Where this begins, in your words

• To start, how would you summarize your current investor relations priorities for the next 12 months? Options: Prepare for IPO or listing, Improve sell-side coverage, Respond to activist pressure, Support CFO transition and credibility, Integrate earnings-cycle communications, Other
• How much of investor outreach is managed internally versus by external advisors today? Options: Fully internal, Mostly internal with ad hoc external support, Balanced internal and external, Mostly external, No formal outreach function
• Tell the story of the last time an earnings call or disclosure moved your stock more than the underlying result, and what you think caused it
• Who on your leadership team currently owns day-to-day analyst relationships and materials preparation? Options: CFO, Head of IR / Investor Relations, Chief Communications Officer, Corporate Secretary, External advisor, Shared or rotating responsibility
• When did you last run a perception study or broker coverage benchmark? Options: Within last 6 months, 6 to 12 months ago, 1 to 2 years ago, Not in the last 2 years, Never

Where the market is penalizing your story

• What single perception or disclosure gap do you suspect is suppressing your multiple today?
• Describe specific analyst or investor interactions in the past year that felt misaligned with management's intended message
• Which investor behaviors are most visible with your stock, select all that apply Options: Low sell-side coverage, High short interest, Weak institutional ownership, High holder turnover, Limited analyst models, Other
• Estimate the percent of your valuation gap to peers that you would attribute to perception problems rather than fundamentals Options: 0-25%, 26-50%, 51-75%, 76-100%, Unsure
• If a pilot failed to move analyst coverage within six months, what would you stop or change about pursuing outside advisory support?

What winning looks like for your IR program

• Why would improving sell-side coverage matter for your capital plan, investor base, or board objectives this year?
• Identify up to three measurable success signals you would use to judge a pilot IR audit Options: New analyst coverage added, Increase in buy-side inquiries, Improved average daily trading volume, Analyst note revisions or upgrades, Narrowing of peer valuation gap, Other
• Share a concrete target for one of those signals, for example a target coverage count, percent increase in daily volume, or institutional ownership goal
• On a tolerance scale, how accepting is your board of short-term volatility while you reposition the investment thesis? Options: Very tolerant, Somewhat tolerant, Low tolerance, Zero tolerance
• Would a pilot that delivers peer benchmarks and a prioritized roadmap be sufficient for you to consider a broader multi-quarter engagement? Options: Yes, Maybe with modifications, No

How your disclosures and cadence land with analysts

• Which parts of your disclosure package generate the most analyst questions, for example non-GAAP bridges, guidance cadence, or segment reporting? Options: Non-GAAP reconciliations, Guidance frequency and granularity, Segment or product reporting, Definition of key metrics, Access to management and models, Other
• Walk through your current quarterly earnings preparation workflow, from draft press release to analyst Q and A
• Rate how consistent your external messaging is across earnings scripts, investor decks, and management interviews Options: Highly consistent, Mostly consistent, Occasional contradictions, Frequently inconsistent
• Who currently approves external investor messaging and what is the typical approval timeline? Options: CFO only, CFO and CEO, Legal review plus CFO, Communications lead plus CFO, Board review required, Other
• Provide the specific disclosures you would consider non-negotiable for a pilot, such as access to models, management availability windows, or historical consensus Options: Access to financial model or reconciliations, Named management availability windows, Historical analyst notes and consensus, Legal clearance to share specific items, No non-negotiables, Other

The alternatives you are seriously considering

• Name the other options you are actively evaluating for these investor relations needs, including internal builds and external firms Options: Build an internal IR function, Boutique IR advisory, Large communications firm, Sell-side broker partnership, Do nothing and monitor, Other
• Do internal leaders argue you should solve this without an outside partner, and if so which functions are advocating that? Options: Yes, finance team, Yes, communications, Yes, legal or corporate secretary, No internal push to stay internal, Not sure
• If you were to stay with your current approach, what specific performance evidence would need to exist to justify staying the course?
• What single strength has the incumbent advisor or internal plan cited that makes you consider keeping them? Options: Lower cost, Existing broker relationships, Industry specialization, Prior results with peers, Ease of working with their team, Other
• Select the top risks that would make you rule out an external partner entirely, choose up to two Options: Conflicts of interest with other clients, Insufficient analyst relationships, Tendency to overpromise coverage, Weak data security or NDAs, Cost beyond budget, Cultural or process mismatch

