Chandler firm’s new blog discusses municipal bonds

Originally published in the Phoenix Business Journal

A Chandler firm created a blog on municipal bonds to educate the public and the business community on the investment tool.

Templeton Financial Services’ blog, found at bondblog-tfs.blogspot.com, is intended to dissect the complex and data-rich world of the bond market in an era of instant information relied upon by exchanges and brokers from New York to Hong Kong.

“The financial bond blog is a new tool, and we think we’re on the cutting edge,” said research analyst Darin Shebesta, who started the site with the company’s president and frequent blogger, Len Templeton.

The firm specializes in fixed-income portfolios, specifically municipal bonds, and manages $50 million in assets.

Municipal bonds are debt securities that states, cities, counties and other government entities issue to raise money for public purposes — such as building schools, highways, hospitals and infrastructure.

The blog focuses on four main topics: taxes, credit, the economy and municipal bonds. Although the site has yet to build a strong audience, it’s getting good reviews.

“With so much information available on the Internet, this blog provides a space for reliable bond market information on topics not easily understood or grasped by the general public,” said Patrick Eng, a financial consultant with Perspective Financial Services LLC in Phoenix. “While there’s certainly no shortage of information on the Web, many investment-oriented blogs lack either depth or validity, or both.”

Templeton Financial joins a growing list of Valley companies using blogs as a marketing tool.

While there are thousands of financial blogs online, Templeton executives claim theirs is the only one focused on bonds.

Scott McAndrew, director of client strategy for Terralever, said blogs add a human element to a company.

“Everyone is getting into it because it worked really well for smaller companies, and it’s a low investment,” he said.

Tempe-based Terralever uses technology to improve online marketing for companies.

McAndrew cautioned, however, that a blog can backfire if the blogger isn’t passionate or knowledgeable, and consistently toes the company line.

“The blogging community has torpedoed companies that have done that in the past,” he said.

Return to Press & Events