MUNCmedia_Retail_Investor_Targeting

A Bird goes abroad to European IR Awards for MUNCmedia and OnDemandIR.com

Our CEO Matt Bird (introducing OnDemandIR to the UK investor relations audience) presented the best use of technology for investor relations award to Nestlé’s Roddy Child-Villiersa at the 2011 IR Magazine Euro IR Awards. Matt, did you at least bring us back some coffee and chocolate? Have a great day.

 

Special write-up in IR Magazine about OnDemandIR.com!

Very excited! CLICK HERE to read their full article. (right click to download the PDF)

Have a great day.

Opportunity for investor awareness. That’s what we promise.

RetailInvestorConferences.com is gaining strong momentum. So much so, the client feedback is beginning to accumulate. I hope you don't mind if I unload some here now. ( phew, thanks!) “Great idea and great experience.”         Richard Franco, Chairman & CEO, DARA BioSciences, Inc. "...a cost effective and convenient way to reach out to individual investors."       Friederike Edelmann, Director, Investor Relations, SAP "... a powerful tool to communicate with shareholders and potential investors.”        Gerald Prosalendis, VP, Quaterra Resources "...able to reach a group of investors that I likely would have normally not been able to do - if it were not in a virtual format.”       Delia H. Moore, Manager Investor Relations, Aflac "...an audience who would have never heard our story... That’s powerful for an OTC company.”       Meghan O’Sullivan, PR, Regenicin "...Q&A session in my virtual booth was very beneficial for both me and the attendees... get the information they need in order to make an educated decision..."        Shawn Roberts, Director of Investor Relations, TSYS "...the combination of BetterInvesting’s network, PR Newswire’s access to broad media and MUNCmedia’s technology create a great platform..."       Jeff Lambert, Managing Partner, Lambert Edwards & Associates   VIEW FULL QUOTES PDF HERE. RetailInvestorConferences.com helps ten companies each month. Have a great day

R.I.P. OpenCompany - the bridge to DIY corporate transparency (pre-social media)

Today's blog is just a quick note to honor the September 24th passing of a dear friend: OpenCompany.info. But this is not a mournful passing, but a celebration of transparency towards retail investors and OpenCompany’s role as a bridge to corporate transparency. Or perhaps a better metaphor is “corporate transparency training wheels…” no longer needed, technologically-wise, in the age of RSS, Twitter and other self-publishing media.
	What was OpenCompany? At its loftiest goal, it was an opportunity for IROs to DIY post and distribute their OWN earnings estimates in juxtaposition to street consensus. At its most tactical level, OpenCompany was the only earnings call calendar (datastream) that was full market AND 100% free to both Main and Wall Street.
Concepted by IR product pioneer Ron Gruner (President and founder of Shareholder.com), incredibly fed by Team Lotterer, brilliantly engineered by Jim Konz & Robert Tiberius Scanlon and crafted/developed by some cheeky marketing guy-  in its eight-year lifespan, OpenCompany delivered over 15 million webcasts to investors worldwide, mostly to retail investors. Oh. Did I happen to mention the Fast Company magazine's 2003 'Fast 50' Champions of Innovation award? OpenCompany was born in June 2002, less than two years into Regulation FD yet over a year before Sarbanes-Oxley. At that time, “transparency” was not quite the de rigor phase we all use now, and the leading datafeed of earnings calls (built prior RegFD) was focused on Wall Street – as a professional tool. There was a retail version of this feed, but for competitive reasons it was “strategically parsed” to distribute only specific (vendor selected) company events. Shareholder.com saw this “transparency oversight” as an true opportunity to level the playing field in regard to ease of access to a full market feed for both individual and institutional investors. Also, frankly, we needed a calendar product as a defensive action. We turned this frown upsidedown and created a very successful, industry-based marketing initiative. Their words, not mine. “One of NIRI’s objectives is to encourage open and effective flow of information between corporations and financial stakeholders,” said Louis M. Thompson, Jr., President and CEO of NIRI. “We view this calendar and earnings database as one way that NIRI can help its member organizations communicate more clearly and directly with their shareholders and the broader investment community.” “NAIC (BetterInvesting) is partnering with OpenCompany to help ensure that individual investors and investment clubs obtain the same information at the same time as professional investors,” said Kenneth Janke Sr., NAIC chairman. "Shareholder confidence begins with broad access to corporate information simultaneously to all investors, and Rukeyser.com is pleased to contribute to that effort through its relationship with OpenCompany," said Louis Rukeyser. “Building market confidence is everyone’s responsibility,”said Adrienne Baker, North American Editor of IR Magazine. “Everyone involved in IR needs to embrace thought-changing initiatives like OpenCompany. We’re proud to join NIRI, NAIC and other shareholder communications organizations that are dedicated to promoting credibility and transparency to investors.” "Our members are committed to the free flow of investor information and to rebuilding investor confidence in the markets" said Tom Phillips, NYSSA CEO. "We're pleased to offer them access to the OpenCompany resource as an important tool in that effort. OpenCompany has brought together Wall Street, Main Street and public corporations with a timely commitment to transparency in investor information. This service is a great benefit for our members." "With OpenCompany, professional investors no longer need to rely solely on third parties to receive guidance or earnings call scheduling when assessing their portfolios and funds,” said Erik Vander Kolk, Publisher, Institutional Investor Online. “Many shareholders rely on our readers to have the most relevant and timely information when they plan their investments. We’re joining OpenCompany to ensure the industry has the best resources for the most transparent and important data available." ”We are pleased to work with OpenCompany in its efforts to restore confidence in the investment community," said Wing Yu, CEO of FinancialContent. "The response from our clients has been very enthusiastic. The XML integrated seamlessly into our system." “We’re pleased to provide TheDeal.com subscribers with a resource for gathering current corporate earnings information,” said Tom Groppe, general manager of TheDeal.com. “Our partnership with OpenCompany is another example of our continuing efforts to develop our one-stop-shop of news, information and services for the dealmaking community.” "EDGAR Online is pleased to be counted as a leader within the OpenCompany network of financial information providers," said Jay Sears, Senior Vice President of Business, Strategy Development of EDGAR Online, Inc. "Building market confidence begins with building shareholder trust," said John Viglotti, managing director of Computershare Analytics in North America. "We applaud the dedication OpenCompany leaders have shown towards this important objective, and we're proud to be included." "The idea of OpenCompany - connecting public companies directly and equally to both Wall Street and Main Street - was long overdue," said QuoteMedia CEO Dave Shworan. "We're pleased to contribute to this dedicated group of market leaders. Certainly, building market confidence is a responsibility best shared," finished Shworan. Sincere thanks to all the forward-thinking organizations that stood together in support of transparency and made OpenCompany a resounding success. And, looking ahead…CONGRATULATIONS to all the public companies that have embraced the OpenCompany mantra and use the evolving power the web to be their own “datastreams” of corporate disclosure.  Have a great day.

