As the quarter draws to a close, preparing for the upcoming earnings season becomes a top priority for any investor relations consulting firm. It is essential to ensure that investor relations (IR) consultants are deeply involved in key meetings with the CFO and Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) teams. These interactions are crucial for shaping the narrative of the quarter and providing clear guidance for investors. This article delves into the importance of this involvement and offers insights into how IR consultants can maximize their effectiveness during this critical period.
The Role of Investor Relations Consultants in Earnings Preparation
Investor relations consultants play a pivotal role in the earnings preparation process. Their primary responsibility is to bridge the communication gap between the company's financial performance and the expectations of the investment community. By participating in meetings with the CFO and FP&A teams, IR consultants gain a comprehensive understanding of the quarter's performance, which is essential for crafting accurate and compelling narratives.
During these meetings, investor relations consultants should focus on several key areas:
1. Assessing the Quarter’s Performance: Understanding how the quarter went in terms of financial metrics, operational achievements, and strategic milestones is vital. This assessment helps IR consultants identify the strengths and weaknesses that need to be communicated to investors.
2. Guidance and Forecasting: Gaining insights into the company's future guidance and forecasts is crucial. This information enables IR consultants to manage investor expectations effectively and provide a clear outlook on the company's trajectory.
3. Identifying Hot Buttons: Recognizing the significant issues or "hot buttons" that arose during the quarter helps IR consultants prepare for potential investor questions. Addressing these proactively can build investor confidence and trust.
Shaping the Narrative with Accurate Information
Investor relations consultancy involves more than just relaying financial data. It requires crafting a compelling narrative that resonates with investors and accurately reflects the company's performance and future prospects. The information gathered from CFO and FP&A meetings serves as the foundation for this narrative.
Investor relations consulting firms emphasize the importance of integrating qualitative insights with quantitative data. This approach helps create a holistic view of the company's performance. For instance, while financial results are crucial, explaining the strategic decisions, market conditions, and operational achievements that influenced these results can provide a richer context for investors.
Moreover, the narrative should be consistent across all communication channels, including earnings calls, press releases, and investor presentations. Consistency ensures that investors receive a clear and unified message, reducing the risk of misunderstandings or misinterpretations.
Crafting Effective Scripts and Q&A
One of the most critical tasks for investor relations consultants during earnings season is preparing scripts and Q&A for earnings calls. These materials must be meticulously crafted to ensure they convey the right message and address potential investor concerns.
Script Writing: The earnings call script should provide a comprehensive overview of the quarter's performance, highlighting key achievements and addressing any challenges faced. It should also outline future guidance and strategic initiatives. The script should be clear, concise, and engaging, avoiding jargon or overly technical language that might confuse investors.
Q&A Preparation: Anticipating investor questions is a crucial aspect of IR consulting. Investor relations consultants should prepare detailed responses to likely questions, ensuring that all potential concerns are addressed. This preparation involves collaborating with various departments, including finance, operations, and legal, to gather accurate and relevant information.
Ensuring Consistency and Transparency
Investor relations consultants must prioritize consistency and transparency in all communications. Investors value transparency, and being upfront about both successes and challenges can build credibility and trust. Any discrepancies between the information provided and the actual performance can lead to a loss of investor confidence.
Consistency in messaging also extends to the timing of disclosures. Investor relations consultancy firms advise coordinating closely with internal teams to ensure that all relevant information is disclosed promptly and in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Final Thoughts
Investor relations consulting firms play an indispensable role during earnings season, helping companies navigate the complexities of financial reporting and investor communication. By ensuring that IR consultants are involved in key meetings with the CFO and FP&A teams, companies can create a well-rounded narrative that accurately reflects their performance and future prospects.
The expertise of investor relations consultants in assessing performance, shaping narratives, and preparing effective scripts and Q&A can significantly enhance a company's communication strategy. As the earnings season approaches, prioritizing these elements can lead to more successful investor relations outcomes and foster stronger investor confidence.
Your team’s hitting targets. Revenue is growing. Internally, things look strong. So why does your stock feel… stuck?
