If you are the executive of a publicly traded company, how do you connect with your retail shareholders? Even the best public and community relations programs leave gaps in your communication strategy. The same is true for the individual investor. How does the retail shareholder communicate with the companies they invest in? They can vote in shareholder elections and submit questions to the board, but there are few chances for these important investors to connect with management.

TiiCKER is designed to connect retail shareholders with the companies they invest in and are passionate about. It is also designed to create a communication pipeline from the company to the investor via perks earned through stock ownership.

A Harris Poll conducted in conjunction with TiiCKER found that publicly traded companies behind leading consumer brands would likely find greater value by engaging directly with their individual investors. The survey also notes that these individuals — those who own stock outside of managed plans like 401(k)s and IRAs — are more likely to become loyal customers.

The vast majority (80%) indicated they are loyal to the brands and companies they have invested in, and 77% indicated a public company could strengthen that loyalty by offering a shareholder reward or perk.

According to data from the World Economic Forum, retail investors accounted for 52% of all global investments in 2021, which is expected to grow to more than 61% by 2030. Data from Visual Capitalist revealed that peak net retail flows in 2023 were 84% higher than in 2019, and the highest in-flow of retail capital in history on a single day exceeded $1.5 billion in the United States. Retail investors not only affect stock prices due to their massive buying power but also have become a major force in the outcome of many key corporate votes, especially proxy battles.

As the power of the retail investor grows, it is becoming increasingly important for public companies to communicate with this vital group. Today, shareholders are demanding corporate accountability on a variety of issues, ranging from compensation and human capital management to governance and board diversity. That makes communication between the two groups critical.

Shareholder engagement comes in a variety of forms at a publicly traded company. Proxy statements, investor relations activities and earnings calls help create some connections. These communication methods tend to be generic and designed more for institutional shareholders. The outreach may or may not appeal to retail shareholders. Most public companies do not have a formal program to communicate with individual investors.

It is a huge missed opportunity. Creating a successful communication program with retail shareholders begins with understanding their motivation. Retail shareholders are generally motivated by the long-term benefits of ownership, and their portfolios tend to be less broad than those of institutional investors. Retail shareholders tend to invest in companies they already know and admire. These individual shareholders tend to invest smaller amounts than their institutional counterparts but are often high-net-worth individuals. Investment decisions are often influenced by financial media, analyst recommendations and social media.

Individual investors need a way to communicate with the companies they invest in as well. That is currently limited to letters to the board or comments during conference calls following financial reports. Retail shareholders control $7.2 trillion in assets as of 2023 and are loyal to the companies they invest in.

A growing number of public companies are turning to TiiCKER to energize their retail shareholder communication efforts. TiiCKER rewards individual investors for their loyalty through perks and benefits ranging from discounts on a company's products and services to exclusive event access. Companies engaging with TiiCKER have successfully connected with these individual shareholders, improved communications and built loyalty. TiiCKER creates that two-way street of communication from the company to the shareholder and from the shareholder to the company.

If you lead a publicly traded company, connect with TiiCKER today to learn how it can help you communicate with this important group of investors. Retail shareholders can sign up for a free TiiCKER account to begin earning perks today.