IR magazine gives me the last words on web disclosure?

Well, at least the closing paragraph. IR magazine’s August issue has a industry recap on the recent discussion ( and Twitter catfight ) regarding web disclosure. The current context of the phrase “web disclosure” within Investor Relations and their article is the 2008 SEC interpretation on Regulation Fair Disclosure – and specifically the practice of sending a “snippet” of the news with a link back to the corporate IR website for the full material release. IR magazine asked for my view per my singular expertise from Shareholder.com and GlobeNewswire, now NASDAQ Corporate Solutions. As always, I am practical towards shareholder communications. If you would like to participate in online Twitter discussions about Investor Relations, hashtag #irchat. The live discussion is each Thursday at 11:00 am est. Have a great day.

So...what DO you give a video webcast on its birthday? (Retail Investors: Understanding, Reaching and Measuring)

It’s been exactly one year since I became seriously deep in the MUNCmire with our full day NASDAQ MarketSite event celebrating the retail investor! This event assembled the best brains in regards to retail investors -conventional and uniconventional thinkers.   Over 500 people signed-up to join the day’s festivities: live seminar with video webcast, market close and FUNCY MUNC PARTY with NYC’s hottest funk band! Awesome day - great content.

Retail Investors: Understanding, Reaching and Measuring (video above) Jeff Morgan, CEO and President, NIRI Matt Bird, CEO, MUNCmedia Friederike Edelmann, Director Investor Relations, SAP Peter Breen, then, Managing Partner, The Vokser Group / Strategist, BetterInvesting (now Managing Director BNY Mellon)   Besides the video above, you can download an MP3 audio file for your iPod and a transcript. I have not watched it myself in a while – so considering my spouse has a Jane Austin movie cued up in DVD player… I will be watching this tonight. Have a great day.

NYSE listed company acknowledges their strategy to target Retail Investors

An important (for MUNCmedia, anyway) press release crossed the wire today from Wizzard Software (NYSE Amex:WZE). You can read it here. It is very affirming to read that a company not only acknowledges but embraces the value and strength of individual investors. Like many of our clients, Wizzard is a terrific company, with VERY clever ideas – but Wall Street finds their story inaccessible. Main Street is perfect. I was personally pleased to see they used my blog as a reference. Also, they have selected Q4 to build out their IR wedsite and certainly, their IR social media outreach execution. <Be vewy vewy qwiet. We're targeting wetail.

