Coaching for Annual Results Presentations: Unlocking IR Success
February 26, 2025
Do you have an annual results presentation coming up? Why do the best companies use coaching to prepare the c-suite when presenting results? What value can a coach add for a results presentation? How does a coach work with your IR team
Meet the Author: Benjamin Ball
Ben is the founder of Benjamin Ball Associates and leads the presentation coaching and pitch deck creation teams. Formerly a corporate financier in the City of London, for 20+ years he’s helped businesses win with better pitches and presentations, particularly investor pitches. He is a regular speaker and a guest lecturer at Columbia Business School and UCL London. Follow Ben on LinkedIn or visit the contact page.
Why Your Results Presentation Is So Important
Your annual results presentation is a key moment for your organisation. It’s a time when you communicate your company’s performance, celebrate achievements, address challenges, and set the tone for the future.
This isn’t just an opportunity to share data—it’s a chance to inspire confidence, build trust, and align analysts and shareholders. However, delivering a compelling annual results presentation is no easy feat. This is where coaching comes in.
What Role Can a Coach Play In Your Investor Relations?
Coaching for annual results presentations is a strategic investment that can transform a routine calendar event into a powerful communication event. Whether we are working with seasoned executives or first-time presenters, a coach can help them refine their messages, enhance their presentation delivery, and make sure investors are impressed.
In this article, we’ll explore how coaching can help you deliver a standout annual results presentation.
Why Use Coaching for Your Annual Results Presentations
1. Clarify Your Message
Annual results presentations are often packed with data, financial metrics, and strategic insights. A coach helps you distil this information into a clear, concise, and compelling narrative. By identifying the key takeaways and tailoring your message to your audience, you can feel confident that your presentation resonates and leaves a lasting impression.
2. Increase Confidence and Presence
Presenting to a room full of shareholders and analysts—whether in person or virtually—can be daunting. Coaching helps you build confidence by refining your delivery, body language, and vocal tone. A coach can also help you manage nerves, project authority, and maintain a strong presence throughout your presentation.
3. Improve Engagement and Storytelling
Data alone is dry and difficult to digest. A coach can help you weave your numbers into a compelling story or narrative that captures your audience’s attention. By incorporating storytelling techniques, you can make your presentation more relatable, memorable, and impactful.
One of the first questions we ask our clients is: “describe the impression you want to give investors”. Frequently the company has not thought this through. Once you know what you want to achieve with investors, it’s much easier to find the messages, the stories, the theme of the day. From this solid base you can develop a more powerful set of presentations. Tell a story; don’t dump data.
4. Polish Your Slides and Presentations
A coach can help you get a clear outside perspective on your visual aids. They can edit your slides so that you have a compelling document that works on the day, for your roadshow and leaves a lasting impression when loaded onto your website.
5. Handle Tough Questions Confidently
Annual results presentations usually include Q&A sessions, where analysts and shareholders may ask challenging or unexpected questions. A coach will prepare you to handle these moments with poise, providing strategies to respond thoughtfully and confidently.
6. Align Shareholders and Analysts
A coach can help you align your presentation with your broader IR goals and position your business most effectively in the market. This will help build confidence in the management team and your strategy.
CASE STUDY Immediate Impact on Share Price
A few years ago, we worked with a $1bn Finnish chemical company prepare for their annual results presentation. With coaching, we helped them achieve a number of things:
they simplified their story for investors
their investor proposition was clearer and addressed analyst concerns
slides were tidied and unified
the management team were coached to give compelling presentations
With our help they saw a 10% uplift in their share price – despite no new news. It was the same information they had presented before, but structured clearly and presented persuasively.
Key Elements of Coaching for Your Annual Results Presentation
1. Develop Your Message
Coaching begins with crafting a clear and compelling message. This involves identifying the key points you want to convey, structuring your presentation logically, and ensuring that your content aligns with your audience’s expectations and interests.
2. Improve Delivery Skills
A coach will work with you on your delivery, including your tone, pace, and body language. They’ll help you project confidence, maintain eye contact, and use gestures effectively to engage your audience.
