Investor Day Evolution: Top Strategies for Success
Investor days and limited partnership meetings are pivotal opportunities for companies to engage with shareholders and stakeholders, foster relationships, and showcase growth. However, since best practices for these events are rapidly evolving, we need a deeper understanding of what defines success.
Before the pandemic, most of our clients’ investor days were in-person events.
They included multimedia presentations and high-tech displays in impressive venues. This face-to-face interaction went a long way toward improving relationships, transparency, and trust between companies and constituents. Executives could shake hands with audience members and address questions and concerns in a shared space.
Over the years, technology has made virtual attendance possible… and preferable.
Companies took a more inclusive approach and began streaming live feeds of investor presentations, posting social campaigns with highlights from the day, and hosting digital Q&A sessions.
We noticed that as technology improved, there was a clear trend of increasing virtual attendance and decreasing in-person attendance. This isn’t surprising, given the convenience of virtual investor events and the impossible balance of our busy lives. But then, as we all know, the pandemic pushed everyone online.
Be Nimble; Go Hybrid
As a tech-forward production company specializing in corporate events, we’ve been surveying and implementing best-of-breed communication technology for two decades. So when the pandemic hit, we were already well-versed in cutting-edge virtual event services.
Our remote readiness was a significant advantage in 2020 while most of the industry scrambled to catch up, and corporate communications became more important than ever. Companies suddenly required first-class virtual event solutions that offered more than Zoom could provide — nimble services already part of our production lineup.
Now that the pandemic has passed, events are shifting but not fully reverting. Companies are incorporating virtual services alongside traditional in-person experiences. Hybrid investor events are the order of the day.
How to Make the Most of Hybrid Investor Event Production
Encouraging shareholders to attend events in person as much as possible helps to deepen investor relations. But it’s equally important to honor your audience’s preferred experience by offering the option to go virtual. Hybrid events offer the best of both worlds and increase overall engagement.
We’ve previously documented the best practices for success with any virtual or hybrid event, and a few of those points bear repeating. Before planning your next investor day or partner meeting, consider the following:
Brevity — Respect your audience's time and attention span by keeping presentations concise. Limiting each speaker to 20-30 minutes ensures content remains engaging and relevant without overwhelming attendees.
Dynamic Production — In addition to limiting speaker time, change the virtual conference format frequently enough to hold attention. Varying camera angles and switching between live feed and on-screen graphics are great ways to engage virtual audiences. To add interest, consider differing setups between talking heads, fireside chats, panel discussions, and sizzle-style videos.
Rich Content — Focus on delivering substantive, value-driven content that resonates with your audience. We call this an Audience-First approach. Since even the best content will fall flat without an engaging stage presence, we recommend investing in executive performance coaching to refine presentation skills and ensure your carefully honed messaging remains compelling and impactful.
In today's rapidly evolving landscape, the success of investor day production hinges on a company's ability to adapt to changing preferences and technological advancements. Navigate this evolution confidently by prioritizing audience needs, embracing hybridity, and delivering high-quality content for meaningful stakeholder engagement.
If you’d like to learn more or would like our direct support with your next virtual corporate investor event or conference, reach out and say [email protected].