E
ffective communication depends on several key factors. It’s often said that how you say something is just as important as what you say. With that in mind, IR Update magazine
interviewed Rachel Rosenblatt, the PR Daily 2024 Communicator of the Year, and Nancy Hungerford, former anchor for CNBC International, who each offer their insights and perspectives.
Why does delivery matter? Rosenblatt: Investors have access to vast information about companies. Tey see all the written materi- als, the financial tables, and other data. So what are they looking for when an executive speaks? They want context, perspective, and a reason to believe. Tey want the answer to the question, “Do I have confidence in this management team?” Up to 90% of what we take away from someone’s presentation is the delivery—the way they speak. It’s not just what they say, it’s how they say it. Hungerford: Corporate stakeholders expect transpar- ency from their leaders. Tey want to see the person behind the decision-making. Executives already know the facts and figures they need to deliver, but our goal is to help them fine-tune that message, turning the data into a relatable story that resonates with a broad audience.
How does someone get better at delivery? Rosenblatt: Get outside perspective. As a consultant, this admittedly sounds self-serving. But I think it’s very easy to get mired in your own “stuff”—your biases, your expectations, and your beliefs. You wind up focusing on the trees. Our advice? Always look for the forest. Especially for individuals in financial roles, you are often mired in the details—in the thick of the trees—and the hard part is taking a step back and looking at the entire forest. And sometimes you need the help of someone who is not as close to it as you are, to help you find and see that. Hungerford: Preparation. Never underestimate the power of delivering an “as live” presentation or sitting for a practice interview with a trusted professional. Executives frequently tell us that the mock “Q&A” portion of our media training program is the most valuable, because we tend to overrate our ability to
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wing it. If you don’t engage in professional training, we recommend videotaping yourself for multiple takes and working with your communications team or a trusted advisor on feedback.
What advice do you have for IROs and their CFOs? Rosenblatt: Te number one thing we forget to do is the exercise of taking a step back and asking, “What do we want someone to take away from this?” In the context of investor relations, we often focus solely on
It’s impossible to please everyone all the time. That’s why I encourage consistency and authenticity above all else.
the numbers that drive the story and your results. But you always need to take a step back and ask, “When someone’s looking at all this, what do we want them to think? What do we need them to understand that will help them develop a proper valuation of our company?” Beyond just the numbers and the tables, they need that reason to believe. Often, people who have spent their careers as fact-
based analysts are promoted to become an investor relations (IR) professional or a chief financial officer (CFO). In those roles they need to start telling a story, and that’s a tough transition to make. In communication training I conduct with CFOs
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