While researching for a benchmark report into oil and gas companies this week, I came across this example of a great way of communicating with your retail investors.
Petrobras run a live chat session with their Individual Investor Manager, and then post the transcript of the session for future reference, with an archive going back to 2001. Most of these sessions deal with the quarterly results, but some cover the business plans and strategy.
Yes, these are all in Portuguese, but what a great idea! Individual investors can raise questions and have them answered, in public. Petrobras enhances its reputation for being open and accessible to all.
You would need to publicise a forthcoming chat session clearly, probably from the home page, and possibly even emailing any retail investors for whom you had contact information. Petrobras flag it up on the landing page for Investors.
This is worth thinking about – especially if your retail investors are feeling ignored in favour of the professionals.
Lucy is Editor at Corporate Eye
