Sending updates to your stakeholders, including investors and shareholders, at regular intervals is a key way to engage and build trust with them. The better your relationships with your investors, the more likely they are to participate in your next investment rounds and refer you to new potential investors. This downloadable template is designed to help you prepare the content for your regular reporting to shareholders, investors, and other stakeholders in your business.
To update your investors on how your business is performing
To detail the challenges you are facing
To give a quick summary on your outlook for the future.
Regular updates instil confidence in investors that they are getting a fuller picture of the business. Many small startups send monthly updates covering key areas, while growth or late-stage companies typically send quarterly updates.
It is important that you identify your key business metrics to report on that are industry standards, or the most meaningful for the stage your business is at. If you are measuring and tracking these weekly or monthly as part of your business, once your first report has been created, it is often a case of just updating figures and entering in key material points around changes or variances.
While your shareholders aren’t looking to trawl through your financial information with a fine tooth comb, they certainly aren’t interested in reading through multiple pages of text talking about daily transactions. Finding the right level of details and a balance between numbers and qualitative information is crucial.
Financial information should be centred around core metrics and KPIs, while the wider commentary should be a succinct summary of key points for business development, people, and the product/service pipeline.
It is important to remember that investors will be able to tell when something doesn’t look quite right. They are busy people and most prefer direct and honest language, and highlighting the challenges a business faces is often the most appreciated aspect of a report. Being able to firstly identify what challenges the business faces, and also comment on what actions are being taken to solve the issues is important to include.
It is essential to keep track of all the updates, reports and communications that you send to shareholders and investors. In many countries, companies have a legal obligation to do this- for example, New Zealand companies must keep all written communications with shareholders for at least 7 years.
Orchestra allows companies to store documents in secure online folders and to send shareholder communications from within the platform. Shareholders are notified by email when communications are published, and the documents will also be accessible from within the platform by both company administrators and shareholders, fulfilling the legal requirement to do so.
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Related articles:
Stakeholder and Investor management- a guide for companies
The value of an engaged stakeholder
Creating and maintaining share registers - a guide for Australian and New Zealand businesses
DISCLAIMER: This article and template are for informational purposes only, and contain general information only. Orchestra is not, by means of this information, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business or interests. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business or interests, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. This information is not intended as a recommendation, offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any options or shares.
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