IR 101 for Private Markets
With the first quarter of 2016 the slowest period for initial public offerings since 2009, market watchers are wondering if the trend will continue in the year ahead. So, where might investors look for new opportunities? Try private markets, or specifically, companies utilizing crowdfunding as a financing method.
Starting May 16, the general public will have the opportunity to participate in the early capital raising activities of start-up and development-stage companies through crowdfunding. You can read all about it on the Securities and Exchange Commission’s website.
What isn’t discussed on the SEC’s site is how these companies will communicate effectively with their investors. Many of these companies are likely on tight operating budgets, and the idea of allocating funds toward investor relations is not exactly a priority.
However, now that the general public has the ability to participate in a stage of investing usually reserved for institutions, management teams need to ensure these new investors are communicated with regularly, as well as treated with the same dignity and respect as a Fortune 500 investor.
Following is a top-10 list of IR advice for companies going the crowdfunding route:
- Initiate some form of periodic communication with your investors, perhaps in the form of a quarterly update letter, podcast or even blog post.
- Select a representative from the company or an outside consultant to handle incoming inquiries from investors.
- Utilize presentations, fact sheets, video and social media to help investors understand the company.
- Consider hosting an investor call on a periodic basis to foster transparency and an open line of communication.
- Develop an investor relations page on your website to keep investors posted on recent news and the company’s progress.
- Consider hosting an annual meeting that investors will actually attend. The event could generate more support, as well as more funding for your company.
- Keep investors in the know about relevant industry news, so they, too, can become experts.
- Under promise and over deliver. Managing investors’ expectations is key, especially for early stage companies.
- Stay away from divulging too much information about your company’s future financial performance. Again, this harkens back to under promise over deliver.
- Treat investors as owners not strangers.
Bottom line: Professionally crafted communications form a foundation to attract and retain investors, regardless of an issuer’s size, but even more so for early stage companies, as they go to market for the first time and build their organizations.
— Evan Pondel, epondel@pondel.com