3. Create Compelling Visual Aids and Slides
Your slides should complement your message, not overwhelm it. A coach can provide feedback on your slide content, ensuring that they work effectively, easy to understand, and are aligned with your narrative.
4. Rehearse and Get Feedback
Practice makes perfect. A coach will guide you through rehearsals, providing constructive feedback and helping you refine your presentation. This process builds muscle memory and ensures that you’re fully prepared for the big day.
Why Pick Benjamin Ball Associates for Your Annual Results Coaching
At Benjamin Ball Associates, we’ve been coaching firms people to improve their investor presentations for over 15 years. Our coaching is fast and effective. We work with individuals and with companies, one-to-one and in groups. Call us today to learn more.
“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”
Tips to Create a Standout Annual Results Presentation
1. Start with a Strong Opening
Capture your audience’s attention from the very beginning. Use a powerful statistic, a compelling story, or a thought-provoking question to set the tone for your presentation.
2. Be Clear About the Big Picture
While it’s important to share detailed results, don’t lose sight of the bigger picture. Highlight how your achievements and challenges align with your company’s long-term IR goals.
3. Be Transparent and Authentic
Stakeholders appreciate honesty. Acknowledge challenges and setbacks, and explain how you’re addressing them. Authenticity builds trust and credibility.
4. Use Visuals Wisely
Incorporate charts, graphs, and visuals to make your data more digestible. However, avoid cluttering your slides with too much information. Keep them clean and tight.
CASE STUDY Improve Analyst Perception of CEO
Mr A., the CEO of one of Europe’s largest supermarket chains had a problem. Shareholders and analysts had doubts about him. Although the business was performing well and had a strong track record of growth, shareholders were not happy. For example: when he presented, he read from a script. He didn’t smile and his answers to investor questions we curt and unhelpful. Shareholders look for leaders with executive presence.
We worked with the CEO to help him polish how he was perceived. We coached him to use a script without it looking like a script. He learned how to deliver his presentations and how to answer questions effectively. And with training he understood how to stand and hold himself so that he looked as impressive as his company’s performance.
After the next results presentation there were no more questions about his leadership. He remains in post and continues to polish his skills every year so that he looks stronger and stronger. The company has gone from strength to strength.
The ROI of Coaching Your Team
Investing in coaching for your annual results presentation delivers measurable returns. A well-delivered presentation will strengthen shareholder and analyst understanding, boost investor confidence, and enhance your company’s reputation. It can also empower you to communicate more effectively, both internally and externally.
Ultimately, coaching is about more than just preparing for a single event—it’s about building skills that will serve you throughout your career. By working with a coach, you’ll gain the tools and confidence you need to excel in high-stakes communication scenarios, ensuring that your message always lands with impact.
Dealing with Analyst and Investor Questions
The Q&A session often poses your greatest challenge. Thorough coaching includes:
Anticipating difficult questions from analysts and shareholders
Practising your responses to potential challenges e.g. about underperformance or change in strategy
Developing techniques for addressing questions outside your prepared remarks
Building your confidence in handling unexpected lines of inquiry
How Coaching Can Help You
The annual results presentation is a defining moment for your company, and the stakes are high. Coaching will give you the guidance, support, and expertise you need to deliver a presentation that informs, inspires, and engages your shareholders. By investing in coaching, you’re not just preparing for a presentation—you’re unlocking the potential to improve your investor relations and shareholder perceptions.
So, as you gear up for your next annual results presentation, consider partnering with a coach. It could be the key to transforming your performance and leaving a lasting impression on your shareholders & analysts.
Next Steps in Improving Your Annual Results Presentation
Call us to discuss how we can help you run a memorable annual results presentation. We’ll coach your team so that your investors feel happy, confident and excited about your future.
Call Louise Angus, our client services director today on +44 20 7018 0922 or email info@benjaminball.com.
Why Choose Us: Transform your pitches and presentations with tailored coaching
We can help you present brilliantly.Thousands of people have benefitted from our tailored in-house coaching and advice – and we can help you too.
