-
Introduce your story to the right people
Adopt a targeting tool to help you research your peer holders and identify peer analyst coverage. Web-based databases such as Big Dough or Thomson can be very helpful in helping to build your contact database. Be sure to make follow up phone calls with people to introduce yourself after you have added them to your email distribution list for announcements.
You can also use these targeting tools to coordinate roadshow meetings for your management team. It is always a good idea to send personal thank you notes after these meetings as a starting point for future dialogue with institutional investors.
-
Seek out third party endorsement.
Develop relationships with media contacts and newsletter writers who can help sell your story to the retail audience. Be sure to make follow up calls to these contacts after major announcements to reinforce your story and provide interviews for editorial coverage.
Be selective about where you advertise to get the most for your money. Choose print mediums valued most in your industry, and develop a strategy for the type of campaign you seek. Links to radio interviews and television spots posted on your website can be another effective channel for communicating your message.
-
Keep your website current!
It is also important to ensure all your marketing materials are consistently branded with the same corporate identity (colours, logo, tagline). If you look like you have your act together – it usually means you do.
In this day and age there is no excuse for not keeping your website up-to-date. User-friendly content management systems not only reduce your administration costs, but allow you to make simple updates to your website on a daily basis without having to go through a third party. Good practice is to review all relevant website content after each press release to make sure your messaging is consistent.
-
Stay consistent in your messaging
Be sure you have designated spokespeople for your Company to relay the same messages. A good practice is to develop a Frequently Asked Questions section on your website. As long as these messages are kept current, they serve as a good “cheat sheet” for your spokespeople to follow.
Many small-cap companies do not press release quarterly earnings due to the fact there is no revenue to report. Putting out a notice of filing along with a brief update each quarter is recommended to keep investors regularly informed.
-
Know Your Industry
It is always important to keep up to speed on the news in your industry. Subscribing to the most noteworthy publications (either print or online) can help you do just that. In addition, you should sign up to receive press releases from your peer group, and create a subsequent stock list on Yahoo Finance or Google Finance. This will allow you to easily evaluate daily fluctuations in your share price against your peer group.
Marlo Hamer-Jackson is the Manager of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications for Wildcat Silver Corporation which is listed on CSE under the symbol WILD. Wildcat is developing the Hardshell Silver Project in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, USA. For more information on Wildcat please contact Marlo at (604) 484-3597 or at mhamer-jackson@wildcatsilver.com
Since 2005 ITB Solutions has provided listings development services to stock Exchanges in Canada such as the Canadian Securities Exchange. ITB Solutions currently provides New Listing Services to the NEO Exchange. We assist companies with the listing application and managing the process to become publicly tradable in Canada, as well as offering advice on how to make the most of your public listing. You can reach Jeffrey Stanger at 647-500-0492 or by email at jeffrey@itbsolutions.ca