Investor narratives
How to Build an Investor Narrative Without Resorting to Hype
A strong investor narrative is an argument, not an adjective. It states what the company is, why the market is moving, what the company has proven, and what it intends to prove next — with the evidence attached to each claim.
Vizianary Editorial · Published · Updated · Reviewed by Vizianary editorial
Experienced investors have heard every superlative. What they have not heard is a clear account of why this company wins and what would have to be true for it to fail.
Separate the four claims
- What the company is, stated without qualifiers.
- Why the market is changing in a direction that favors it.
- What has already been proven, with evidence.
- What the next stage is intended to prove, and by when.
Name the risk before it is named for you
Stating the primary risk and the company's plan for it converts a diligence ambush into a demonstration of judgment. Omitting it does not make it invisible; it makes the rest of the narrative look less careful.
Unsupported claims are expensive
One unsupported claim reduces the credibility of the supported ones. Restraint is not modesty here; it is a way of making the strong parts of the story count.
Slides are evidence of thinking. Judgment is the product.