^{Advertisement feature ^{Perspectives series: Virtual investor days
By IHS Markit’s issuer solutions team}}

Perspectives series:
Virtual investor days

By IHS Markit’s issuer solutions team

Given the expected increase in demand for steady and reliable corporate communications in 2021, and lingering concerns around the effectiveness of ‘virtual’ engagements, IHS Markit’s investor day advisory, corporate advisory and perception analytics teams collaborated to gather research and market intelligence to help clients better understand this continually evolving landscape.Using IHS Markit’s Street Beat and Canvass products, we collected commentary directly from nearly 200 buy-side investors, sell-side analysts and corporate issuers to understand real-time sentiment on how Covid-19 has impacted corporate access and, more importantly, what steps can be taken to ensure the engagement needs of all constituencies are met in this new environment.This report details the role virtual investor days will play as a critical communication tool in 2021 and outlines best practices for hosting these events.

Key takeaways

Seamless technology experience: Technological preparation is key. Keep the event succinct and ensure the message is not drowned out by miscues, glitches and other tech issues.

Creative management engagement: Organize interactive sessions (product demos, segment breakouts, roundtables, fireside chats, breakfast ‘coffee talks’, post-event one-on-one follow-ups) before, during and after the event.

Prioritize Q&A: Remember to provide plenty of time for Q&A and ensure various members of management actively participate.

Prerecorded segments: Gain control of the narrative and format, present compelling imagery, highlight the breadth and depth of management and showcase products, facilities and internal processes.

Compelling support materials: Provide supportive commentary and data through an interactive slide deck available prior to, during and after the event.

Market perspectives: Roadmap for successful virtual engagement

1. Technology is critical to success: Technical logistics are often overlooked when planning virtual investor days. It is important to manage the length of the event and pretest all systems to minimize the potential for audio/video miscues.

As awkward as it is to simply do audio, it is
better to just do audio if you cannot get the video perfect

– analyst, North America investment manager

2. Management access still matters: Virtual events provide numerous unique opportunities to increase exposure to top executives and other important management figures through presentations, prerecorded videos, Q&A sessions, product/segment breakout sessions, roundtables and fireside chats, as well as post-event one-on-one follow-ups.

If there was a way to speak with the management team in a one-on-one or small group setting, that would be really helpful for a virtual event. One of the benefits of going to investor days is that you have breakout sessions before or after where you get to talk to different management team members

– analyst, UK sell-side firm

3. Q&A is a top priority: It is critical
for issuers to have a virtual format
that facilitates formal and informal direct engagement with key executives and business heads to allow ample time for Q&A.

We wanted the event to feel very professional but also allow for a lot of engagement and Q&A opportunities. So we decided to try to balance that by getting out some components of the event the day before through prerecorded videos and then have other videos dropped throughout the day that people could watch on their own time

– corporate issuer

4. Videos are a unique opportunity to enhance your story: Prerecorded video packages give issuers increased control over narrative and format and should be used throughout the event to present compelling imagery, highlight the breadth and depth of management and showcase products, facilities and internal processes.

Companies should still rent out a conference room and have the camera and equipment. Companies need to have a big stage where their presenters are spread out and basically present like they would
at a normal investor day,
except that it is just being webcast

– analyst, North America investment manager

5. Supporting materials are key to reinforcing your message: Many investors and analysts note the importance of providing supportive materials and data through an interactive slide deck that is made available online prior to, during and after the event.

We had a project manager who was responsible for keeping us on track for the different workstreams of getting all of the content together, getting internal approval for that content and then getting that content formatted correctly to be posted

– corporate issuer

6. In-person events remain the preferred choice for many: A lot of investors and analysts suggest virtual investor days are not a worthy substitute for in-person engagement. They would prefer issuers to focus
on how best to return to normal in-person meetings, conferences and investor days.

Having an e-meeting
makes things very formal.
It does not allow for any further development of a relationship, which can be possible when you're in the same room

– analyst, Asia investment manager

7. Consider the health and safety of attendees: In order to return to normal investor engagement, it is critical for issuers to have a clear justification for the need to host an investor day and commit to and promote an overly cautious approach, given the numerous health and safety concerns.

There needs to be enough space for people to be at a safe distance while they sit listening to a presentation.
I would also suggest that firms combine an investor day with some kind of site visit. This would be more interesting and would be more likely to encourage people to attend in
person

– analyst, Europe investment manager

IHS Markit

IHS Markit’s perception analytics team provides perception studies and online surveys to gather actionable feedback from the capital markets. For a copy of the full study, please click here.

For more information, please email preston.gelman@ihsmarkit.com or CallMeNowIR@ihsmarkit.com or visit us at Investor Perception Analytics Solutions | IHS Markit