I spoke briefly with their CEO. He’s not afraid of Retail Investors. Wizzard has set a solid strategy for their growth via consistent shareholder communications and investor relations to Main Street. Wall Street will follow. Have a great day.

Wow. I totally forgot! MUNCmedia is my SECOND retail investor network.

Perhaps it is deep within my subconscious, but I must have a passion for transparency and retail investors. In 2002, Ron Gruner, shareholder communications pioneer and  founding entrepreneur of Shareholder.com, “tasked” me with the product development and business execution of OpenCompany.info – the world’s first full market earnings calendar targeted to level Main Street’s ease of access to corporate events with Wall Street’s. But, between you and me, the role was easy. A lot of organizations were committed to helping individual investors and the resume of my partners who wanted to join was top-notch. RegFD was just a toddler and its success was paramount to most companies within the investor relations business. < Yike. This is why I never wear hats.

Very proudly, our effort towards corporate transparency was recognized and rewarded -  “2003 Champion of Innovation” by Fast Company magazine. (This is all prior Sarbanes-Oxley BTW) Today, seven years later, OpenCompany is still free and open to all. Thousands of retail investors and public companies still connect via this seemingly indestructible engine. (Go WPI and Big Red!) Do retail investors matter? New research continues to trickle in regarding their changing demographic and challenging the archaic "Mom & Pop" perception of retail investors. Unfortunately, not everyone feels that the individual investors are entitled to have “a say.” On second thought, I am pretty sure my subconsciousis isn't not driven by corporate transparency nor governance. That’s Nell Minow. I am a merely a “Madison Avenue” guy who follows the teaching of classic ad-man David Ogilvy. Although outdated, his quote on equity towards communicating to constituents rings true: “The consumer is not a moron… He also said this. Perhaps I took it too much to heart. Have a great day.

MUNC in the media

A little hardcopy ink in May's IR Magazine about MUNCmedia's new CMO and blogger.

You can find the full, online story from this post.

Have a great day.

My advice is prevent IROs who are easily frightened from reading the April issue of NIRI IR Update

(Sincere thanks to Melissa Jones, Manager, Marketing Communications and Website)

 
( Have a great day.)

My corporate IR knowledge adds a nice balance to social media panel

Next Tuesday, 4/6, I'm an invited panelist at the The IR Global Rankings Conference & Awards 2010,Yale Club, New York City.  I am looking forward to the event, as I have never attended this function.  Fortunately, it’s not black tie – as I'm still cleaning my tuxedo ( I just popped it into the dryer) that I wore at IR Magazine's IR Awards. The topic of IR’s role is very heavily discussed – so there’s no sense in me bantering here. However, my fellow panelists will have perspectives that I have not tuned into prior: those of “social media hubs.” All my reading and conversations have been focused on “getting IRO into the game.”      Social Media and Digital Media Campaigns Moderator:   ~  Linda Salo, Senior Financial Writer, CCG IR Panelists   ~  Brian Byrne, linkedFA   ~  Joseph Porcellini, Seeking Alpha   ~  Bradley Smith, MUNCmedia I have a couple passes left. Tweet me if you would like to attend. You can watch to me stammer in front of a live audience.  Have a great day.

Best Practices in Investor Relations leaders celebrated at NASDAQ MarketSite

Three reasons why Investor Relations is a great industry. 1.) It's very relevant to the economy, 2.) it's an entire business build around honesty, 3.) no matter what your exact role or title is, there is a cohesive ground. We are all professional communicators and relationship builders. Above (although I am missing a few names - sorry) FRONT: John Viglotti: PR Newswire; Kay Breakstone, Breakstone Group; Sharon Rubio, Citrix Systems; Neil Stewart, Cross Border (IR Magazine); Demetrios Skalkotos, NASDAQ OMX; Dennie Kimbrough, Microsoft; Elizabeth DaSilva, BNY Mellon Shareowner Services; Deborah O'Donnell, Wells Fargo Shareowner Services BACK: Bradley (me) Smith, MUNCmedia; Janet Dignan, Cross Border (IR Magazine); Ian Richman, Cross Border (IR Magazine); John Simenuk, International Print Group; Kevin Brennan, BNY Mellon Shareowner Services; Gordon Stevenson, AST; Becky Updegraph, Deutsche Bank. Have a great day.