Operational gates, data, and legal constraints

• Could you provide named owners and point contacts who can grant model access, legal clearance, and management time during a 4 to 6 week pilot? Options: Yes, we have all named owners, Partially, some owners missing, No named owners yet, Unsure
• List the systems or repositories where your financial models, analyst decks, and historical guidance live Options: Centralized financial model repo, Finance team spreadsheets only, Board materials library, Investor relations document drive, No centralized repository, Other
• Are there regulatory, legal, or confidentiality approvals that could delay access to the data needed for a pilot? Options: No approvals needed, Minor legal review required, Board approval required, External counsel review required, Pending litigation or confidentiality constraints
• Tell the typical lead time for management availability for investor meetings and roadshows in an earnings quarter Options: 1 week or less, 2 weeks, 3 to 4 weeks, More than 4 weeks, Management not available
• How many internal headcount hours across IR, finance, and legal can you commit to a pilot period? Options: Less than 40 hours, 40 to 80 hours, 80 to 160 hours, More than 160 hours

If the pilot proves the value, how fast can you move

• Explain the single decision or approval that would allow you to move from pilot to full engagement within two weeks
• Confirm the primary economic owner who signs off on advisory spend and their typical approval cadence Options: CFO, CEO, Board chair or committee, Finance committee, Procurement
• Estimate your target timeline for seeing measurable coverage changes after a pilot, for example new analyst notes or increased institutional inquiries Options: Within 1 month, 1 to 3 months, 3 to 6 months, 6 months or more, Unsure
• Would an agreed set of acceptance criteria tied to coverage and trading signals be sufficient for you to execute a pilot work order? Options: Yes, Maybe with modifications, No
• When would you be ready to start the pilot given management calendars and legal clearances? Options: Immediately, Within 2 weeks, Within 4 to 6 weeks, Next quarter or later, Unsure

• IR Strategy Workshop

• Confirm the current state and its cost to your team
• You confirm the stated current state and accept the quantified cost as the primary urgency for this engagement.
• Provide the most recent quarterly financial model, recent earnings script, and the top 10 institutional/analyst targets for use in the pilot scenario.
• You agree that the demonstrated approach to converting your operating results into a thesis would change the sell-side narrative for your top target analysts.
• Map perception gaps to investor decision triggers
• Confirm management availability windows for pilot interviews and roadshow-prep sessions.
• Translate operating results into a draft investment thesis using your scenario
• Deliver a draft pilot work order that translates your operating results into a proposed investment thesis and lists proposed pilot deliverables and timeline.
• You approve the proposed pilot acceptance criteria and next-step commitments required to begin the diagnostic audit.
• Demonstrate targeted communications and execution cadence
• You identify any remaining evidence needed before a pilot decision.
• Share any recent sell-side research or activist filings that should be considered during the pilot.
• Validate acceptance criteria and success signals
• Forced validation, confirm this maps to what you need
• Agree next steps to initiate the pilot work order

• IR Strategy Workshop
• IR Strategy Workshop Deck
• IR Strategy Workshop Brief

• meeting
• slides
• document

• Draft Earnings Press Release
• Prepare Earnings Call Script and Remarks
• Develop Investor Presentation Deck
• Create Analyst One‑Pager and Model Summary
• Compile Investor Q&A Library
• Prepare Management Investor Briefing Packet
• Conduct Executive Rehearsal and Media Training
• Execute Targeted Sell‑Side Outreach Campaign
• Produce Roadshow Presentation and Leave‑Behind Materials
• Deliver Shareholder Surveillance Reports
• Draft Activist Response Statement and Q&A
• Draft Proxy Communications and Messaging

