution Private Limited, the

relationship between brand recognition and content marketing is clear.
The business may successfully distribute material that appeals to its
target audience by making use of its strong brand identification. A
powerful brand amplifies the impact of the content, and interesting
content improves brand perception. This combination produces a positive
feedback loop.

It's critical to recognise that brand awareness and content marketing

activities don't always succeed. For long-term impact, a consistent and
deliberate strategy is required. To keep a competitive edge, it is essential
to regularly monitor, analyse, and change tactics depending on shifting
market dynamics and customer preferences.

In conclusion, the study emphasises how effective brand recognition and

content marketing are in driving success in the B2B distribution of
financial products. Due to its dedication to building a solid brand and

43
 supplying insightful content, Centricity Financial Distribution Private
Limited is in a good position to work with B2B clients looking for
financial solutions. Adopting these principles will probably help the
business maintain its growth, market relevance, and customer trust as the
financial sector develops.

LEARNING AND OUTCOMES

During the Summer Internship Program in Centricity Financial

Distribution Private Limited,
my key learnings were:
 Generating qualified leads, and increasing the pool of potential clients
for the
business.

44
 Use of digital marketing to engage with customers on various platforms,
fostering
meaningful interactions and building stronger customer relationships.
 Identifying and reaching specific customer segments, tailoring the
message and
offerings to meet unique needs and preferences of those segments.
 Raising the profile of the business in the digital space, making it more
recognizable
and memorable to potential clients.
 Track the success of marketing campaigns with the help of real-time data
and
performance metrics and make informed adjustments as needed.
 Creating personalized experiences for customers by addressing their
individual
financial needs and goals.
 Use of Digital marketing for the dissemination of financial knowledge
and
information, empowering customers to make informed decisions about
their investments.
 Tracking the entire customer journey, from initial engagement to
conversion, helping
refine strategies for better results.
 Use of Digital platforms to gather feedback directly from customers,
fostering a two-
way communication channel that can drive improvements.

REFERENCES
 https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/
journal.pone.0249457
 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7303260
 https://in.linkedin.com/company/centricity-wealthtech

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 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/
S0378426698001253
 www.centricity.co.in

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