Investor Relations Celebration of Best in Class Practitioners

Excellent night as always. Professional and playful admiration to IR Magazine for once again celebrating the efforts of clients, prospects and friends in the Investor Relations Industry.   To quote an email I received last week from an IRO – “As usual, I'm overworked and underappreciated.” No need to tell that tale to anyone read this blog. Winners are below. Everyone was very pleased to see my new business card too.  Have a great day.

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The 2010 IR Magazine IR Awards Winners Grand prix for best overall investor relations – small cap: Life Time Fitness Grand prix for best overall investor relations – mid-cap: Covance Grand prix for best overall investor relations – large cap: Express Scripts Grand prix for best overall investor relations – mega-cap: JPMorgan Chase & Co Best investor relations officer – small cap: Ken Cooper – Life Time Fitness Best investor relations officer – mid-cap: Paul Surdez – Covance  Best investor relations officer – large cap: David Myers – Express Scripts   Best investor relations officer – mega-cap: Lee McEntire & Kevin Stitt – Bank of America  Best retail investor communications: GE  Best annual report – small to large cap: Southwest Airlines  Best crisis communications – small to large cap: Life Time Fitness  Best investor relations by a chairman or CEO – small to large cap : Glen Senk – Urban Outfitters  Best corporate governance: JPMorgan Chase & Co  Best M&A investor relations: Merck and Schering-Plough Best IR by a continental European company in the US market: ABB

Best IR by an Asia-Pacific company in the US market: Infosys Technologies  Lifetime achievement in investor relations: Kay Breakstone & Carol Ruth Best investor relations website: Chesapeake Energy  Most progress in investor relations: AmTrust Financial Services  Best use of conferencing: Gen-Probe  Best corporate advertising: Verizon Communications  Sector leaders  Consumer discretionary: Life Time Fitness  Consumer staples: Kellogg Company  Diversified: GE  Energy: Chesapeake Energy  Financials: JPMorgan Chase & Co  Healthcare: Covance  Industrials: FedEx  Materials: Ecolab  Technology: Cisco Telecommunication services: AT&T  Utilities: Northeast Utilities

 

It's such a perfect day. I'm glad I blogged it with you.

A lot of great MUNCmojo yesterday about my appointment. Thank you to the dozens of folks that reached out to me. I have a lot more personal "congrats" follow-up as well as "biz dev" follow-up to do. Good day on the Twitter weekly #irchat today too. Have a great day. Very complimentary article in IR Magazine. Bradley Smith rides again Blog in the saddle’ at MUNCmedia MUNCMedia today announced the appointment of popular figure in the IR community as chief marketing officer. Until he exited NASDAQ OMX in January, Smith handled marketing for Shareholder.com and GlobeNewswire in the exchange’s corporate services group. As IR magazine previously reported , Smith last summer became NASDAQ’s first blogger, injecting humor into the discussion around IR and PR issues. -His new blog went live today. Smith entered the IR field when he joined Shareholder.com in 2000. His marketing success helped bring the company to the attention of NASDAQ, which bought Shareholder.com in 2006. ‘I’ve always been in love with innovators. Before I joined this niche, I was with an innovator in medical imaging. Shareholder.com was an innovator. And NASDAQ was an innovator in bringing corporate services under its umbrella. Now I’m with MUNCmedia, another innovator,’ Smith says.  MUNCmedia, described as an ‘information media network’, was launched in 2006 to do retail investor targeting for issuers and IR agencies. It claims over 300 public companies as clients along with 40 IR agencies, including CCG Investor Relations. MUNCmedia also has a partnership with NASDAQ’s GlobeNewswire. Hiring Smith marks the beginning of a formal marketing and communications program for the company. By Neil Stewart

Blog in the saddle again!

I am pleased to announce that I have taken up the marketing reins at MUNCmedia! I first met the MUNCmedia team when NASDAQ OMX brought them on as a product partner for Retail Investor Targeting. Since that time, as pard'ners, I worked on many projects with them, and grew to appreciate their innovative and measureable outreach. I am extremely excited to join their firm. Also, obviously, I am thrilled to continue my social media efforts - delivering a round-up of industry insight, product news and a little irreverent behavior now and again. It will be a continuation of my popular blog work at NASDAQ OMX - Shareholder.com/GlobeNewswire.   I'd be mighty 'blidged if you look for me at next week's IR Magazine IR Awards. It's black tie, so no denim. And trigger has to stay home too. Yippeekiyay.... and have a great day.