2022 Communications Coaching Initiative
pelotonRPM is excited to present you with a quick look at how we can implement a Communications Coaching Initiative for Riverside that will help your team engage more effectively with sellers, lenders, investors, intermediaries, and each other – virtually and in-person. Our highly-differentiated approach to skills-building combines extensive live, virtual instruction and coaching, application, and one-to-one feedback to deliver an impactful learning experience. This page will sketch out how the program can be configured for three segments – senior investment professionals, junior investment professionals, and the business development team.
- Engaging, hands-on learning experience
- Content that is targeted at private equity professionals
- Honing virtual and in-person communication skills and messaging
Helping Riverside's Investment and Business Development Teams Build the Critical Skills They Need
It’s both a challenging and an exciting time to be in the private equity market. Sky high valuations are driving big exits and LPs are making large commitments, but it’s not an easy time to acquire businesses that will hit your return thresholds. You need to cast a wide net to find and close on the best opportunities.
In order to grow your firm, expand the top of your funnel, and increase your close rates, you need to put your best foot forward during every single interaction – with LPs, business owners, operating executives, intermediaries, and financing sources. You may be on the buyside but, given the hyper-competitive nature of private equity, you are essentially in a sales role. You need to look your best and deliver great presentations. You need to qualify prospective targets, message the Riverside story and value proposition in a compelling and differentiated way, handle spoken and unspoken objections effectively, and push towards a close. You also need to adopt a sales mindset internally, be it garnering resources, positioning yourself for a partnership role, or advocating for your transactions with IC.
Our Communications Coaching Initiative will help the members of your investment and business development teams reach their true potential and maximize their contributions to Riverside’s success and reputation in the marketplace. pelotonRPM will help them develop the critical skills, competence, and confidence they need to thrive.
We calibrate our coaching to the specific individual to maximize impact. When it comes to coaching, there is no one-size fits all solution. Each learner comes to the table with different roles, strengths, weaknesses, and potential for growth. We have a well-defined coaching roadmap, but we allow the learner to drive the direction of the experience as well.
Overall Learning Objectives
- STRENGTHEN OMNI-CHANNEL COMMUNICATION SKILLS
- LEARN AND ADOPT PRESENTATION BEST-PRACTICES
- ENSURE ALIGNMENT ON THE RIVERSIDE VALUE PROPOSITION AND CONSISTENT MESSAGING ACROSS THE TEAM
- CATER YOUR MESSAGE, AND YOUR DELIVERY, TO YOUR AUDIENCE
- BECOME A MORE EFFECTIVE INTERNAL COMMUNICATOR
SENIOR INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS
Here is how we would propose structuring the coaching program for the senior members of the Riverside investment team. The program will last for twelve weeks and the specific learning objectives will be as follows:
- Be comfortable and effective 'omni-channel' communicators
- Communicate the Riverside value proposition in a clear, concise, and compelling way
- Balance establishing a personal connection with professional engagement
- Ask probing and insightful questions without being prosecutorial
- Understand the psychological motivations and biases of the seller, building trust and credibility
01
60 minutesSURVEY & SELF-EVALWe will conduct a 360 survey to identify strengths and areas for improvement for each learner. They will also complete a self-evaluation form in advance of our first coaching session.
02
60 minutesLAUNCHOur launch session will focus on reviewing survey feedback, defining the learner’s goals, discussing why those goals are important, and setting clear objectives for the next three months.
03
60 minutesVIDEO SKILLSThe video coaching session is designed to help the learner make the most of live video, look their best ‘between the corners’, stage their environment, configure their settings, etc.
04
30 minutesSIMULATION #1The learner will have a 30-minute video meeting with one of our Simulation Specialists who will play the part of a business owner. The learner will outline the Riverside value proposition and handle common objections. The session will be recorded and reviewed.
05
60 minutesVIDEO PRESENCEThis session will focus on feedback from the simulation and concentrate on how the learner can develop a more effective video presence.
06
60 minutesTHE RIVERSIDE STORYThis session will be focused on helping the learner deliver concise and compelling Riverside messaging and handle common spoken and unspoken objections.
07
60 minutesSTRUCTURE & THE ART OF QUESTIONSThis session will focus on how best to prepare for and structure your meetings. We will also spend time discussing how to be more effective when asking questions and probing for information.
08
30 minutesSIMULATION #2The second live video simulation will be configured to focus on the areas that the learner has been working to improve throughout the coaching program.
09
60 minutesFEEDBACKThe final coaching session will concentrate on feedback from the simulation and will address any other topics the learner would like to discuss. If you would like, others can be included in this session.
