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Your startup needs to quickly secure new financing. Leadership looks to the PR head to support their efforts. PR will face the following challenges:

A looming deadline where existing financing will end.
Missing ideal investor profile (IIP) or who we should be targeting.
A lack of targeted documents for investors to review in the due diligence process.
A lack of a dedicated virtual secure data room designed for investors.

Our Advice

Critical Insight

Our research shows that as PR starts to implement, they often run into an organizational lack of the following.

Proper tools and databases to find, analyze and target potential investors.
Knowledge of what investors want in a pitch deck and due diligence documents, so they contain needed content.
Key spokespersons prepared to speak with potential investors.

Impact and Result

This SoftwareReviews blueprint provides PR with the guidance and tools to support the CEO in securing additional funding quickly. Use this blueprint to:

Identify key investors who invest in companies at your stage in the start-up journey.
Craft investor-focused messaging and information placed in the proper locations and channels.
Ensure external databases have accurate company information.

Build Investor Awareness to Secure Next-Round Financing Research & Tools

1. Build Investor Awareness to Secure Next-Round Financing Phases 1-2 – This blueprint shows how using public relations can significantly increase the success of receiving funding from investors.

By following the step-by-step process, the PR lead can fully understand the ideal investor profile, be able to identify specific investors, build documents that meet investor needs and support the necessary virtual data room.

2. Investor Pitch Deck Template – This detailed template will guide you in building an investor pitch deck with needed information.

This template guides you in determining the information needed by investors as they evaluate a funding decision.

3. Investor Interview Insight Guide – This detailed document will guide you as you interview investors to gain feedback.

This guide enables you to record feedback from select investors about their approach to evaluating companies looking for funding.

4. Investor Meeting Guide – This template can be used to coach the key spokespeople.

This template guides you in preparing the key spokesperson for investor meetings.

5. Investor Campaign Presentation Template – This template will enable you to show the PR campaign results.

Use this template to document outcomes.

6. Investor Campaign Tracking Templates – These templates make it easy for you to track progress on tasks for the campaign to ensure the funding is a success.

Use these templates to define key responsibilities and tasks to complete, document investor contacts, determine the due diligence documents needed, and verify accuracy of source data websites used by investors.

Workshop: Build Investor Awareness to Secure Next-Round Financing

Workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.

Module 1: Alignment and Ideal Investor Defined

The Purpose

Gain Alignment, Set Goals, Identify Ideal Investor Profile

Key Benefits Achieved

Plan is Defined and the Ideal Investor is Identified

Activities

Outputs

1.1

Download and complete the PR Campaign to Build Awareness to Secure Investor Financing - RACI and Task Checklist to define the responsibilities of each key leader.

1.2

Set goals and timelines.

PR funding campaign roles are clearly defined and agreed upon.

1.3

Identify a comprehensive data source to be used to conduct research and identify key investor attributes and conduct research.

The investor profile is identified.

Module 2: Master Investor List and Gathering Information

The Purpose

Create Master Investor List, Gather Information to Build Assets

Key Benefits Achieved

Master Investor List Created, Information for Assets has been Collected

Activities

Outputs

2.1

Create a master list of investors that align with our current start-up stage and industry.

Research on Ideal Investors is complete, and a master list is created.

2.2

Share the master investor list with the CEO and CFO.

The CEO/key spokesperson has time to review the master investor list.

2.3

Gather information needed to develop a targeted pitch deck.

2.4

Gather information needed to develop the needed due diligence documents.

Information to create custom documents is gathered.

Module 3: Building Assets and Gain Input

The Purpose

Ensure Documents Contain Intel to Meet Investor Needs

Key Benefits Achieved

Final Documents are Confirmed to Meet Investor Needs

Activities

Outputs

3.1

Develop the custom targeted pitch deck.

3.2

Develop the due diligence documents.

3.3

Share the documents and gain approval.

The pitch deck and due diligence documents are created and approved.

3.4

Identify 2-3 investors and hold “mock” meetings with them to receive feedback on the due diligence documents. Also, ask where these investors conduct research on the companies they fund.

