A common sense guide to treating the shareholder as a customer

‘A common sense guide to treating the shareholder as a customer’ questions why companies generally do not treat shareholders as customers. The paper provides insight into questions that management can ask to learn about its shareholder base. It also presents various issues that should be covered in a message for investors that will communicate corporate growth strategies and factors affecting valuation. While the primary focus of management should be on company‐specific issues, industry questions also need to be addressed.