Optimizing the Conference 1:1 Meeting Format
We’re firmly in South Florida conference season and hundreds of alternative investment managers will be engaged in a series of one on one meetings with institutional investors. The format of these meetings appears straightforward - 30 minute slots - however, optimizing these valuable investor interactions takes planning, strategy and organization.
Follow these tactics to extract the most value, optimize the ROI and effectively educate investors.
Pre-work:
Do your homework: Review all available investor information on linkedin or the conference website. Look for geographic or educational points of affinity or mutual contacts in common.
Pack light: Do not bring stacks of presentations - they will end up in the hotel garbage can. Bring a 1-page summary and perhaps a few exhibits that you can use in the course of the conversation - but not to hand out.
Prepare the pitch: 30 minutes is not 30 minutes - with intros and questions and transition times - you should plan for an 8-10 minute concise introduction to the strategy - then allow time for questions.
Divide the pitch: Think of the pitch in modules - there’s an intro component - team, fund size, track record, light history - and then there is a portfolio discussion - assets, risk, expertise. If you have two people in the booth, both people should speak. Having one person speaking non-stop for two days while the other sits and watches is a missed opportunity to demonstrate expertise of the team and that the firm has a deep bench.
The Event:
What is it for? The interaction is meant to introduce the fund and strategy and take initial steps to build a relationship. That is it. No more.
Everything in 3’s. Your objective during this brief interaction is to deliver 3 points that an investor will remember. Please remember that the investors will conduct 20-30 meetings and they will all blend together.
The form is an exercise in Triage - not surgery. Do not try to boil the ocean - keep it very high level with particular focus on what it is you want the investor to know about you and then what you want them to remember.
I advise clients to always focus on these three points.
Why this? Why us? and Why Now?
Do:
Take notes on all the questions asked -these notes will form basis of an informed follow-up conversation
Offer to retrieve a coffee or water or snack for the investor while the meeting begins
Have mints at the table - it’s a long day…
Have sufficient tear sheets - this should be the only piece of collateral
Segment the introduction
Ask for a “60-second” intro on the investor if you don’t know them
Inquire as to knowledge of and experience in the asset class or strategy
At the conclusion of the meeting ask about the best way/time to follow-up
Do Not:
Have a presentation and read from the slides
Speak fast
Interrupt or cut off investor questions
Say “we’ll get to that later” if they ask a question
Make the case for hedge funds or alternatives - they’re there - they get it
Go over the cut-off time if it is clear the investor wants to leave
Post-Event
Say thank you: Send a follow-up note ASAP that references the meeting and any follow-up questions that came about.
Add to the distribution list: Include investors in the information flow
Send market and strategy insights: Take every opportunity to inform and educate the investors on developments in your markets/ asset class.
Follow these steps to be remembered and set the stage for a productive follow-up.
Good luck!