For many CEOs, this is the frustrating reality. You’ve done the work, but the market hasn’t caught up. And while your IR team or PR agency is busy sending updates and polishing scripts, investor sentiment remains lukewarm.
This blog is for CEOs who suspect something deeper is broken — and are ready to fix it. We’ll unpack what most IR firms miss, why the gap between story and valuation keeps widening, and what a truly strategic investor relations partnercan do to close it.
The False Comfort of “Doing IR Right”
You’re in the boardroom. Growth is up. Margins are solid. Your CFO has just wrapped a glowing report. But the stock? Flat. Or worse—down.
Management wants answers. Your team’s exhausted. And you’re stuck thinking: We’ve done everything right… so why isn’t the market responding?
That’s the trap. Most CEOs—especially those new to the public markets—assume that having an in-house investor relations team, or retaining an IR firm, means the IR box is ticked. Press releases are sent. Earnings calls are prepped. Messaging is aligned. Job done.
But this assumption creates what we call false comfort. It’s the illusion that investor relations activity equals investor relations impact.
Here’s the hard truth: just because you’re doing IR “right” doesn’t mean you’re doing the right IR.
The difference? One maintains the machinery. The other drives outcomes.
A strategic IR firm doesn’t just coordinate communication—it engineers investor confidence. It connects your operational narrative to public-market psychology. It translates execution into valuation. And crucially, it closes the valuation gap between what you know you’re worth and what the Street is willing to pay.
It’s also worth saying: if your current IR setup is led by a PR agency or communications team, that’s not IR. Public relations builds awareness. Investor relations builds conviction. The market doesn’t reward your company for being visible—it rewards it for being trusted.
If your IR partner isn’t helping you shape perception, position your KPIs, and prepare for strategic investor moments like earnings Q&A, they’re not really an IR firm. They’re just a broadcast channel.
And in a market this crowded, broadcasting isn’t enough.
The Real Reason Investors Aren’t Biting
You’re growing. The fundamentals are strong. Internally, everyone agrees—you’re ahead of the curve. But investors aren’t leaning in. Analyst coverage is thin. Buy-side interest feels tepid. And your valuation hasn’t budged in months.
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So what’s going on?
Here’s what investors won’t always tell you outright—but think constantly:
“They’re growing, sure. But I can’t model the upside to underwrite a higher valuation. I don’t have any conviction in where this is going.”
This is the cost of misalignment between your internal narrative and external market perception. And it’s one of the biggest hidden failures of traditional investor relations strategy.
Let’s break down the core reasons investors tune you out—regardless of your results:
1. Mismatched KPIs
You might be showing revenue growth, customer wins, or product expansion. But if those metrics don’t help investors build a forecast model with confidence, they’re irrelevant. Investors don’t just want results—they want repeatable mechanisms of value. And if you’re not showing those, you’re not analyzable.
2. Inconsistent Messaging
If one quarter you emphasise operational efficiency, and the next you pivot to market share growth, you’re not building a coherent story. Investors don’t know what to believe—or worse, what to benchmark against. The narrative feels like it’s shifting goalposts. That’s not strategy—it’s noise.
3. No Cohesive Valuation Narrative
If you’re not actively telling investors how to analyze your company, they’ll default to comparisons that may not be right. And those comparisons might not favor you. Without a proper narrative—complete with relevant KPIs, milestones, and market context—you risk being grouped with less innovative peers. Or ignored altogether.
The consequences are real: weak analyst ratings, higher cost of capital, lower institutional interest, and ultimately, stock underperformance.
This is the valuation gap. It’s not just about numbers—it’s about perception. And perception is a function of strategic communication, not just performance.
If your IR firm isn’t diagnosing and repairing this disconnect, they’re not helping you solve the problem. They’re just relaying it and unfortunately, repeating it.
Rethinking What an IR Firm Should Actually Do
If your current IR firm isn’t talking about valuation, you don’t have a strategist—you’ve got a vendor.
That might sound harsh, but for CEOs, it’s the root of the problem. The IR firm is “active.” Emails go out. Earnings calls are booked. There’s a press release every other week. But when you ask why the stock hasn’t moved, all you get are excuses or silence.
