Investor relations is challenging. Why? Because of the high level of complexity. Because of the numerous stakeholder groups. Due to increasing regulation. In addition, there are topics such as event management (AGMs, conferences, roadshows), communication with investors and analysts, investor targeting, capital market compliance, C-level coaching, market analysis, reporting and financial media. Not to mention current topics such as shareholder ID & ESG.
Innovation-driven award-winning IR program
An IR program precisely addresses these challenges. The program was – with one of our clients – winner in the Small Cap category as “BEST INNOVATION IN IR 2023” of the IR Society Awards. And the program was a finalist in the same award “BEST IR PROGRAMME 2023 SMALL CAP”. Now the IR program has also made it to the final of the IR Magazine Awards – Europe 2024. And in 2 categories simultaneously: “BEST INNOVATION IN SHAREHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS” as well as „BEST RETAIL IR STRATEGY”. The winners of the award will be announced on June 20, 2024, in London.
The innovative character of the program?
What is innovative about the program so that it won the IR Society’s “BEST INNOVATION IN IR 2023 SMALLCAP” award? 4 aspects are to be emphasized:
1) Public IR knowledge: An important point for the high innovative strength of the program: The basis of the program is IR knowledge. IR knowledge from universities, IR associations, IR Magazine, specialist books or studies by service providers. This knowledge is continuously incorporated into all IR measures. 3 examples:
- Private investors are approached via financial platforms, among others. According to a study by the University of Leipzig, these platforms are the most important source of information for private investors.
- Targeting institutional investors: The basis for targeting is a Dream 100 investor strategy: the concept is based on the bestseller by sales legend Chet Homes from the USA.
- Or the latest publications on how institutional investors use AI. This knowledge flows into all company publications in order to get on the radar of institutional investors.
2) Company-specific IR knowledge: Studies by universities, IR associations, IR magazines – these are important sources for an initial orientation on how IR measures should be designed. For each company, however, the needs of its own target groups are particularly crucial. As a result, a company-specific perception study (Retail & Insti) is carried out once a year and the preferences and needs of the target groups are surveyed.
3) Development of a knowledge-based IR strategy: The findings from all these sources then flow into the (further) development of the individual company IR strategy. In this IR strategy, the IR objectives including time frames, IR measures, budgets, KPIs and reporting formats are derived and their implementation planned.
4) The implementation of the knowledge-based IR strategy: The collected knowledge (public sources & perception study) and the planning as part of the IR strategy provide us with answers to questions about target groups, IR measures, IR events, content, and the choice of sales channels. The target groups are addressed using a whole range of IR measures: Articles, teasers, video, webinars, IR campaigns, virtual conferences, individual investor targeting. In the process approximately 3-5 publications per week are realized via various distribution channels and platforms.
Innovation-driven investor relations: This means regularly reviewing and evaluating all sources of knowledge – whether universities, IR associations, IR magazines, studies by service providers or company-specific perception studies – and developing, testing, and implementing IR tools. Of course, all this is done within the framework of a company-specific IR strategy, in which the IR objectives and IR measures are given a realistic and measurable framework. In this way, it is possible to succeed in staying on the pulse of the times and on the pulse of target group needs.