Mock investor interviews provide valuable feedback on documents.

Module 4: Verify Data Sources Are Accurate and Interview is Ready

The Purpose

Update Data Sources, PR Campaign is Ready, Interview Room Ready

Key Benefits Achieved

Final Preparations are Completed

Activities

Outputs

4.1

Check and update the data sources used by investors for accuracy.

Data sources include accurate company data.

4.2

Outline a targeted PR campaign to raise investor awareness.

PR Campaign for investors is defined.

4.3

Discuss set-up and cost of the video conference room for virtual meetings.

Video room details are defined.

Module 5: Final Prep Completed and Spokesperson Prepared

The Purpose

Prepare Secure Virtual Data Room, Coach the CEO/Spokesperson, Final Prep

Key Benefits Achieved

Confidence that Everything is Ready

Activities

Outputs

5.1

Work with Technology to identify a secure virtual data room provider.

5.2

Practice a “mock” upload of the documents to the secure virtual data room.

Secure virtual data room is created, and documents are uploaded.

5.3

Hold “mock” training session to coach the CEO/key spokesperson for investor meetings.

The CEO/key spokesperson is prepared for investor meetings.

Build Investor Awareness to Secure Next-Round Financing

Crafting a killer pitch deck, documenting the investor journey, and executing a well-structured awareness campaign to gain next-round financing.

EXECUTIVE BRIEF

Analyst Perspective

Public Relations and Investor Funding

With the current financial environment, obtaining funding can be very challenging. Increase your company’s ability to identify key investors and shorten the length of time to gain new funding with an effective PR campaign. Success calls for understanding the investor mindset and the “investor due diligence journey.” Key spokespeople will need a compelling pitch deck that speaks to the needs of the investors.

PR can develop targeted materials with custom investor messaging and ensure that the data sources where investors conduct their due diligence are up to date. Together, these efforts will result in higher investor interest and engagement.

Our blueprint provides the PR lead and key leadership the tools, tips, and insights to walk you through each step of a successful “brand-building with investors” program.

Barbara Riedel
Marketing Research Director, Public Relations
SoftwareReviews

Executive Summary

Your Challenge	Common Obstacles	SoftwareReviews Approach
Your startup needs to quickly secure new financing. Leadership looks to the PR head to support their efforts. PR will face the following challenges: A looming deadline where existing financing will end. Missing ideal investor profile (IIP) or who we should be targeting. A lack of targeted documents for investors to review in the due diligence process. A lack of a dedicated virtual secure data room designed for investors. By overcoming these challenges, leadership will be supported by PR in a successful investor funding campaign.	Our research shows that PR often runs into an organizational lack of: Proper tools and databases to find, analyze, and target potential investors. Content designed with investors in mind to tell your story. A RACI model for who does what among PR, marketing, CFO, CEO, and IR/Corp. Dev. staff. Prepared spokespeople to speak with potential investors. Knowledge of what investors want in a pitch deck or secure data room. Tools to measure improvement and to keep everyone informed. Company profiles on common databases where investors do their due diligence.	This SoftwareReviews blueprint provides PR with the guidance and tools to support the CEO in securing additional funding quickly. Use this blueprint to: Identify key investors who invest in companies at your stage in the startup journey. Document the investor persona and journey. Craft investor-focused messaging and information placed in the proper locations and channels. Align the role of PR alongside other departments in the campaign, target dates, and goals. Better prepare spokespeople to speak with investors. Ensure external databases have accurate company information.

Your Challenge

Common Obstacles

SoftwareReviews Approach

Your startup needs to quickly secure new financing. Leadership looks to the PR head to support their efforts. PR will face the following challenges:

A looming deadline where existing financing will end.
Missing ideal investor profile (IIP) or who we should be targeting.
A lack of targeted documents for investors to review in the due diligence process.
A lack of a dedicated virtual secure data room designed for investors.

By overcoming these challenges, leadership will be supported by PR in a successful investor funding campaign.

