Issuer Consulting Blog

According to the IR Magazine Global Roadshow Report 2017, 91 percent of companies conducted investor roadshows in 2017, up one percent from 2016. Over 75 percent of respondents visited New York for their shows. Roadshows can be an effective and rewarding way to market and ultimately grow your company, as evidenced by the vast number of companies who conducted them last year. Here’s 12 helpful tips on having a successful investor roadshow.

1 – Know your limits

Conducting a financial roadshow can be expensive. Expenses may include everything from flying everyone out to your destination to paying colleagues for all the preparation that a successful roadshow takes. You’ll also need to pay for your booth space, any booth materials, and the staff you entrust to run the roadshow. Don’t be too quick to decide to have a roadshow; plan your budget first. Work out how much you want to spend on the show and be confident that it will be a worthwhile investment before you get there. Don’t leave yourself asking, Was it worth it?

2 – Discover your target audience

The primary goal of investor roadshows is to gain investors. To optimally gain investors, know your product or service. Whom are you marketing to? Where might you conduct your roadshow to interact with that audience the most? Once you figure these questions out, you can begin to tailor your investor pitch, presentations, questions, and more to that audience which will maximize your investor reach.

3 – Expand your horizons

Just because you have found your target audience does not mean that all of your investors have to fit that demographic. Try experimenting with your marketing strategies by, for example, pitching to growth and value investors rather than one or the other. Growth investors aim for companies with a high amount of economic growth or profit, while value investors look to invest in undervalued stock. Throughout this process of expanding your horizons, learn about others opinions on your company and its potential─gauge whether you are gaining any traction among the roadshow audience. The end goal of a roadshow is to improve your investor reach; the more investors you attract, the better your chances for success.

4 – Pick your ideal destination

The destination of your roadshow may have a drastic effect on its success. Consider these questions when choosing your destination:

• Do you want to appeal to a large market or small market?
• Where can you find your target audience? You’ll want to tailor the roadshow destination to them.
• Where have successful roadshows been done in the past? It’s also important to consider where other roadshows have been done successfully before.
• Where are your competitors? Stay within reach of your competition to gain a competitive edge during your investor roadshow.
• Where do you operate relative to the roadshow? This is important for you to calculate your travel expenses going to and from the show

5 – Contact your investment bankers and brokers

Before you do the roadshow, contact your broker’s team to talk to them about your plans and goals. This will avoid any miscommunication when you and they market to your investors.

6 – Be prepared for questions

Investors will be curious about your products or services, financial statements and ratios, operations, industry and more. They may ask you questions to ensure you’re the right company and the best investment for them. Be prepared to answer questions with confidence as it will drastically improve your company image at the roadshow.

7 – Ask your questions too

It’s also important for you to ask questions. Otherwise it can be difficult to determine what type of companies that investors trust. Ask them about what they want from their company; from their perspective, what does an ideal company look like? Who do they trust most? These types of questions can help you tailor your approach to the roadshow, so you gain the most investors possible.

8 – Market your offering using engaging, comprehensible language

There are many companies at investor roadshows. In this large group, you have to figure out a way to set yourself apart from the crowd. A clear yet engaging investor pitch may lead you to success. Investors will be looking at numerous companies, so you want to make sure that your pitch will be something that they remember. You have to find a balance between being simple and to the point but still being engaging. Go beyond a company description, but don’t be too complex. Be sure to articulate to the investors why you’re a good fit for them.

9 – Conduct surveys for feedback after the roadshow

At investor roadshows, you put your company on display to many parties: other companies, sales teams, investors, competitors, and more. Following the roadshow, it can be valuable to gather feedback from your audience. Conduct surveys after the roadshow asking people questions about your company: did they notice it, listen to the investor pitch, attend the presentation, get a flyer? etc. For those who went to the presentation, what feedback do they have? These are just a few questions that you can ask, and the questions will depend on how you plan to conduct your roadshow. Nonetheless, asking for feedback will help you become successful.

10 – Consult with a professional to craft a strong investor pitch

Your investor pitch is arguably the most important aspect of your roadshow. A great pitch will lead you to success, while a poor pitch will leave you with little to show for. Creating a persuasive pitch is time consuming and difficult; thus, a professional consulting firm can help save you time and attract a wide audience.

