Networking and investor events
How to Get More Value From Investor Events: 10 Tips
How to Maximize ROI at Investor Events | Tips from Family Office Club CEO Richard C. Wilson
Founders, fund managers and investors who attend investor conferences and want a plan for meeting family offices and other investors.
What to take from this talk
- Plant a seed, do not close. Richard says that unless the check is very small, the goal at an event is usually not to close someone that day. It is to add value and start a relationship. Richard says who refers a deal can sometimes matter as much as the merits of the deal.
- Say it in one sentence. Richard says investors often give only 3 to 5 seconds to a voicemail, a pitch deck page or an email line. He says a family office with over a billion dollars told him it gets 100 emails a week and moves past 99% of them quickly. A clear one-liner is inexpensive to produce.
- Add value before you ask. Asking strangers if they will invest usually gets a no. Richard cold emailed a $100 million family about a growth financing idea. Richard says both co-founders replied the same day, which he credits to the value being clear in a sentence and a half.
- Learn deal structures. Richard says time spent learning about deal structures can pay off for investors and raisers alike. Many sponsors talk to a securities attorney about how to structure a deal.
- Listen before you network. People who try hardest to meet everyone can miss the stage content. Listening shows what each investor is focused on, so outreach can be precise. Richard points out real estate made up about 30% of the content at one event.
The short version
Richard C. Wilson draws on about 300 events over 18 years to give 10 tips for getting more from an investor event. He starts with the case for meeting in person, which he cites studies as showing is 16 times more effective than Zoom, LinkedIn or email. Family offices are hard to reach, so being in the room puts a face with a name.
The goal at an event, he says, is to plant a seed and build a relationship, not to close a check on the spot. The tips cover a one-sentence summary, clear materials, deal structure knowledge, adding value first, listening to the panels, and spotting quiet wealth. He also explains why the event runs 35 to 40 speakers per day with no paid keynotes.
On the record
- Richard says his investor club has hosted about 300 events over 18 years.
- Standalone talks at his events run 15 minutes, strategy sessions are usually 20 minutes, and 35 to 40 speakers appear on stage per day.
- The Investor Club Edge newsletter on LinkedIn has put out 85 editions and has about 52,000 subscribers.
Sources
From Richard C. Wilson's Centimillionaire Strategies YouTube channel: How to Maximize ROI at Investor Events | Tips from Family Office Club CEO Richard C. Wilson. Quotes come from the video captions, lightly edited for readability. Figures are the speakers' own estimates and experience.
General education only. Not legal, tax or investment advice.
Talk to a securities attorney to explore options around deal structure options, equity and share classes and offering documents. Do not use AI to write your own legal agreements.
Worth quoting
"The goal isn't to close somebody today on investing with you. It's to plant a seed. It's to add value, to create a relationship."
"You have 3 to 5 seconds: the first sentence of your voicemail, the first page or two of your pitch deck, the first line of your email to get their attention."
"Sometimes people that try the hardest get the least value because they're outside networking the whole time."
Related questions
- Which investor conferences are worth attending for fundraising?The conferences worth your time have real investors on stage, a team that has run many events, and plenty of time to meet people in person.
- How do I close a funding round?I close a funding round by focusing on investors who fit the opportunity and moving each interested prospect through clear, consistent follow-up.
- What documents do investors request during due diligence?Prepare a clear, organized package covering your operations, investments, compensation, team, and track record.
Questions about this video
Why does Richard say to meet investors in person?
He cites studies showing in-person meetings are 16 times more effective than Zoom, LinkedIn or email. Family offices get more email than they can answer, so a face with a name helps.
What should a person have ready before an investor event?
Richard lists a one-liner, a 1 to 3 minute founder video, a unique focus, a one-pager rather than only a 44 page deck, and a headshot on business cards and email signatures. He says few people in a room, in his experience, have all of them.
Why does he warn against judging wealth by appearance?
He says many family office investors are quiet about their wealth. Someone in the car wash business may have sold 150 locations, and the least flashy person can be the wealthiest in the room.
Put this into practice with the one-liner builder. See all networking and investor events resources.
