- Adapt your AGM format to the upcoming season, whether in-person, virtual or hybrid.
- Boost shareholder participation through online touchpoints, such as your website.
- Leverage these touchpoints to communicate your event, like having an AGM web page.
The AGM landscape is experiencing rapid changes. In recent years, meeting formats have undergone a significant transformation, with the emergence of hybrid and virtual events as alternatives to in-person sessions.
How will you be holding your AGM this year?
ADAPT YOUR AGM TO THE UPCOMING SEASON
While in-person meetings are making a comeback, hybrid and virtual events continue to gain popularity due to convenience and accessibility. As ASX-listed companies like yours adapt to these changing trends, take a quick look at what the different meeting formats offer.
- The return of in-person meetings
In-person AGMs, the traditional format, have long been the cornerstone of shareholder engagement. These meetings offer a personal touch, enabling investors to meet management, ask questions face-to-face, and participate in real-time discussions. After the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the resurgence of in-person meetings indicates a return to a sense of normalcy and fosters a stronger sense of community between the company and its stakeholders.
- The rise of hybrid meetings
Hybrid AGMs blend the best of both worlds, combining elements of in-person and virtual meetings. This format allows shareholders to attend either physically or virtually, breaking barriers of geographical constraints and increasing participation. With hybrid AGMs, companies can reach a wider audience, including international investors, without compromising on the advantages of face-to-face interactions.
- The perseverance of virtual meetings
Virtual AGMs gained popularity during the pandemic, and even as in-person meetings resume, some companies continue to hold virtual AGMs. The convenience and cost-effectiveness of virtual meetings are hard to ignore, offering shareholders the ability to participate from anywhere in the world. For companies with global investors, virtual meetings become a crucial way to ensure inclusivity and increase engagement.
Hybrid and virtual AGMs continue to gain popularity.
BOOST SHAREHOLDER PARTICIPATION THROUGH YOUR TOUCHPOINTS
With these diverse AGM formats available, your company can maximise shareholder participation through online touchpoints, like your website. Here are some key reasons why incorporating digital communication channels is vital:
- Accessibility and inclusivity
Not all your shareholders can attend your AGM in person, whether due to geographic distance, conflict in schedules, or other reasons. By providing online touchpoints, like an AGM page on your website for webcasts and live streaming, you can ensure all your stockholders have an equal opportunity to participate and stay informed about your business matters.
- Real-time updates and notifications
Utilising your website and other online touchpoints will keep shareholders informed about your meeting’s details, including dates, venues, and agenda items. These touchpoints serve as a reliable means of communication, providing updates and reminders that prompt your investors to attend or participate virtually.
- Enhanced shareholder engagement
Online touchpoints offer interactive features, such as proxy voting, live polls and Q&A sessions, enabling your remote shareholders to actively engage with the proceedings. These features foster transparency and help your business address investor concerns directly, regardless of their physical presence.
In-person AGMs are making a comeback.
LEVERAGE ONLINE TOUCHPOINTS TO COMMUNICATE YOUR AGM
To optimise shareholder engagement, your company can harness the power of online touchpoints, such as your website, email, ASX announcements, social media and videos. Here's how you can effectively use these digital channels:
1. Website
Your website serves as the primary source of information for investors. To communicate your AGM details effectively, you can dedicate a specific section on your site that contains complete particulars about your upcoming meeting. This AGM page should include essentials such as the date, time, location (if in-person), and instructions for virtual attendance. Providing easy-to-access and downloadable related documents, including proxy forms and latest annual report, can facilitate shareholder preparation (see examples here). You can also have a financial calendar on your site, so stakeholders can add your AGM to their personal schedules.
2. Email
Email remains a powerful tool for direct communication with shareholders. Your company can proactively use your email lists to send personalised invitations and reminders about your AGM. These emails can contain links to your website’s AGM page, making it convenient for stockholders to reach all relevant info. Additionally, you can use email communication to encourage proxy voting and emphasise the importance of investor participation.
3. ASX Announcements
As an ASX-listed company, issuing official announcements regarding your AGM is fundamental. Obviously, these announcements should comply with ASX regulations and provide concise yet informative details about your meeting. While ASX announcements are formal in nature, they can also include links to your website’s AGM page for more comprehensive info. Timely and accurate ASX announcements demonstrate your commitment to transparency and fair disclosure, instilling confidence in shareholders.
4. Social media
Social media has become a valuable tool for companies to engage with a broader audience, including shareholders and potential investors. Leveraging platforms like X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Facebook, your company can create posts and updates about your AGM. These posts can include key AGM highlights, important dates, and links to relevant sections on your website for further information. Engaging visuals, such as infographics and videos, can make AGM-related content more shareable to a wider audience.
5. Videos
Incorporating videos as part of your AGM strategy provide a visually compelling way to convey complex information, making it easier for shareholders to understand key messages. This touchpoint can also help humanise your leadership and establish a connection with your shareholders. For instance, a video message from your CEO can add a personal touch as he/she delivers a brief address discussing your company's achievements, challenges, and future vision. Having a recorded AGM webcast on your website also extends your reach to more investors, particularly those who couldn't attend your meeting in real time and prefer to catch it at a later date.
Maximise shareholder participation through your website.
Strategise your AGM for success
Integrating online touchpoints strategically for your upcoming AGM enables your company to communicate information effectively and engage shareholders throughout the entire process. Embracing these digital avenues not only future proofs your AGM but also strengthens the bond with your investors, propelling both towards mutual success.
Level up your AGM this year
Do you need help communicating your AGM to investors?
As online investor engagement specialists, IRM helps ASX-listed companies like yours build effective investor websites and news delivery to showcase your investment value. Likewise, we can assist you with a Proactive video interview of your CEO that you can utilise for your investor communications.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help your business reach more investors. Call us on +61 2 8705 5444 or email clientrelations@irmau.com today.
Online Investor Engagement Specialists