Draft Earnings Press Release

• Which reporting period and filing form should the press release be drafted for (for example: quarterly Form 8-K earnings announcement covering Q2 results)? Options: Quarterly earnings 8-K, Preliminary results / teaser, Annual results / 8-K plus press release, Other
• How many draft iterations do you want included in the fixed scope before additional change orders apply? Options: 1 round, 2 rounds, 3 rounds, Uncapped (time-and-materials)
• Which financial artifacts must be referenced or attached in the release (for example non-GAAP reconciliations, earnings per share bridge, or segment schedules)? Options: Non-GAAP reconciliation, Segment detail table, Earnings per share (EPS) bridge, None / summary only
• Who will own final sign-off for the press release and which legal or external counsel reviews are required prior to issuance? Options: CFO, Head of Investor Relations, General Counsel, Outside securities counsel, Other
• What distribution channels should be prepared and formatted (for example: regulatory filing, company news wire, investor relations site, social channels)? Options: Regulatory filing (8-K), Company investor site, Email to top holders, Investor-targeted social posts, Press wire
• What acceptance criteria will confirm the earnings press release is approved for filing (for example: written sign-off from CFO, counsel clearance, and compliance checklist completed)? Options: CFO and GC written sign-off + counsel clearance, CFO sign-off only, IR and Market Disclosure checklist completed

Prepare Earnings Call Script and Remarks

• Which executives will speak on the earnings call and require scripted remarks (for example: CEO opening remarks, CFO financial review, Head of IR Q&A intro)? Options: CEO, CFO, Head of Investor Relations, Other senior leader
• What length and format do you prefer for prepared remarks and scripted transitions (for example: 10-minute CEO script, 20-minute CFO walkthrough with slides)? Options: Short (5-10 minutes), Medium (10-20 minutes), Long (20+ minutes)
• Which financial details must be narrated versus left to the slide deck (for example: revenue drivers, guidance cadence, margin bridge)? Options: Narrate revenue drivers, Narrate guidance changes, Narrate margin bridges, Narrate none - slides only
• Do you require scripting for prepared responses to anticipated analyst questions about guidance, backlog, or one-time items? Options: Yes, No
• Who will coordinate live Q&A moderation and what escalation paths should be embedded in the script (for example: defer to CFO, refer technical questions to Head of Product)? Options: We will moderate, You will moderate, Shared moderation
• What timeline must be met for final script delivery relative to the filing or call date (for example: final script 48 hours before the call)? Options: 72+ hours before call, 48 hours before call, 24 hours before call, Same day

Develop Investor Presentation Deck

• Which investor audiences should the deck target (for example: growth-focused buy-side, value-oriented funds, sector-specialist sell-side analysts)? Options: Growth managers, Value managers, Sector specialists, Broad institutional audience
• What slide count and level of granularity do you expect in the delivery (for example: 12-slide executive summary plus appendix vs. 30-slide detailed review)? Options: Executive summary (10-15 slides), Standard investor deck (16-25 slides), Detailed review (26+ slides)
• Which financial models or forecast assumptions should be reflected on slides (for example: 3-statement model highlights, ARR run-rate, or unit economics)? Options: 3-statement model highlights, ARR or recurring revenue metrics, Unit economics / LTV:CAC, No model details
• What supporting exhibits must be included in the appendix (for example: customer cohort charts, market sizing bridge, disclosure footnotes)? Options: Customer cohort charts, Market sizing bridge, Disclosure footnotes, Cap table / ownership
• Who will supply the source slide-level data and financials (for example: your finance team model, investor relations data room, or external research)? Options: Your finance model, Investor relations data room, External research inputs, Combination
• What file formats and branding guidelines must the final deck adhere to (for example: PowerPoint corporate template and PDF print-ready version)? Options: PowerPoint + PDF, PowerPoint only, Google Slides + PDF