11 – Be knowledgeable about the market environment

Always be aware of your industry’s news and be prepared to adapt to oncoming changes. Learn about your competitors’ habits and your audience to maximize your ability to succeed at the roadshow.

12 – Assess your success

Lastly, be sure to evaluate your success at the roadshow. Make sure you know what worked and what didn’t so that you can adapt to future shows. Monitor investor activity closely to gauge their success. Perhaps look at those who invested in your competitors to weigh their success. Being proactive about reviewing your performance will give you a competitive edge for future roadshows.

In March 2018, Wyoming’s state government passed five pro-blockchain and pro-cryptocurrency bills: HB 70, HB 101, HB 126, HB 19, and SF 111. For the United States, this marks the beginning of their embrace of blockchain technology. It is gaining traction globally and the March 2018 bills signal the United States’ involvement in this movement.

HB 70

HB 70 states, “a person who develops, sells or facilitates the exchange of an open blockchain token is not subject to specified securities and money transmission laws.” In other words, it deregulates the use of open blockchain tokens, no longer requiring users to comply with corresponding securities laws. Open blockchain tokens, also known as utility tokens, are currency that startup companies use to raise capital. Companies raise these tokens most often through initial coin offerings, or ICOs. Startups conduct ICOs to avoid the heavily regulated capital raising process mandated by venture capitalists and angel or other institutional investors.

The bill defines “open blockchain token” officially, as: “a digital unit which is: (i) Created: (A) In response to the verification or collection of a specified number of transactions relating to a digital ledger or database; (B) By deploying computer code to a blockchain network that allows for the creation of digital tokens or other units; or (C) Using any combination of the methods specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph. (ii) Recorded in a digital ledger or database which is chronological, consensus‑based, decentralized and mathematically verified in nature, especially relating to the supply of units and their distribution; and (iii) Capable of being traded or transferred between persons without an intermediary or custodian of value.”

Token Exemption Circumstances

HB 19 permits the open blockchain token exemption under a specific set of circumstances. These are detailed below, from HB 70:

“(i)The developer or seller of the token, or the registered agent of the developer or seller, files a notice of intent with the secretary of state, as specified in subsection (d) of this section; (ii)  The purpose of the token is for a consumptive purpose, which shall only be exchangeable for, or provided for the receipt of, goods, services or content, including rights of access to goods, services or content; and (iii)  The developer or seller of the token did not sell the token to the initial buyer as a financial investment.”

In summary, to be exempt from securities laws, sellers must file a notice of intent with the secretary of state, and only sell the token as currency and not a financial investment.

To view the official bill, click here.

HB 101

HB 101 allows companies to electronically manage corporate records. It specifically states that data addresses can be used to identify company shareholders, that corporations can accept shareholder votes if signed by a network signature matching a data address, and finally, details specific requirements regarding how companies can use these online databases while remaining legally compliant. In case of any possible changes, the bill requires the secretary of state to make necessary changes to its rules.

HB 126

HB 126 concerns limited liability companies (LLCs). A series LLC has groups of its members or assets separated into series, each with unique liability protection. Splitting a limited liability company into series mitigates risk because all owned assets are protected within the same series LLC. To qualify for a series LLC, you need to file with your state operating agreements for the primary LLC and all of its series.

HB 19

This bill details an exemption for virtual currency from money transmitter laws. The House passed HB 19 unanimously. The bill defines virtual currency as follows: “‘Virtual currency’ means any type of digital representation of value that: (A) Is used as a medium of exchange, unit of account or store of value; and (B)  Is not recognized as legal tender by the United States government.”

To view the official bill, click here.

SF 111

SF 111 is an exemption for virtual currencies. The bill states that the following items will be exempt from property tax: “Money and cash on hand including currency, gold, silver and other coin, bank drafts, certified checks, and cashier’s checks; and virtual currencies.” This file defines virtual currency exactly as seen in HB 19.

The IRS taxes virtual currency transactions. In Notice 2014-21, they explain that virtual currency is “property” so that it can be federally taxed. All cryptocurriences, like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, and more, are treated as one of three types of property: investment, business, or personal.

However, this bill exempts virtual currencies from property tax by treating it as personal property; Wyoming does not tax personal property.