Here’s the truth: traditional IR firms were built for logistics and disclosure—not market psychology. They execute, but they rarely advise. And they definitely don’t build the kind of strategic messaging architecture needed to drive a re-rating.
Switching from a traditional IR provider to a strategic IR firm is like switching from a printer to a publisher. You’re no longer just pushing out content—you’re shaping how investors see and value your company.
Some of the biggest surprises CEOs mention when they make the switch?
Realising their Q&A answers were never pressure-tested.
Discovering analysts had been using the wrong metrics to drive valuation
Learning their most important KPIs weren’t being used to drive analyst models
That’s why Resurge IR exists. We don’t replace your internal IR team—we partner with them. We collaborate with your CFO and leadership, offering specialized CEO services and coaching to build investor confidence using tools your comms agency never offered. It’s not about stepping on toes. It’s about multiplying impact.
Here’s what we mean:
Strategic IR Comparison (Dark Theme)
Feature / Focus Area
Traditional IR Firm
Strategic IR Partner (Resurge IR)
Core Mindset
Press release machine
Valuation-driven advisor
Narrative Development
Generic, compliance-focused
Tailored to growth story + market psychology
Investor Messaging
Reactive, often siloed
Integrated with business strategy and KPIs
Earnings Call Prep
Light touch, last-minute scripting
Deep coaching for CEO/CFO + Q&A simulation
Internal Team Dynamics
Perceived as threat to IR/CFO
Collaborative, augmenting in-house capabilities
KPI and Guidance Support
Rarely addressed
Central to messaging and investor confidence
Analyst Engagement
Passive — waits for coverage
Proactive — builds relationships and trust
Valuation Focus
Not discussed or measured
Core KPI — “valuation alignment” is a deliverable
Accountability
Set-it-and-forget-it retainers
Flexible model tied to strategic outcomes
Board & Investor Alignment
Minimal engagement
Hands-on support with board decks & positioning
Most IR firms sell communication. Strategic IR sells confidence—and confidence is what drives valuation.
The Valuation Conversation: What Investors Really Want to Hear
Two companies report 20% year-over-year growth.
One gets upgraded by analysts. The other gets ignored.
Why? Because one framed its numbers in a way investors could model, analyse, and project. The other didn’t.
This is the secret behind KPI design—and why it’s one of the most overlooked parts of your investor relations strategy.
When investors evaluate your company, they don’t just want performance—they want predictability. They’re not looking at your numbers in isolation. They’re asking: Do I trust this? Can I build a case around this? That means the way you frame metrics matters just as much as the metrics themselves.
Designing KPIs for investor confidence means aligning internal success measures with external expectations. It’s not about vanity stats—it’s about giving the Street a way to believe in your trajectory.
Here’s what that looks like at different stages:
Growth Stage KPIs (Dark Theme)
Growth Stage
Company KPIs
Investor Expectations
Early Growth
Customer acquisition rate, Monthly active users
Clear market fit and early traction
Mid-Stage Expansion
Revenue growth %, Burn rate reduction
Path to profitability, efficient scaling
Pre-IPO
EBITDA margin, bookings growth, CAC:LTV
Forecast accuracy, strategic clarity
Post-IPO (Year 1)
EPS forecast, margin consistency
Consistent performance, beat-and-raise cadence
Mature Public Company
Free cash flow, Return on equity
Stable earnings, strong capital allocation
At Resurge IR, our IR consulting servicesincorporate a proprietary approach called the Valuation Narrative System™—a framework that ensures every metric you present supports a compelling, analyzable growth story.
The principles of this system are also foundational to our specialized IPO readiness and preparation services, guiding companies to articulate their value clearly as they prepare to go public.
We won’t dive into the full methodology here, but the core principle is this: metrics should create belief. When they do, valuation follows.
How to Advocate for Strategic IR Inside Your Company
You’ve got 15 minutes to win buy-in — and a team that’s already stretched thin.
That’s the real challenge facing CEOs today. The idea of bringing in a strategic IR partner sounds smart in theory, but you still have to convince a cautious CFO, a potentially defensive IR lead, and management that expects every initiative to show ROI fast.