Create Analyst One‑Pager and Model Summary

• Which analysts or research models should the one-pager map to (for example: top 3 sell-side models by coverage or consensus model assumptions)? Options: Top 3 sell-side models, Consensus estimates, Custom peer-adjusted model, No mapping needed
• What key model outputs must be summarized on the one-pager (for example: revenue, EBITDA, EPS, guidance assumptions)? Options: Revenue, EBITDA / Adjusted EBITDA, EPS, Guidance assumptions
• How many pages or slides should the one-pager and model summary consume (for example: single-page cheat sheet plus a one-page assumptions summary)? Options: Single page one-pager, One pager + one-page model assumptions, Multi-page summary
• Who will maintain the canonical model used for the summary (for example: your financial planning team or an external model maintained by IR)? Options: Your FP&A / finance team, IR-maintained model, External consultant
• Which distribution list should receive the one-pager (for example: buy-side target list, sell-side analysts, internal board pack)? Options: Buy-side target list, Sell-side analysts, Board and executives, All investor contacts
• What disclosure or audit trail is required for the assumptions in the model summary (for example: source data citation, versioning, and finance sign-off)? Options: Source citation + versioning + finance sign-off, Versioning only, No special audit trail

Compile Investor Q&A Library

• Which question categories should the Q&A library prioritize (for example: guidance reconciliation, customer concentration, margin drivers, capital allocation)? Options: Guidance and forecast, Customer concentration, Margin drivers, Capital allocation
• How many canonical Q&A entries should be developed for the pilot phase (for example: top 25 investor questions with scripted responses)? Options: Top 10 questions, Top 25 questions, Top 50 questions
• What level of technical detail must answers include (for example: high-level narrative vs. data-backed point-by-point response with chart references)? Options: High-level narrative, Data-backed responses with charts, Mixed by topic
• Who will be the authoritative reviewer for regulatory-sensitive answers (for example: General Counsel, outside securities counsel, or finance lead)? Options: General Counsel, Outside securities counsel, CFO/finance lead
• Which process should be used to keep the Q&A library current after each earnings cycle (for example: revision log, quarterly refresh, or post-call update process)? Options: Revision log + quarterly refresh, Post-call update only, Ad hoc updates
• What secure format and access controls are required for the Q&A library (for example: password-protected intranet, data room access, or shared drive with view-only)? Options: Password-protected intranet, Secure data room, Shared drive view-only

Prepare Management Investor Briefing Packet

• Which audiences will management briefings target (for example: top 20 institutional holders, sector analysts, or select family offices)? Options: Top institutional holders, Sell-side analysts, Family offices / private investors, Board members
• What briefing materials should be included (for example: investor one-pager, financial model highlights, suggested talking points, and FAQ)? Options: Investor one-pager, Model highlights, Suggested talking points, FAQ / Q&A
• Who must be available to join the briefing for follow-up technical questions (for example: head of product, head of sales, or lead accountant)? Options: Head of product, Head of sales, Lead accountant / controller, Other subject matter expert
• What rehearsal materials or call aids are needed for management (for example: speaking notes, annotated slides, red-team questions)? Options: Speaking notes, Annotated slides, Red-team Qs, None
• When should the briefing packet be finalized relative to investor outreach (for example: three business days before meetings)? Options: 5+ business days, 3 business days, 48 hours, Same day
• What acceptance evidence will confirm the briefing packet is complete (for example: management checklist signed, slide deck locked, and rehearsal completed)? Options: Management checklist + locked deck + rehearsal, CFO sign-off only, Packet delivered to holders

