You’re launching an IPO? FINEO’s School of Investor Relations has a course for you

This advertisement feature, supported by investor relations consultancy FINEO, explains how to be better prepared for the IPO and life afterwards

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Companies often go public without realizing what goes into developing a robust (and sustainable) investor relations program. Yet a mere 90 minutes could save you and your company from the common – and costly – mistakes often made when preparing for an IPO.

Investor relations is more proactive than reactive, and this three-part, online on-demand recorded course offered by the School of Investor Relations, the professional development portal of FINEO Investor Relations Advisors, will help you be better prepared for the IPO and life afterwards. The benefits? A better valuation and a lower cost of capital.

The first part of the course is dedicated to getting ready for the IPO, which is not just about the offer document: you also need to prepare information systems, set up internal processes and build the investor relations team ‒ and then practice, practice, practice!

You will find out what investor relations is, why it is necessary and what to look for when hiring an investor relations officer or financial communications adviser. Proper preparation for going public is essential; as the popular saying goes: if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

The course’s second part focuses on becoming a listed company, from immediately before going public to what happens afterward. Before the IPO, key messages are crafted, guidance policy is determined, and the store of information is designed. The key messages making up the investment story go into the IPO presentation, and they are the primary speaking points during a roadshow, during which prospective investors meet with management and investment banks.

You will also learn how to develop an IR website, one of the main communication media for investors. The website is only one part of the overall IR toolkit, which is a core element of a good IR program. FINEO explains this in detail.

After the IPO, the work is just beginning. How did the IPO go? What is a financial calendar, and how do you use one to plan your future IR activities? Is your IR function working the way it should? What returns are you getting for all your money and effort spent on IR? These issues are all addressed in the third part of the course.

The many ways to measure the IR program include both quantitative (for example, share price, share ownership and earnings estimates) and qualitative (such as perception studies and awards) assessments. The outcome of these measurements, perception studies and feedback from investors after meetings are used to enhance your IR activities even further.

The course format is designed to be user-friendly, with each part taking just 30 minutes-40 minutes to complete. Technical requirements are very simple, too: the School of Investor Relations offers rich, compelling content you can access at any time simply by clicking a URL.

The course works very well over all types of internet connections, dial-up as well as broadband. It does not require any special plug-in to be viewed and can be played directly through your web browser. The course parts are delivered as Flash-based narrated presentations you can take anytime, anywhere.

In today’s fiercely competitive environment, the ability of corporations to effectively attract the attention of investors, analysts and the media is ultimately determined by the quality of investor relations. Our IR & the IPO course is there to take you from cradle to success.

The IR & the IPO course has been developed by Anne Guimard, PhD in international finance and a certified financial analyst. The founder and president of FINEO Investor Relations Advisors and the School of Investor Relations, she is the author of Investor relations: principles and international best practices in financial communications (Palgrave). For more information, please contact Anne Guimard or James Fraser at +44 20 7129 1141 or guimard@fineo.com; fraser@fineo.com. For more information on FINEO Investor Relations Advisors, please go to www.fineo.com.