10
20 minutesQUARTERLY CHECK-INIt’s important that learning be continuous as opposed to one-off events, so we also include three quarterly check-in sessions to discuss any topics the learner would like to focus on.
JUNIOR INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS - ACCELERATION PROGRAM
The Acceleration Program is designed to provide Riverside’s Analysts and Associates with the skills they need to develop into productive and impactful private equity professionals. The primary focus will be on helping them build the foundational communication skills – virtually and in-person – that will allow them to engage internally and externally with confidence and credibility. The eight week program will:
- Get them comfortable and effective being 'omni-channel' communicators
- Prepare them to message Riverside's differentiating factors and value proposition effectively
- Prepare them to project confidence, credibility, and professionalism at all times
- Help them recognize the value and importance of their personal brand and how it reinforces the Riverside brand
- Build their capabilities around softer communication skills – virtually and in-person
01
60 minutesSURVEY & SELF-EVALWe will conduct a 360 survey to identify strengths and areas for improvement for each learner. They will also complete a self-evaluation form in advance of our first coaching session.
02
60 minutesLAUNCHOur launch session will focus on reviewing survey feedback, defining the learner’s goals, discussing why those goals are important, and setting clear objectives for the remainder of the program.
03
60 minutesVIDEO SKILLSThe video coaching session is designed to help the learner make the most of live video, look their best ‘between the corners’, stage their environment, configure their settings, etc.
04
60 minutesCOMMUNICATIONThis session will drill down into communication skills. We will help them refine their approach and learn to communicate in a clear, concise, and effective manner.
05
30 minutesSIMULATIONThe learner will have a 30-minute video meeting with one of our Simulation Specialists who will play the part of a business owner. The learner will outline the Riverside value proposition and handle common objections. The session will be recorded and reviewed.
06
60 minutesFEEDBACKThis session will focus on delivering detailed feedback from the simulation and address any other questions, concerns, or coaching the learner may require.
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TEAM
We can also offer a coaching program to members of Riverside’s business development team. The BD team needs to have impeccable messaging around Riverside’s differentiating factors, value proposition, investment theses, structuring capabilities, and ability to add value to portfolio companies. The team also has to exhibit exceptional presentation skills – virtually and in-person – on all occasions, without exception. Every single interaction with a banker, deal source, or business owner is a critical branding opportunity for the firm. The objectives of this twelve week program will be:
- Build the skills to be terrific 'between the corners' during every virtual presentation
- Utilize technology to captivate and engage your participants
- Project confidence, credibility, subject matter expertise, and professionalism at all times
- Approach BD efforts as a highly disciplined sales professional – planning, defining process, tracking results
- Ensure consistent and compelling messaging across the team
- Internal sales strategy and execution (i.e. IC) can be just as important as external
01
60 minutesSURVEY & SELF-EVALWe will conduct a 360 survey to identify strengths and areas for improvement for each learner. They will also complete a self-evaluation form in advance of our first coaching session.
02
60 minutesLAUNCHOur launch session will focus on reviewing survey feedback, defining the learner’s goals, discussing why those goals are important, and setting clear objectives for the next three months.
03
60 minutesVIDEO SKILLSThe video coaching session is designed to help the learner make the most of live video, look their best ‘between the corners’, stage their environment, configure their settings, etc.
04
60 minutesVIDEO TECHNOLOGYThis session will focus on how to reimagine virtual presentations, transforming them from a flat, boring Zoom or Teams call into a dynamic, engaging ‘TV show’ that has an impact.
05
30 minutesSIMULATION #1The learner will have a 30-minute video meeting with one of our Simulation Specialists who will play the part of a business owner or a banker. The learner will outline the Riverside value proposition and handle common objections. The session will be recorded and reviewed.
06
60 minutesMESSAGINGThis session will focus on feedback from the simulation and concentrate on how the learner should deliver compelling Riverside messaging during conversations with various stakeholders.
07
60 minutesSALES STRATEGIESLike it or not, you’re in sales! This coaching session will help you rethink the way you engage and define a process and sales approach that will be most effective for you.
08
30 minutesSIMULATION #2The second simulation will be configured to focus on the areas that the learner has been working to improve throughout the coaching program.
09
60 minutesFEEDBACKThe final coaching session will concentrate on feedback from the simulation and will address any other topics the learner would like to discuss. If you would like, others can be included in this session.
10
20 minutesQUARTERLY CHECK-INIt’s important that learning be continuous as opposed to one-off events, so we also include three quarterly check-in sessions to discuss any topics the learner would like to focus on.
We can also help you revamp presentation materials to make the most of virtual meetings using multimedia and other dynamic content, help configure software on your machines, and provide ongoing support.