Conduct Executive Rehearsal and Media Training

• Which executives will attend rehearsals and media training sessions (for example: CEO, CFO, head of business unit)? Options: CEO, CFO, Head of business unit, Head of Communications
• What formats do you prefer for rehearsals (for example: full dress rehearsal with slides, mock analyst Q&A, or on-camera media simulation)? Options: Full dress rehearsal, Mock analyst Q&A, On-camera media simulation, Tabletop only
• How long should each executive session run and how many sessions are desired in the pilot (for example: two 60-minute sessions per executive)? Options: One 60-minute session, Two 60-minute sessions, Multiple half-day sessions
• Which performance metrics will be used to evaluate readiness after rehearsal (for example: time on key messages, avoidance of disclosure risks, and clarity score)? Options: Time on message, Disclosure risk avoidance, Clarity / coach score
• Who should be present to provide feedback during rehearsals (for example: investor relations lead, CFO, outside coach)? Options: Investor relations lead, CFO, Outside communications coach, General Counsel
• What acceptance criteria will confirm an executive is ready to go live (for example: consistent delivery of three core messages across two rehearsals and counsel clearance)? Options: Consistent messages across two rehearsals + counsel clearance, Single rehearsal with coach sign-off, No formal acceptance required

Execute Targeted Sell‑Side Outreach Campaign

• Which sell-side segments should outreach target first (for example: top 10 sector analysts, potential new coverage analysts, or regional boutique desks)? Options: Top 10 sector analysts, Potential new coverage analysts, Regional boutiques, All sell-side contacts
• What outreach cadence do you want during the pilot (for example: one introductory call plus two follow-ups over 6 weeks)? Options: Intro call + 1 follow-up, Intro call + 2 follow-ups, Ongoing weekly outreach
• Which materials should accompany outreach touches (for example: investor deck, one-pager, model summary, or briefing packet)? Options: Investor deck, One-pager, Model summary, Briefing packet
• Who will provide the initial analyst target list and priority ranking (for example: your IR team, an internal stakeholder list, or we will propose one)? Options: You provide list, We propose list, Jointly develop list
• What success signal will indicate the outreach campaign is achieving objectives (for example: number of follow-up requests, new coverage commitments, or research initiation)? Options: Follow-up requests, New coverage commitments, Research initiation, Investor meeting requests
• Are there any regulatory blackout windows, embargo requirements, or quiet-period constraints we must observe during outreach? Options: Yes, No

Produce Roadshow Presentation and Leave‑Behind Materials

• Which roadshow format should materials be optimized for (for example: investor town-hall, small group meetings, or virtual roadshow)? Options: Investor town-hall, Small group meetings, Virtual roadshow, One-on-one investor meetings
• What leave-behind items do you require (for example: condensed investor deck, one-pager, model summary, and contact card)? Options: Condensed deck, One-pager, Model summary, Contact card
• Who will coordinate logistics and scheduling for the roadshow (for example: IR lead, external roadshow coordinator, or corporate events team)? Options: IR lead, External coordinator, Corporate events team, Combined
• How many cities or investor meetings should the pilot roadshow support and what is the target investor tier per meeting (for example: top-50 institutions)? Options: Top 10 meetings, Top 20 meetings, Top 50 meetings
• Which compliance or disclosure checks must be executed before distributing leave-behinds (for example: counsel clearance, trading blackout check, and disclosure committee sign-off)? Options: Counsel clearance, Trading blackout check, Disclosure committee sign-off, None required
• What file types and branding variants do you need for leave-behinds (for example: printable PDF, mobile-optimized PDF, and slide deck with speaker notes)? Options: Printable PDF, Mobile-optimized PDF, Slide deck with speaker notes

