Your company’s investor presentation is often the first thing that potential investors and analysts are going to look at when considering investment in or coverage of your company. Therefore, it is essential to have a comprehensive and informative investor presentation and you will need to evaluate your presentation carefully and think about implementing sometimes small, but significant adjustments. Using Rx Communications’ 20 years of industry knowledge, and a strategy accepted by the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI), we offer advice on how to create an impactful investor presentation.
Secrets of a Compelling Investor Presentation
Tell Me
One of the keys to maximizing the flow of an effective presentation is simply: tell me what you are going to tell me, tell me, then tell me what you told me.
3 Second Rule
With life science presentations, slides have a tendency to get too complicated. Each one should be easily understandable in three seconds or less. Less is more in this case, take complexity and simplify it.
Clear Takeaway In a Title
Ask yourself, what is the takeaway from each slide? It is important to have clear, simple and concrete titles. The titles of the slides should capture the overarching message you are trying to convey.
The Long and Short of It
Your presentation should aim to be somewhere between 10-20 slides. Any less than that, and it is likely you have not covered enough information. Any more than that, and you may be saying too much. This number does not include the appendix, which we will cover later in this article. Below is a general overview of what you should expect to see in your presentation.
The Beginning
Your presentation should start with a concise and compelling investment summary slide (after the title and forward-looking statements, that is). This should grab the attention of your audience. With just 5-7 major points, you should be able to relay what is compelling about your investment story and what sets you apart from others.
The Middle
The purpose of the middle part of the presentation is to build the narrative around your company’s story. Highlight your clinical pipeline, therapeutic technology or product, and discuss an unmet medical need you are trying to address.
Don’t Forget
Make sure you cover details about your company’s management team. Investors and analysts want to know why they should trust those in charge, and ensure they are competent, highly experienced individuals. It may also be important to include a summary of the board of directors and/or scientific advisory board, as they bring specific expertise to the company and are, therefore, an important part of the investment opportunity. It will also be important to mention any existing collaborations or partnerships which provide third-party validation to the story.
The End
Finish your presentation with an overview of company finances and, if appropriate, a projection of the company’s expected revenue over the next few years. You should also include upcoming milestones and major value creating inflection points and end with a reminder of the company’s investment highlights. The last slide should include the investor relations contact for the company .
A Breakdown of the Investment Highlights
Whenever possible, the company’s key investment highlights and overview should fit onto one single slide, so that, right from the start, investors and analysts get a brief snapshot of what sets your company apart. Below is a breakdown of what this slide should look like:
Overview/Mission Statement
One sentence, summarizing the company’s purpose and goals.
Target Market(s)
Highlight the market(s) that you are aiming to address. Point out significant aspects of each targeted market to underscore its importance.
Overview of Therapeutic or Product
Summarize the primary therapeutic areas, products in the pipeline, and technological innovations.
Additional Strengths
Bolster your company’s investment highlights by spotlighting notable advantages including intellectual property strength, major upcoming milestones, regulatory advantages, strategic partnerships and management experience.
Financial Snapshot
Present a financial snapshot, making sure to showcase your company’s cash runway or revenue growth.
The Dos and Do Nots of Discussing your Pipeline
A biotechnology company’s pipeline is its backbone. The slide needs to clearly outline the clinical stage of each asset or if it is commercialized in any part of the world. There are some major must haves, but also some areas that should be avoided.
Do
Do prioritize your assets by clinical stage and therapeutic focus using an appropriate visual representation that conveys key elements of the pipeline, stages of development and other insights, while ensuring that it is easy to read.
Do Not
Do not selectively choose data, as this can diminish trust with investors.
Updating and Adjusting as You Go
Your investor presentation deck is not a static document. It should be updated as the story evolves, as milestones are achieved and as you gain critical feedback from discussions with analysts, investors and your peers, which often uncover aspects of the story that may not resonate. Adjusting your messaging in this way is invaluable and can help avoid questions and misunderstandings in the future. And, as always, do not forget to post the most recent version of your presentation on your company website!
The Appendix
Depending on the audience, some healthcare focused investors may want to see detailed clinical study results, and an appendix to the slides is the perfect location for this data. The addition of an appendix will allow you to tailor your presentation to meet the specific needs of each investor.
Enhancing Your Investor Presentation with Rx Communications
Rx Communications offers expert guidance for optimizing investor presentations in the life sciences sector. Using over two decades of industry insight, we help you refine visual appeal, ensure content relevance and maintain brand consistency throughout your investor presentation. Our services ensure your company’s narrative is compelling and portrayed clearly and consistently throughout all messaging platforms including your investor deck.
Contact us to ensure your presentation strategy enhances your life sciences investor relations and aligns with your company’s long-term success.