Our research shows that PR often runs into an organizational lack of:

Proper tools and databases to find, analyze, and target potential investors.
Content designed with investors in mind to tell your story.
A RACI model for who does what among PR, marketing, CFO, CEO, and IR/Corp. Dev. staff.
Prepared spokespeople to speak with potential investors.
Knowledge of what investors want in a pitch deck or secure data room.
Tools to measure improvement and to keep everyone informed.
Company profiles on common databases where investors do their due diligence.

This SoftwareReviews blueprint provides PR with the guidance and tools to support the CEO in securing additional funding quickly. Use this blueprint to:

Identify key investors who invest in companies at your stage in the startup journey.
Document the investor persona and journey.
Craft investor-focused messaging and information placed in the proper locations and channels.
Align the role of PR alongside other departments in the campaign, target dates, and goals.
Better prepare spokespeople to speak with investors.
Ensure external databases have accurate company information.

SoftwareReviews Insight

Accelerate the time to funding for a growing startup by supporting the CEO with a dedicated PR campaign that amplifies the compelling and unique value proposition, engages customers who are brand fans, and reaches targeted investors eager to invest in your journey.

VC funding – hard to get attention

Let’s review the numbers from a VC firm

Review process

A VC can receive proposals from 4,000 startups a year.
Only 3,000 are reviewed, or approximately 12 opportunities per day (50 weeks per year, five days per week).
Only 200 will move forward to a serious review.
A select 20 proposals will be funded.
Odds of being funded by a major VC are approximately 0.7%.

Qualities sought

Huge market
Differentiating technology
Incredible people

Source: CFI, 2022.

Targeting investors is not without challenges

Key challenges include:

Company story, from an investor's standpoint, is not refined.
Key spokespeople don’t have support needed to execute the campaign.
Poor or low awareness of the company brand with investors.
Investors unidentified, journey undocumented, and documents not developed.
Secure virtual data room doesn’t exist.
Goals and timelines are not established.
PR responsibilities for a campaign are unclear.
No defined tracking methods or reporting formats.

“We see narrative as the 2022 growth accelerator. It’s what wins investor pitches, customers, and top talent. No matter the industry, product, customer type, or size, a company’s brand is its single most important asset. Activating and growing it is foundational to businesses achieving their key business targets in 2022 and beyond.”

– Reva Seth, Senior Advisor
Shift Communications, 2021

Build Investor Awareness to Secure Next-Round Financing visualization

Crafting a killer pitch deck, documenting the investor journey, and executing a well-structured awareness campaign to gain next-round financing.

About Info-Tech

Info-Tech Research Group is the world’s fastest-growing information technology research and advisory company, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals.

We produce unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. We partner closely with IT teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

What Is a Blueprint?

A blueprint is designed to be a roadmap, containing a methodology and the tools and templates you need to solve your IT problems.

Each blueprint can be accompanied by a Guided Implementation that provides you access to our world-class analysts to help you get through the project.

Table of Contents

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Guided Implementation 1: Identify and Build Plan

Call 1: Discuss the importance of using PR to gain new funding needed in a short time period. Outline the steps involved.
Call 2: Using the RACI model, define and agree on the roles of all departments in the funding campaign.
Call 3: Research and define potential investors that align with our current startup stage and industry, and create a master list.
Call 4: Discuss the information needed to prepare the pitch deck and investor documents.
Call 5: Discuss the development of the pitch deck and due diligence documents.
Call 6: Discuss the value of sharing the final assets with two or three investors. Also, ask where investors conduct research on companies they fund.
Call 7: Discuss sharing of the master list with the CEO and CFO. Verify company information on data sources used by investors are up to date.
Call 8: Discuss the value and importance of the secure virtual data room (VDR). Work with IT to identify and implement.
Call 9: Discuss coaching the CEO/key spokesperson for the investor meetings. Setup of the virtual conference room.

Guided Implementation 2: Execute and Measure

Call 1: Create an investor outreach release simulation. Download documents from the secure data room for the investor.
Call 2: Discuss the value of holding regular meetings between the CEO/key spokesperson and PR head. Keep all documents updated to build investor trust.
Call 3: Discuss how to share the news of receiving the funding and the importance of documenting all knowledge gained.
Call 4: Discuss steps to announce the funding! Last call.