Deliver Shareholder Surveillance Reports

• Which shareholder groups should surveillance track (for example: top 50 institutional holders, recent 13D filers, proxies from activist filers)? Options: Top 50 institutional holders, Recent 13D filers, Activist proxy filers, Retail aggregation
• What cadence do you require for surveillance reporting during the pilot and subsequent quarters (for example: weekly holder movement reports, monthly trend analysis)? Options: Weekly reports, Biweekly reports, Monthly reports, Quarterly reports
• Which data points must appear in each report (for example: share movement, changes in analyst coverage, trading volume vs. peers, and short interest)? Options: Share movement, Analyst coverage changes, Trading volume vs peers, Short interest
• Who will receive the surveillance reports and how should sensitive findings be escalated (for example: direct to CFO and GC, or to an internal escalation channel)? Options: CFO + GC, IR team only, Full exec distribution, Custom escalation
• What threshold should trigger an activist or risk alert in the surveillance workflow (for example: >5% position change by a single holder or a new 13D filing)? Options: >5% single-holder change, New 13D filing, >10% aggregate change, Custom threshold
• What acceptance evidence will validate delivery of surveillance reports (for example: automated distribution log, acknowledgement from recipients, and dashboard availability)? Options: Distribution log + recipient acknowledgement, Dashboard live + notification, Email delivery only

• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Pilot Statement of Work (Pilot Work Order, 4–6 week diagnostic)
• Commercial Terms & Fee Schedule
• Data Access Authorization & Secure Access Plan
• Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
• Governance & Cadence Agreement
• Acceptance Criteria & Success Metrics Addendum
• Confidentiality & Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)
• Change Order Agreement

• success_criteria
• stakeholders
• gaps
• decision_readiness
• current_state
• desired_state
• stakeholders
• success_criteria
• desired_state
• gaps
• current_state
• decision_readiness
• stakeholders
• current_state
• gaps
• decision_readiness
• decision_readiness
• decision_readiness
• decision_readiness
• decision_readiness

• Go-live health check
• First measurement review
• Acceptance gate review (90 days)
• Quarterly performance and enhancement review

• Produce a one-page quarterly performance summary for distribution to management and the board.
• Deliver revised earnings script and analyst briefing notes by the agreed date.
• Restate acceptance criteria and required evidence
• Produce a documented pass or fail decision for each acceptance criterion recorded in Engagement Scope with a named signatory.
• Agree remediation tasks and timelines for any failed criteria and schedule validation checks.
• Publish the acceptance decision record with attached evidence and captured signatory.
• Create remediation tickets for any failed criteria with owners and deadlines.
• Schedule a follow-up validation meeting within 30 days to review remediation progress.
• Coverage and trading signals review
• Confirm whether coverage and ownership metrics are sustaining improvement or require additional intervention.
• Clear or reprioritize the enhancement backlog and assign owners for agreed items.
• Ensure upcoming earnings-cycle readiness items have named owners and deadlines.
• Update the shared enhancement backlog with agreed priorities, owners, and target delivery dates.
• Assign owners and timelines for any surveillance issues requiring immediate outreach to investors or analysts.
• Reconfirm success criteria and owners
• All named execution owners and access permissions required for fieldwork are confirmed.
• A timebound remediation plan is in place for any blockers identified during the check.
• The incumbent IR process is either retired or formally retained read-only with archival location confirmed.
• Publish a remediation tracker within 48 hours listing blockers, owners, and due dates.
• Provide confirmations of access to models, counsel, and the earnings calendar.
• Archive legacy IR artifacts or confirm read-only retention and record the archive location.
• Present first-period data against targets recorded in Engagement Scope
• Determine whether sell-side coverage count and institutional ownership percentage are trending toward targets and document the diagnosis for any gaps.
• Assign corrective actions with owners and target dates to address the top three gaps.
• Publish a prioritized corrective action list with owners, milestones, and due dates.
• Schedule targeted investor outreach to the high-priority accounts identified in the diagnosis.
• Present outcome data against each criterion
• Root-cause diagnosis for gaps
• Deployment and access validation
• Surveillance alerts and investor feedback
• Agree corrective actions and owners
• Enhancement request backlog and prioritization
• Document pass or fail and capture signatory
• Early adoption and activity signals
• Confirm timeline to the acceptance gate
• Incumbent IR wind-down confirmation
• Agree remediation plan for any failed criteria
• Operational readiness for next earnings cycle
• Confirm next steps and owners
• Open issues and remediation actions