Controlling the Narrative
Most well-heeled public company executives believe they know what investors want to hear or what investors will ask about during investor meetings (think conference 1x1s, corporate HQ visit, or any type of investor meeting). For every executive who represents my opening statement, there is a company that is upset or disappointed with their relationships with investors.
Executives can easily rebuild, repair, or improve their stature and interactions with investors by establishing and maintaining control of their company’s investment narrative.
There are two parts executives need to think about.
First, executives need to focus on establishing a narrative about a particular topic big or small on their terms.
Remember, if you are not saying it, then. . .
Investors do not know about,
Investors do not understand it,
Investors do not care about it, and possibly worse
Investors may have created their own narrative.
So often, executives overlook the importance of establishing a narrative on a particular topic and then maintaining that narrative with adjustments for three to four subsequent quarters.
Now for the second part, it takes a minimum of three to four quarters of. . .
Consistent execution, and
Consistent focus on key metrics
for investors to believe you.
Remember, do not underestimate the importance of not only establishing the narrative, but also maintaining control of the narrative, and that success represents a three to four quarter process.
