Getting investors to partner with your startup is only the first step in the process. Even if you've pushed harder than you ever imagined to get the financing you need for your startup, now is not the time to relax. Investors expect their money to be put to good use as soon as feasible once they release funds. When the investment funding rounds are finished, it's time to follow through on the promises you made in your pitch. Investors demand updates on your development, so make sure you keep them informed.
Give Investors the Information they Want to Know
Investors like to see a number of things, but they don't want to see their money go down the drain. They have a vested stake in the growth and success of your company. Entrepreneurs should be aware that investors are searching for well-organized, responsible, and transparent business owners. When giving them updates, remember the three Cs: be clear, crisp, and consistent. Give them your most crucial figures first. They'll be on the lookout for key performance indicators, or KPIs for short. At least three to five KPIs linked to profit, progress, and customer involvement should be provided. Sales data for new customers, growing sales, and recurring customers will impress them.
Let them know if you're ready to expand your product or service offerings, or if you're working on new concepts. Don't forget to keep them informed about other aspects of the company. Get them enthused about new marketing initiatives, media releases, and other interesting changes by bringing on outstanding personnel.
When Progress is Slow, don't Avoid Contacting Investors:
What if the information isn't so good? In that case, contact your investors and inform them. When problems arise or progress is delayed, investors may feel compelled to become more active. Make the most of this opportunity to keep them interested. Make use of their experience and knowledge.
Early on, pay attention to their advice and assistance. Don't wait until things get out of hand to seek assistance. Remember, this isn't their first rodeo; they've previously seen a lot of firms flourish. Many of them have undoubtedly had numerous ups and downs. They'll almost certainly know how to get things rolling in the correct direction again. Allow them to guide you through the difficult moments.
Also as the Chief executive officer of your own firm, you are the person with the most knowledge about it, as far as investors are concerned. Investors who receive few or no updates will rapidly become dissatisfied. They might even assume the worst and speculate that your company is faltering.
How to Maintain Positive Relations with Investors
The key to maintaining great investor relations is to interact with them. Communication can be done in a variety of ways. Unless the investors specifically request that you communicate with them in a specific manner and at specific intervals, the approach isn't really important. Pick up a phone and dial their number. Leave a message or send an SMS if they don't answer. Send them an email or try to catch them on an online chat platform for a few minutes. Invite them to attend forthcoming meetings or attend one of your events as a guest.
Create a monthly newsletter and add them to your email list to keep them up to date on what's going on. Direct them to an area of your website where they may check for company updates whenever they have the time.
Make a template for quarterly and annual reports where you can easily enter numbers. Keep your reports brief, relevant, and truthful. Never keep terrible news hidden since it will erode trust from the relationship with your investors. Investors will be counting on you to carry out the plans you've laid out.
Inform your investors if your plans aren't working out and you need to change your strategy. They may agree that you need to change strategies, and if so, you'll want them to help you figure out how to do so. Your investors may feel cheated if you fail to inform them that you changed strategies and the new plans also fail. If the connection breaks down at any moment, future funds will most likely be lost.
Establish a Mobile Connection with Potential Investors
To convey information to investors, use mobile apps. Investors are just as fond of their mobile devices as you are. The use of mobile apps to keep investors up to date in real-time is a great idea. Mobile apps can also be used for a variety of different things. They can also solve other issues, add user-friendly features, and share photos and files.
The key to future funding is good investor relations: At certain stages of business development, your company may require additional cash. Keep track of present and potential investors in a database. Your network will expand as you get more involved with this group. Keep these friendships close and immerse yourself in their culture as much as possible. How? Create a blog and write about industry issues and trends. Engage your clients and grow your customer base. Encourage your investors to follow you on social media. Find out where they receive their knowledge and try to contribute to those companies as a contributing writer. It provides you instant credibility if you succeed. Don't be scared to send them deals from other startups if you think they'll be interested. They're always on the lookout for the next big thing, and they'll remember that you helped them get a good bargain.
If you’re still afraid of communicating with the investors then hire a reputable investor relations company. The importance of an investor relations department is that they help you maintain good relations with the investor by controlling the progression of each information between a company, its investors, and its stakeholders.