Virtual capital markets surged in popularity during the pandemic. Now more than three years later, is it time to give them up? While many companies have started hosting physical events in person again, a hybrid model might serve you better now. Here are five reasons to consider hybrid capital markets events.
1. Webcasting Technology Gathers Invaluable IR Intelligence
Armed with the right IR tools, virtual events have a solid leg-up on in-person conferences. That’s because the latest webcasting and conferencing platforms collect data from investors who interact with your platform. You can measure the success of your event by assessing these post-event analytics.
Better yet, innovative new IR software can integrate these event analytics into your overall platform. An all-in-one engagement analytics program can sync with your webcasting tools to consolidate this IR intelligence automatically with other metrics.
2. Investors Don’t Show a Strong Preference for In-Person Events
The Brunswick Group released its 2023 Digital Investor Survey, which found that most of the investor days attended in 2022 were virtual. That alone isn’t enough to remain digital; however, the very same survey revealed investor opinion doesn’t strongly favor in-person conferences. Just 42% officially admitted they prefer in-person setups, while 41% said they preferred virtual events.
When there isn’t a landslide winner in opinion like this, choosing one or the other can alienate your investors. A hybrid event appeases both sides so that everyone wins. People who want to see you face-to-face can travel to the conference center, and those who prefer to attend virtually can log in wherever they get Internet.
3. International Investors Appreciate Virtual Access to C-Suite
While the average investor may not care one way or the other, international investors have stronger opinions. IR Magazine found that most Asian investors worry that returning to in-person events would interfere with their access to your C-Suite.
These investors overwhelmingly support corporate access virtual events, and that’s due to the innovative new technology. Not only can most attendees expect high-quality production and smooth transitions, but chat and meeting functions make it easier to carve out time for investor one-on-ones.
4. Virtual Events Are Eco-Friendly
If you focus on sustainability this year, you have to think about what a physical event will do to your carbon footprint. Not only does your brand consume a lot of energy as host, but your attendees may have to travel quite far to meet under one roof.
5. Engage Previously Untapped Investors
Let’s face it, traditional capital markets events can be exclusionary. Only those institutional investors and members of the media that can carve out time to travel to your event will attend.
A travelling roadshow doesn’t necessarily solve this problem. If the timing of your event is at odds with someone’s schedule, they won’t come — whether they’re retail investors who have a 9–5 or a busy buy-side professional with another important conference.
Fitting a virtual event into a busy day is easier than physically attending one. As a result, you might see your numbers go up, which can help you tap into previously unavailable analytics.
The Takeaway:
In-person events might feel like a comfortable return to normal, but they can shut you off from valuable IR intelligence. Talk to an investor relations firm to discover how you can upgrade to an integrative webcasting tool. This way, you can connect face-to-face with investors without sacrificing insights.