As the internal investor relations officer, or IR consultant, it’s our job to draft the earnings call scripts. But what makes a well-written script? Many considerations and a lot of thoughtful nuance go into what you talk about and when.

As seasoned strategists and writers, the team at FastrackPR has a few thoughts on phrases to avoid because they don’t make your scripts better, and may make them worse. 

1. Don’t say “…which I’ll talk about more later” or similarly “Shortly, John, our CFO will talk about…” and “before I talk about xyz, let me tell you about abc…”  Instead, discuss the business in whatever degree of depth is best at this juncture in the call. Your audience already anticipates that you will go into more detail as needed. Avoid adding throwaway clauses, which fill valuable airspace and convey nothing of importance to the listening audience. In fact, it might be distracting to a listener to hear that something is going to be covered later, but they don’t quite know what that means.
2. Don’t say “as I mentioned previously.” The listener understands that you have discussed this previously. If the script is well-written, it will be self-evident why the CEO revisits a particular topic at a certain juncture in the call.
3. Don’t say “Remember, …” or  “As you may know, ...” before you explain a key point. The listener either remembers or they don’t, so it either comes across as patronizing or as more unnecessary filler. A script should be as long or as short as necessary to provide the right information about the quarter and the necessary details that set the roadmap for the future.
4. Don’t spend too much time explaining what your business does on an earnings call. Investors who listen to these calls or read the transcripts at their convenience already know what the company’s business model is. The earnings calls are not the forum to teach a new investor how your business works. This is a nuance, as you always want to be crisp and crystal clear when describing what a particular development means to the business. Focus on recent developments, key performance indicators, and milestones, and of course, transparency.
5. Last but not least, avoid using jargon and acronyms on first reference. It’s not always doable, especially in certain jargon-riddled industries, but generally, upon first usage, consider reading out the term and following with “…or [acronym]”, e.g., “acute myocardial infarction, or AMI”,  or try using the full term upon first usage and the acronym each time thereafter. 

Need a Review?

Want a critique of your script or suggestions for improved readability? If so, email ina@fastrackpr.com or DM her here.