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any for a total collapse of the economy expected the COVID-19 global pandemic. The lack of jobs led people to engage in entrepreneurship and open startups. In many countries, the number of new firms has reached unprecedented levels. According to the US Census Bureau, only in the U.S. last month did the number of new companies increase by 1,6%.
Startups and entrepreneurship are closely tied to outside investment. It is challenging to grow a thriving business without the necessary capital. It is hard to scale a business without expanding the team and developing and transforming it. Therefore, those lucky enough to find an investor often write investor updates and share their successes with those who believe in their company. In this new article, we share what this involves and how to share relevant information about your firm with investors properly using the investor update template below.
What is an investor update template, and why an entrepreneur cannot do without it
If you have been in business a long time and know an investor update, you can skip this part and read below. It is best to explain briefly what this paper is for everyone else.
An investor update is a document that the CEO or owner of a business provides to investors. It gives information regarding the business over the last month or quarter. Usually, it summarizes news about the company, successes, and challenges over the past period.
The importance of such a document is the fact that without regular renewals, your startup may not get the next investment payment. Through updates for the entrepreneur, investors will know how successful the business growth strategy has been chosen and what should be changed or improved during the company's operation.
How to make an investor update? Template for entrepreneurs
The essence of the investor update template is its simplicity. You have no need to write an essay; just do a brief update to an investor. How exactly should this be done, and what points should be covered in this document?
What should an investor update include:
- Subject: Always include the email subject line. First, this will allow the investor to find it in an endless list of other messages quickly. Second, it is the subject line that will help you fast track the progress of your business, what you have managed to overcome, and what steps you have taken to do so.
- A brief report for the past month: This should tell you how the startup's market is developing, what steps you have taken to reach a break-even point, what employees were hired, and what they are doing in the team. It's not just important to include the person's role and activities , but also what that person does for the team and the company as a whole. You should also add a few words about what research has been done and discuss interesting analytical data. Let's say you work in agriculture. Your city has had a significant reform in the agricultural industry, enabling you to pay less tax or buy equipment on credit on favorable terms. Such things are worth noting because they have a direct impact on business.
- Share performance: It is difficult for investors to understand the ins and outs of a particular startup because they may have 10, 20, 30, or even more similar projects. For this reason, company owners or CEOs usually publish a 5-point scale column evaluating their successes. What are the most relevant indicators to use in such a document? The following items are often taken in an investor update: Team, Runway, Product/Service, Traction, and Fundraising.
- Economic indicators: In this part, it is crucial to show how many leads you have managed to attract, how many of them have converted to customers, and how many are active users of your product or service. It is best to break these numbers down by week, not by month or quarter, to get a complete picture.
- Business needs: In this part, it's important to state what else you need to succeed. For example, your investor knows an excellent professional working in your industry. Or you need another team member whose tasks no one else can do.
These are probably the main factors you will need when writing an investor update. Try not to overload your document with unnecessary information to avoid confusing investors. Stay concise, but don't forget to include essential details.
Also, for your business to grow as well as possible or to find an investor, use a personal CRM for business relationships. Download Nection to keep in contact with potential partners, investors, or future employees in one place. With this app, you can stay in touch with the people you want, set the frequency of your interactions with them and find information for your icebreaker. This CRM shows your contact's latest tweets, news about that person, your weather, birthday information, and much more.