Start with shared frustration. “Our stock doesn’t reflect our performance.” That’s something your management are likely already muttering under their breath. Align around that pain. You’re not selling a vendor—you’re addressing a valuation problem.
Then reframe the ask. This isn’t “extra work” for the team—it’s a performance multiplier. Strategic IR isn’t about replacing anyone. It’s about giving your internal talent the tools, coaching, and data to move the needle externally. You’re not undermining your team. You’re backing them up.
Next, speak their language. Talk outcomes, not effort. Say: “If this helps us close the valuation gap within two quarters, it pays for itself ten times over.” Focus on sentiment shifts, analyst coverage, smoother earnings calls.
And finally, neutralise the budget question. “This isn’t a black box retainer. It’s a transparent engagement tied to strategic milestones.” The moment they see metrics, accountability, and flexibility, it stops sounding like a cost—and starts sounding like a solution.
We’ve helped leadership teams have this conversation dozens of times. You don’t have to navigate it alone.
Ready to Rethink IR?
The market doesn’t reward activity—it rewards conviction. If your investor relations strategy is still focused on logistics and compliance, you’re leaving valuation on the table.
Every earnings call you survive without a story that inspires analysts is another quarter of underperformance. Every investor meeting that ends in polite confusion chips away at your credibility. And every board meeting with flat numbers and rising tension? That’s pressure you can’t afford to ignore.
We’ve led IR strategies through IPOs, re-ratings, and high-stakes transitions—helping CEOs rebuild trust, reshape narratives, and reignite valuation momentum.
If you’re ready to stop explaining why your stock is stuck and start building a story the market believes in, let’s talk.
At Resurge IR, our IR consulting servicesincorporate a proprietary approach called the Valuation Narrative System™—a framework that ensures every metric you present supports a compelling, analyzable growth story.
The principles of this system are also foundational to our specialized IPO readiness and preparation services, guiding companies to articulate their value clearly as they prepare to go public.
We won’t dive into the full methodology here, but the core principle is this: metrics should create belief. When they do, valuation follows.
How to Advocate for Strategic IR Inside Your Company
You’ve got 15 minutes to win buy-in — and a team that’s already stretched thin.
That’s the real challenge facing CEOs today. The idea of bringing in a strategic IR partner sounds smart in theory, but you still have to convince a cautious CFO, a potentially defensive IR lead, and management that expects every initiative to show ROI fast.
Start with shared frustration. “Our stock doesn’t reflect our performance.” That’s something your management are likely already muttering under their breath. Align around that pain. You’re not selling a vendor—you’re addressing a valuation problem.
Then reframe the ask. This isn’t “extra work” for the team—it’s a performance multiplier. Strategic IR isn’t about replacing anyone. It’s about giving your internal talent the tools, coaching, and data to move the needle externally. You’re not undermining your team. You’re backing them up.
Next, speak their language. Talk outcomes, not effort. Say: “If this helps us close the valuation gap within two quarters, it pays for itself ten times over.” Focus on sentiment shifts, analyst coverage, smoother earnings calls.
And finally, neutralise the budget question. “This isn’t a black box retainer. It’s a transparent engagement tied to strategic milestones.” The moment they see metrics, accountability, and flexibility, it stops sounding like a cost—and starts sounding like a solution.
We’ve helped leadership teams have this conversation dozens of times. You don’t have to navigate it alone.
Ready to Rethink IR?
The market doesn’t reward activity—it rewards conviction. If your investor relations strategy is still focused on logistics and compliance, you’re leaving valuation on the table.
Every earnings call you survive without a story that inspires analysts is another quarter of underperformance. Every investor meeting that ends in polite confusion chips away at your credibility. And every board meeting with flat numbers and rising tension? That’s pressure you can’t afford to ignore.
We’ve led IR strategies through IPOs, re-ratings, and high-stakes transitions—helping CEOs rebuild trust, reshape narratives, and reignite valuation momentum.
If you’re ready to stop explaining why your stock is stuck and start building a story the market believes in, let’s talk.
