Investor Update Template Walkthrough
Who this template is for
This template is for startups that need to provide regular updates to investors. It can be used by those within the company who are responsible for communicating with investors, including founders, financial and operational leaders, or dedicated investor relations professionals and teams.
Marketing or communications teams may also use the template to showcase the achievements, progress, and future plans of the company.
What this template is for
Dock’s investor update template can be used to provide regular financial and operational updates to investors and shareholders in a clear and consistent manner. It helps companies effectively communicate their financial performance, progress, and future plans to investors and shareholders, providing all the necessary information that investors need to make informed decisions about the company.
How to use the template
First, populate the template with your company's financial and operational data, such as revenue, net income, and cash flow. Complete sections for key metrics, financial statements, operational highlights, and future plans.
Then, share the workspace as a standalone document or incorporate it into an ongoing presentation or dialogue with investors, providing additional information or answering questions as needed.
What’s in this template?
Overview
The overview section of an investor update should provide a brief overview of the update's purpose and contents, including a summary of the period covered, and a preview of the sections to be covered.
Then, include a clear and concise message summarizing the overall performance and a call to action for investors to address any concerns or questions. Make sure to properly introduce yourself with a company name and introduction to key stakeholders.
Key Metrics
This section should include a range of key performance indicators (KPIs) that provide insight into the company's operations and growth. These can include metrics such as customer acquisition, churn and retention rates, lifetime value, monthly recurring revenue (MRR), annual recurring revenue (ARR), gross margins, net margins, sales funnel metrics, user engagement metrics, website traffic, and conversion rates.
These metrics can help investors to understand the company's overall performance, growth, and potential for future profitability.
Highlights and Lowlights
This next section should summarize the most significant events that have taken place, including major product launches, partnerships, acquisitions, new customers, or other notable achievements. It can also summarize any challenges or setbacks the company has faced during the period, such as changes in leadership, financial difficulties, or regulatory issues.
Financials
Use this section to summarize key financial information like costs, revenue, available funding, funding burn rate, and estimated runway.
Product
Outline additional information about your product or service. Include engaging materials from your pitch deck, outline your business plan and mention successes relating to revenue, customer acquisition, and active users. This section is useful if your aim is also to fundraise by engaging existing investors for future rounds or creating a positive PR story.
Team
An investor update can also include updates on the company's personnel, including new hires, promotions, and departures. It can also include updates on the team's roles, responsibilities, and accomplishments during the period covered by the update.
Future Plans
Use this section to outline plans for future growth and development, such as upcoming product launches, partnerships, and strategic initiatives for the next quarter. It would also highlight the company's key priorities and objectives for the upcoming quarter, and how they align with the company's overall vision and goals.
Investor Asks
This next section is for making actionable requests for assistance to investors. These could be for additional funding, equity, or other financial support; knowledge, experience, or networking opportunities; hiring or potential client leads; or any other type of support that will help the company to achieve its goals.
Why use this investor update template?
Investor updates are vital to many modern business operations. Not only do most investors expect them, but they can also help to attract new investors. By providing accurate and up-to-date information about the company's performance and future plans, investor updates create a sense of transparency, accountability, and confidence regarding their operations and future ROI.
Dock's investor update template is an efficient and effective way to keep investors informed about your company's performance and prospects. Dock’s software provides a centralized platform for creating, sharing, and tracking investor updates. It also provides a centralized space for collaboration between different teams ensuring that all the information is accurate and complete.
Additionally, Dock’s workspaces included capabilities for tracking and analyzing engagement, which can help to improve future updates and communication with the investors.
Another advantage of using Dock's investor update template is the ability to customize the template to the specific needs of the company. The template can be tailored to specific branding and messaging, which can help to make the update more engaging and easier to understand for investors.
Here’s what else the investor update template can do for you:
Improved communication and engagement with investors
- Quickly create, share, and track investor updates, making it easier to keep investors informed.
- Collaborate and review investor updates with different teams, ensuring that the information is accurate and complete.
- Share important metrics and resources that can be easily accessed by the investors.
- Track and analyze engagement to improve future updates and communication with the investors.
Craft a more compelling brand story for future sales
- Highlight achievements, progress, and future plans in a clear and consistent manner that aligns with the company's brand and messaging.
- Communicate the company's vision, mission, and long-term goals, aligning investors with the company's direction.
- Showcase the company's unique value proposition and what sets it apart from competitors.
- Use information on ROI and investor success to provide evidence of the company's performance and impact.
Create engaging opportunities to work with investors
- Communication via Dock’s investor update template provides an opportunity to network and collaborate with investors on future opportunities.
- Leverage investor knowledge and experience to solve key pain points and obstacles.
- Engage in transparent reflection on practices and performance, improving accountability.
- Improve your chances to secure follow-on funding by highlighting runway, burn rate, and potential ROI.
How Dock’s customers use this template
- Focus on important KPIs presented in an easy-to-understand way: Create a one-stop workspace for reporting on financial information, milestones and obstacles, media attention and case studies, working together to craft a comprehensive story about your startup journey.
- Align expectations and goals with key investors: Build trust and confidence in your company's prospects, address concerns or questions, and demonstrate accountability and transparency—all to improve investor relationships and increase the likelihood of future backing.
- Ask for assistance from investors: Investors are invested in your success in more ways than one, and many are willing to lend more than just their finances to improve your operations. Use Dock’s investor update to make actionable requests for assistance regarding hiring, further fundraising, networking, and more.
FAQ
What is an investor update?
An investor update is a form of communication to a company’s investors about its performance, progress, and future plans. An investor update is typically a periodic update that includes details such as revenue, net income, and cash flow, as well as information about major events or developments that might affect the company's future prospects.
What should an investor update include?
An investor update should include a range of information to provide investors with a comprehensive view of the company's performance and prospects. This can include financial information such as revenue, net income, and cash flow, as well as key metrics that provide insight into the company's operations and growth.
Additionally, it should include a section for operational highlights, which can provide information about any significant events, developments, or initiatives that have taken place during the period.
How often should you update investors?
The frequency of investor updates can vary depending on the company's needs and the expectations of its investors. Some companies may choose to update investors on a monthly or quarterly basis, while others may update them on a less frequent basis, such as semi-annually or annually.
It's essential to consider the needs and expectations of the investors, as well as the company's own resources and priorities when determining the frequency of updates. Some early-stage startups may have more frequent updates as they have to prove their value proposition, while other companies may have a more steady state and, therefore, less frequent updates.
Generally, it's wise to have a regular and consistent communication schedule with investors, so they know when to expect updates and can plan accordingly. It's also important to be transparent and clear about the frequency of updates and to stick to the schedule as much as possible.