“I honestly thought it was the most valuable 3 hours I’ve spent with anyone in a long time.”
Mick May, CEO, Blue Sky
For 15+ years we’ve been the trusted choice for leading businesses and executives throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East. We’ll help you improve corporate presentations through presentation coaching, public speaking training and expert advice on pitching to investors.
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1. What is coaching for annual results presentations?
Coaching for annual results presentations is a tailored process where a professional coach helps you prepare and deliver a compelling, impactful presentation. It helps you refine your message, enhance your delivery skills, and ensure you connect effectively with your audience.
2. Why do I need coaching for my annual results presentation?
Coaching helps you: – Clarify and simplify complex information. – Build confidence and improve your delivery. – Engage your audience through storytelling. – Handle tough questions with ease. – Align your presentation with your IR goals.
It ensures you make the most of this critical opportunity to communicate your company’s performance and vision.
3. Who can benefit from this type of coaching?
Anyone responsible for delivering an annual results presentation can benefit, including: – CEOs and executives. – Financial officers presenting results. – Managers or team leaders representing their department. – First-time presenters who want to make a strong impression.
4. What does the coaching process involve?
The coaching process often includes: – Developing a clear and compelling message. – Writing effective visual aids and slides. – Practising delivery techniques (tone, body language, pacing). – Rehearsing and receiving constructive feedback. – Preparing for Q&A sessions and challenging questions.
5. How long does it take to prepare with a coach?
The timeline depends on your experience level and the complexity of your presentation. Frequently, coaching sessions span a few weeks, with regular rehearsals and feedback. Even a single session can provide valuable insights and improvements.
6. Can coaching help with virtual presentations?
Absolutely! Coaching is especially valuable for virtual presentations, where engagement can be more challenging. A coach can help you adapt your delivery for online platforms, use technology effectively, and maintain a strong presence even through a screen.
7. What if I’m already confident in my presentation skills?
Even experienced presenters can benefit from coaching. A coach provides an outside perspective, helps you refine your message, and ensures your presentation is as impactful as possible. It’s an opportunity to elevate your skills further.
8. How do I choose the right coach?
Look for a coach with: – Experience in executive or corporate communication. – A track record of helping clients deliver successful results presentations. – Strong feedback and testimonials from previous clients. – A coaching style that aligns with your needs and personality.
9. What are the benefits of storytelling in my presentation?
Storytelling makes your data relatable and memorable. It helps you: – Connect emotionally with your audience. – Simplify complex information. – Highlight key achievements and challenges in a compelling way.
A coach can help you weave storytelling into your presentation seamlessly.
10. How can I handle tough questions during the Q&A session?
A coach will help you: – Anticipate potential questions. – Develop clear, concise responses. – Stay calm and confident under pressure. – Redirect questions to reinforce your key messages.
11. What if I don’t have time for coaching?
Even a single coaching session can make a significant difference. Coaches can provide quick, actionable tips to improve your presentation, such as refining your opening, simplifying your slides, or practising key delivery techniques.
12. How much does coaching for annual results presentations cost?
Costs vary depending on the coach’s experience, the number of sessions, and the level of customisation. Many professionals find the investment worthwhile, given the high stakes of annual results presentations.
13. Can coaching help with team presentations?
Yes! If you’re presenting as part of a team, a coach can help ensure consistency in messaging, smooth transitions between speakers, and a cohesive delivery style. Team coaching can also build confidence and collaboration among presenters.
14. How soon should I start coaching before my presentation?
The earlier, the better! Starting a few weeks in advance gives you time to refine your message, practice your delivery, and incorporate feedback. However, even last-minute coaching can provide valuable insights and improvements.
15. What’s the ultimate goal of coaching for annual results presentations?
The goal is to help you deliver a presentation that: – Clearly communicates your company’s performance. – Engages and inspires your audience. – Builds trust and confidence among stakeholders. – Positions you and your organisation for future success.
If you have more questions or are ready to start talking, reach out to us today. Your annual results presentation is a powerful opportunity—we can help you.
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