Over 25 years running IR at 6 different public companies, I found that institutional investors really wish they could have a casual conversation over a beer with the CEO.
The latest research and surveys of institutional investors show that they still aren’t satisfied with how much they hear from our CEOs and CFOs.
For example, a couple weeks ago, BNY, the Bank of New York Mellon published the results of a study that provides some insight into what we should be doing better in IR in 2026.
The three things that stood out are:
First, institutional investors want more insight into company strategy and thinking,
They want more discussion of differentiation from industry peers,
And they want more confidence in management’s credibility.
PWC’s annual investor survey published earlier in December mirrored essentially the same demands for more communication and explanation. There’s even a great chart titled “Where investors want more transparency”.
If you boil both of these reports down, it all come down to helping investors trust your team.
Traditionally, that’s required a lot of face-to-face time with your C-level leaders, which is why we haven’t solved this information gap problem.
But, now we have a tool that can make it easy for us to meet those investor demands. And it’s a tool so little used so far by IR that you can jump ahead of your industry peer competitors.
There is a very specific type of video, first-person interview, or documentary style – like this -- that is the most credible and authentic, that can give investors exactly what they want – first-person explanations of strategy, differentiation and key questions that enhance your CEO and CFO’s credibility – and TRUST.
Further, these kinds of interview videos are the least expensive and easiest for the subject. As you can see, he’s talking to the interviewer, not having to stare into the camera lens.
These kinds of videos can also save your C-suite a ton of time.
These work best when they’re shot simply. It’s fine to include things like slides, but expensive animations or other marketing bells and whistles actually take away from the authenticity you’re trying to deliver.
If you look at some of the sample videos on my web site, you’ll see what I mean. There you’ll see a few results of a 90 minute video shoot with the CEO and founder of a health tech company, which turned into 20 video clips explaining strategy, differentiating their solution, answering the key questions and giving investors a chance to look the CEO in the eye, so to speak. In other words, building trust.
This has become my new IR mission. To help other IROs take advantage of this incredibly powerful tool to answer the questions these surveys keep bringing up every year.
The best part is that this is not expensive. You’ll take an hour or two of the CEO and CFO’s time, and I can usually turn a dozen videos for 2 to 3 thousand dollars. The time you save your CEO alone will be 10 times the cost.
Take a look at the sample videos. Read the surveys. The links are all on the final title card at the end.
It’s time for IR to finally find a way build that desired trust with institutional investors. Now you have a tool. And it can really help you attract individual investors, as well. This is an opportunity to be an early adopter and look smart to the CEO and CFO.
Give me a call when you’re ready.
