We just got back from Boston and NIRI 2022 … and we have to tell you all about it (mostly so we stop bombarding our partners with, “And then ..!”). Our team met investor relations professionals, got a feel for what’s keeping IR folks up at night and filled our brains with as much new information as possible. Get ready for our conference breakdown.
(In no particular order) here are Small Potatoes Communications’ top takeaways from this year’s NIRI Annual Conference:
1. The future of investor days is hybrid, so IR pros need to provide options and considerations for virtual and in-person attendees. (We happen to be experts in this space – ask us how we do this for clients like Papa Johns and Humana!)
2. ESG. ESG. ESG! Environmental, social and governance reporting is here, and regulators are paying attention. It’s critical to stay up to speed on the newest standards like ISSB and remember that reporting weak metrics is better than not reporting at all.
3. Pick your battles. Investors, employees and customers say they want companies to take a stand on certain issues. However, we know that every company can’t take on all of them. Companies that speak out on the issues that align with their corporate purpose, and do it with intention and authenticity, will get attention from investors, analysts and the other important stakeholders.
4. Speaking of … investors want a story. They want to know why a company exists, who makes that company what it is and how that company makes the world a better place. Tell that story in an artful way to keep investors engaged.
5. Words are not enough. The trusty black-and-white report of the past needs to stay there. Investors want colorful, interactive communications. Add a video or two to your IR website, along with powerful infographics, to keep investors coming back.
6. Accessibility is a priority. Investing is for everyone, so companies must maintain a website everyone can access. Paying attention to fonts and colors is only the tip of the iceberg, so companies need to find an expert who can assess their websites for compliance.
7. Ethics will always be relevant. It doesn’t matter if you’re an analyst, communicator or board member, maintaining ethics in investor relations can be the difference between a successful company and one that fails to launch. There are resources available if something doesn’t seem quite right.
8. Investor relations isn’t just for investors and analysts anymore. More experts are saying that employees want in on a company’s investor relations. We agree. Research shows that treating employees like investors can increase employee engagement. This increased employee engagement, in turn, can increase a company’s profitability, which looks better to investors.
Let us show you how during our free webinar, Improving Employee Engagement through Investor Relations, on June 23 at 1 p.m. CT. Sign up at www.smallpotatoes.co/webinar.
If you’re ready to build an IR communications strategy to support these takeaways, let’s talk! Check out our strategy offerings and book a session today: https://www.smallpotatoes.co/strategy
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