Southgro Investor Relations (Pty) Ltd, specialist services for investment marketing and reputation management, pre and post IPO

Investor relations time-line Communicating the potential and future worth of your company

Working with clients in various stages of the IPO cycle-from preliminary considerations to post-IPO support, Southgro IR provides a full spectrum of IPO services to ensure a successful introduction to the equity market.

Pre-IPO

The objective is to allow management to remain focused on its business objectives and ultimately convey the most relevant messages to the investment community.

IPO-related services

The IPO service extends through the first earnings announcement, ensuring the company establishes a sustained investor relations program to ensure future goodwill among institutional and retail investors alike.

	IPO timeline: Providing a schedule of marketing activities that need to be taken leading up to the IPO.
	IR training session: Training management who need to communicate directly with investors.
	Presentation development: Southgro IR works closely with clients to develop an effective presentation, or alternatively, review and edit an existing presentation.
	Financial Media Relations: In collaboration with management, we will design a financial message that will differentiate the company's in the market place, focusing on business and management strategies, market and growth potential, and overall financial strength.
	Disclosure Policy Counsel: Southgro will assist in drafting an internal disclosure policy that provides the company with the necessary framework to comply with the dissemination of information.
	IR Plan: Southgro can design a first year action plan that will address near and long-term goals, and can act as a measure for overall success.
	Investor website: Our team can work with the web site vendor in creating a relevant investor section that is also compliant.
	Complementary services: Sell and buy-side targeting; investor relations calendar; employee IPO education; listing day activities; network development and management; investor relations kit

After-market: Post-IPO

	Investor Sentiment Research: Management's view of its own company frequently differs from the financial community's perception. Southgro IR conducts surveys to ascertain clients' position within the industry, their growth potential and management's perceived capabilities. These comments often provide the basis for a detailed program proposal, allowing management to tailor their message.
	Investor identification & liaison: Shareholder identification provides the basis for further in-depth research into investor appetite and inclinations. We conduct attitudinal research which enables clients to understand why investors have bought or sold their stock and what the investment issues are, as seen by fund managers.
	Stimulating buy-side interest: Southgro IR can tailor a target-marketing list to your corporate profile, highlighting specific portfolio managers at institutions whose trading histories and investment strategies represent the most productive 'fit' for the company.
	Generating sell-side coverage: Our programs make use of highly targeted efforts, including direct marketing campaigns that reach influential analysts and generate awareness for the company.
	Investor targeting & road show planning: In order to stimulate interest in a company, Southgro IR identifies interested key investor groups and facilitates introductions, mediates discussions and develops appropriate financial presentations on an ongoing basis.
	Investor education forums are also arranged in a variety of formats including one-on-ones, small groups, results presentations to the members of the Investment Analysts Society of SA, and per occasion, investment seminars and conferences.
	Follow-up interviews are conducted by Southgro IR after these events to obtain feedback from the audience on the company's fundamentals, management, the industry sector it targets, its investability, as well as related issues such as the presentation content, format and style.
	This information is presented to management and used to improve future presentations.
	Stock watch & peer group benchmarking: Southgro IR works with the client's market makers or specialists to monitor any aberrations in trading activities. When unusual volume is reported, we help to track down who is buying and selling the blocks of stock and how much is being accumulated or sold.
	Financial PR: Southgro IR develops and maintains strong relationships with key editors and reporters. Whether it be conveying a message, creating an angle or managing the development of an article, we will seek to place newsworthy stories in all major business / financial, consumer and trade publications, and submit it to info portals, as well as appropriate television and radio programs on behalf of our clients.
	Interim & Annual reports, official announcements, corporate profiles, shareholder newsletters & correspondence, fact sheets: Southgro IR is actively involved in every stage of production of these documents for our clients.
	We draft and edit text; work with designers in developing the message and layout of annual reports, interim and preliminary statements, corporate announcements, brochures, etc.; hire photographers, reproduction houses and arrange on-site photo and filming sessions; and work with printers regarding proof-reading, printing schedules and delivery instructions.
	Fax / Mailing / E-mail list: In most cases, one of the first projects undertaken is the review of the client's existing mailing and facsimilee lists. Southgro IR checks for inclusion of appropriate industry specialists, such as influential journalists, security analysts, portfolio managers and some of the top registered representatives.
	- Investor presentations: We specialise in creating investor presentations that concisely and persuasively present a company's investment rationale and merits to institutional and retail audiences.
	- Facility tours: Depending on the industry, it is often helpful to provide the investment community with the opportunity to visit our clients' facilities. These tours help to foster a better understanding of the client's operations by providing first hand exposure to the day-to-day operations. Tours through manufacturing facilities have been particularly cost-effective and often attract the top analysts and fund managers.
	Special event management & trade show support: We devise and stage special events to present companies to audiences of opinion formers, media representatives, commercial partners and investors. Southgro IR assists clients with content preparation, inviting the press, their introduction to relevant company spokespeople and following up with key industry specialists after the event.
	Crisis planning & management: We have experience in the setting up of crisis management systems. All possible varieties of financial problems are identified and planned for. Schedules of responses and responsibilities are planned; a range of statement and position papers are drafted. The system is kept up to date with frequent rehearsal and revision.
	Reaching the online investor: The power and influence of the online investor is undeniable. Having a good corporate Web site with the latest information is only the first step in reaching this investor. By applying strategic marketing principles to the Internet, we pursue the global investment community electronically on behalf of listed South African companies by employing a range of techniques to communicate directly with the online investor.