Investor Relations

140INVESTOR RELATIONS Whether they already own shares in the company or in acompetitor or if they have been shareholders in the past; A clear understanding of the key messages to get across. Rule No. 8. When travelling abroad, be aware of cultural differencesand of the level of awareness in your company: Make sure you are aware of how the local press covers yoursector; If appropriate, consider having some documentation, suchas a fact sheet, a corporate brochure, written in the local language.And your accounts into the local currency, at least the most importantnumbers. In that case, make sure you address the issue of currencyvolatility; Have a native with you so that someone immediately near youcan understand the questions. It can be the salesperson of the investmentbank or of the broker who is taking you on the road. Should the need arise,select a good translator. If you have a local management, take them withyou, even if they are not used to Investor Relations. They can put yourhosts at ease, and not only because they speak the local language; Be aware of cultural differences: Certain investors expectmodesty, like in Northern Europe, whereas US investors are used to amore upbeat speech. Rule No. 9. Arrange for feedback to find out from the investorsyou met how they appreciated the meeting: The company’s strengths, weaknesses, risks, and opportunities; The quality of the presentation made, and particularly, theirfeelings about how executives responded to their questions; The quality of the company’s Investor Relations; Whether this meeting has changed their opinion about thecompany, and if yes, in which direction. Ideally, you will want to knowwhether shares were bought or sold, following the meeting. Rule No. 10. Follow-up on meetings Send a ‘thank you’ note to each investor and possibly a shortquestionnaire to find out how the meeting was perceived. Not all IROsthink to do this, but it is a good way to differentiate the company andreceive top-quality feedback for free. Provide responses to any questions that went unanswered. Update your contact database.3.6.14 “Reverse Roadshow”Imaginations knowing no limits in Investor Relations as well, innovativeforms of roadshows are emerging. For instance, the reverse roadshow is