Virtual investor meetings were essential during the pandemic, where people avoided in-person meetings unless absolutely unavoidable. While several companies had experimented with virtual shareholder meetings long before COVID, it became necessary in 2020 and much of 2021 before vaccines became available. One such example of that acceleration: S&P 500 companies holding virtual-only shareholder meetings jumped from 12% pre-pandemic to 77% afterwards, according to Clabaugh, Connors and Peters.

Of course, the virtual-only response to the pandemic wasn’t meant to last forever. As companies return to in-person meetings, they cannot forget the importance of a virtual component, which provides many benefits that in-person events cannot.

If you’ve ever attended one, it’s obvious why: virtual meetings enable broader storytelling, a greater diversity of participants from around the world, and more straightforward ways to capture and relive the presentations. Even as in-person meeting options have become viable again, virtual meetings must remain a critical part of expanding access to pools of capital for corporations and provide investors with greater access to investment opportunities.

Companies that make virtual meetings part of their investor strategy signal to those who would not be able to make the in-person meeting that their input is still valuable and also demonstrates that they are an innovative company that embraces technology in all facets of its operations.
Let’s explore why it’s important to have a virtual strategy in tandem with physical events, as well as how virtual meetings can draw in a global investor base:

• The best way to ensure diversity and attract global investors. Virtual events improve companies’ ability to translate and transcribe, and provide localized language capabilities and time zone coordination. A global-first approach that caters to all stakeholders will appeal to new audiences.
• Virtual meetings are easily customizable to specific company needs. Whether you need intimate interactive meetings or large livestreams broadcast to thousands of people, a virtual event can easily match strategy and tactics to your company’s objectives, maximizing impact, participant experience, and return on investment.
• Lower costs for all parties. Shareholders usually like their companies to exhibit financial restraint, doubly so when they benefit from it. In addition to the inherent cost savings of virtual when compared to an in-person production, by providing the ability for investors and executives to join virtually, you help your company save on flights, hotels, and per diem expenditures. Virtual meetings are structured in a way that leads to greater productivity, which further strengthens your bond with budget-minded investors.
• Ecologically friendly. Companies are under increasing pressure to lower their carbon footprints, especially those who have pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Stopping executives and shareholders from flying in from every corner of the globe not only earns the praise of ESG investors, but it is also a great way to kickstart more prudent internal environmental practices.
• Safety first. The recent triple threat of COVID, the flu, and RSV had everyone reconsidering trips and other in-person gatherings. Take the difficult decision out of shareholders’ hands, and provide the opportunity to learn valuable information about their investments without having to crowd into a compact space with many global travelers.
• Extend beyond the official meeting. All of the above can be combined with additional IR services like investor targeting and perception studies to build out a more comprehensive and strategic design that benefits the business. Virtual meetings also allow IR teams to easily record different sessions and create a library of on-demand content that can be accessed after the event.

The right investor strategy requires companies to have an open discussion about what success looks like. If your goal is to reach and influence as many members of the investment community as possible, you need to incorporate virtual technology into your meeting operations.

But the above success metrics can’t be accomplished with an out-of-the-box virtual meeting approach. It requires the same level of planning and IT resources as an in-person meeting to ensure your important information is conveyed and received correctly.

It is essential to keep technical requirements in mind when scaling your IR strategy globally. Demanding investors will not tolerate technical problems, especially when they’ve experienced flawless productions from companies with limited resources.

Finding the right technological partner who can professionally manage the event will ensure investors are satisfied with the production and allow you to focus on your message. That partner will also keep track of new technologies and enhancements that will make future virtual meetings even more powerful.

New virtual technologies provide access to business opportunities anywhere in the world, and having a sound virtual strategy and technological partner will maximize the benefits. With language translation, time zone coordination and other regional options, combined with investor targeting, corporations and investor relations teams can develop high quality, cost-effective virtual experiences for shareholders across the globe. This, in turn, helps drive investment opportunities and provides more options for companies looking to expand their investment pool. Embrace the return to in-person meetings, but don’t forget how virtual technologies extend your messaging and your outreach to a global audience that wouldn’t receive your information otherwise.