← Cases·EssayCommunication & PR

The secret to
a successful IPO.

Stringent communication is one of the most important — and most overlooked — factors in a successful public listing.

Jonathan SzpirtMay 20212 min read
The challenge

Going public on the stock exchange represents a crucial milestone requiring focused effort. Many companies preparing for public listings discover that investor communications represents genuinely unfamiliar territory.

Several factors influence market psychology during listings: valuation, analyst coverage, timing, and company communications. Media outlets and financial analysts significantly shape outcomes — and navigating that landscape is a learnable discipline.

Small and medium-sized enterprises face a particular challenge. When investors remain unaware of company value, potential, products, and clientele, even solid investment cases suffer. Pre-IPO media coverage builds investor interest and typically produces more attractive valuations and sustained stock interest afterward.

The framework

Four principles that separate the successful listings from the rest.

Click each principle to expand.

Preparation window

The minimum communications runway before IPO day.

T–6 months
Communications audit & narrative foundation

Identify gaps in market awareness. Build the core investment narrative. Begin spokesperson preparation.

T–4 months
Media seeding & analyst outreach

Targeted pre-IPO coverage in key financial and sector publications. Begin briefing relevant sell-side analysts.

T–2 months
Roadshow preparation & materials

Finalise investor presentation. Conduct intensive media training. Prepare Q&A for hostile questions.

T–0
Listing day & post-IPO communications

Coordinated announcement across all channels. Immediate transition into ongoing IR programme.

“The best-performing corporations on the stock exchange are also often those with the best investor communications.”

Jonathan Szpirt, Managing Director — Szpirt & Co.
~10

Nasdaq IPOs supported by Szpirt & Co. in 2020–2021

A new reality

CEOs of newly listed SMEs typically become the primary spokesperson — a role transformation that demands deliberate preparation. Post-listing, companies must comply with strict rules requiring timely disclosure of all information potentially affecting stock price, whether favourable or unfavourable.

The IPO marks merely the beginning of continuous communicative requirements. Long-term share price development demands clear investor policies and sustained positive relationships with investors and analysts.

The bottom line

Communication is not a last-mile problem. It is a strategic asset built over months — and the companies that treat it that way tend to outperform those that do not.

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