Why tailored subscription flows are a game-changer for GPs

With stiff competition for investor capital, gaining a competitive edge by leveraging an innovative investment management software in your fundraising process is crucial. Real estate investment firm Helu is testament to the power of this, having tripled their equity using Agora’s fundraising tools.

A key factor for this success is the tailored subscription flow, part of Agora’s toolbox that enables General Partners (GPs) to efficiently raise funds from their investors.

Keep reading to learn what a tailored subscription flow is, its immense benefits for GPs and Limited Partners (LPs) alike, and how to easily set up your own subscription flow on Agora’s fundraising software.

What are tailored subscription flows?

On Agora’s platform, the subscription flow refers to the digital fundraising process GPs set up for their offerings.

From the first touchpoint with an investment opportunity to electronically signing documents, Agora’s platform offers an automated yet personalized approach that helps GPs close fundraising rounds faster, while providing a seamless experience for their investors.

GPs can choose which requirements will be added to the subscription flow that investors interact with.

For instance, making it mandatory for certain investors to review important documents you’ve attached and for them to provide legal documents needed to complete the deal.

Benefits of tailored subscription flows for GPs

To truly understand the benefits of tailored subscription flows for GPs, we should unpack what the typical fundraising process looks like without such a tool.

Many real estate investment firms still manage their fundraising with spreadsheets and emails. Documents and communication are scattered and uncentralized, which creates disorganization and unnecessary delays.

Both GPs and investors need an easier, more efficient way to raise funds. That’s where tailored subscription flows come into play. Here are their three key benefits:

1. Close more investments

Because Agora’s subscription flow was developed based on a thorough understanding of investors’ behavior and preferences with digital subscriptions, there is minimal friction in the process – ensuring a smooth user experience for investors interested in subscribing to a project. For GPs in turn, this maximizes conversions of leads, enabling them to secure more investment.

Taylor Bassett, Chief Operating Officer at Helu Capital, experienced this first-hand:

“Immediately after starting with Agora, we tripled the amount of equity we were able to attract in the next two quarters compared to the previous two. We were able to save time on investor management, do more deals and focus on managing our assets.”

2. Improve operational efficiency

Traditional fundraising processes are time-consuming. Tyler Basset of Helu Capital is no stranger to this:

“Typically, when we syndicate and raise equity for a deal, we send out an investor questionnaire. Investors fill it out — oftentimes through an online notary, sign the documents, and then invest. That’s a complicated process to manage through email, Google Sheets, and DocuSign. It quickly got out of hand.”

Instead of manually nurturing the subscription process with numerous different email threads, third-party platforms, and spreadsheets, Agora’s subscription flow allows GPs to automate and centralize the entire fundraising journey.

There are no unnecessary back-and-forth email threads, no confusion as to what documents are required, and no time wasted with external solutions like signature tools. GPs can set up all the necessary components to complete the deal in one streamlined flow on Agora’s platform.

In addition, customized inbound lead forms filter out the less-suited LPs and ensure you connect with only the most relevant investors (for instance, based on location, accreditation status, and minimum investment size).

3. Provide a better experience for investors

Impeccable communication and transparency are paramount to long-lasting, fruitful relationships between real estate firms and their investors. However, upholding these standards using a manual approach only is a tall order – especially as firms scale.

The tailored subscription flow is one of Agora’s array of solutions that fosters strong relationships between GPs and investors.

Its ease of use and efficiency allow investors to get the logistical tasks needed to subscribe to a deal done as simply and quickly as possible, so they can focus on the important matters at hand.

The screenshot below gives a glimpse into the subscription process for investors. They can seamlessly copy in relevant contacts to the deal (such as lawyers), provide instructions for their distributions, upload all necessary documents, and sign the deal all in one place.

Molly Laws, an Investor Relations and Operations Associate at Metonic, shares her experience with the improvement in investor engagement:

“One of Agora’s most innovative features that we use all the time is the subscription process. Previously, we sent investors to a third-party portal where they would log in and complete the steps, and I couldn’t track their progress.  Now, with Agora, everything is consolidated within a single login. I can see where investors are in the process and help them if needed.”

The impact of this is captured by Josh White, Metonic’s VP of Investor Relations:

“You want your investors to be raving fans, people that want to grow alongside you. And Agora has helped us do that.”

How to raise capital faster with customized subscription flows

Once you’ve set up a deal and created a data room, it’s time to tailor the subscription flow for investors. Here are the four steps to going live with your subscription flow:

1. Define the basics

Your first task is to set the fundamentals:

• Minimum and maximum investment amount
• Investors’ payment method information for future distributions
• Any additional information or personalized disclaimers investors need to provide

2. Use e-templates for documents

Once you’ve defined the basics, it’s time to select electronic templates for the documents you require your LPs to complete and sign. This may include the subscription agreement, accreditation documents, or any other essential forms.

When creating the template, you can control the attributes related to the document:

• The required counter/additional signers needed to finalize the document.
• The target audience – since not all investors need to sign all documents, you can predefine which of your investors sees and needs to take action in their subscription flow based on their type (LLC vs. individual, residency, etc.).

3. Upload and customize your document

Now that you have your templates, you can upload them to the platform. These documents are fully customizable through our intuitive document editor, which allows your LPs to easily enter their information.

From the document editor, you can add the following:

• Signature lines for the LP to sign digitally.
• Auto-populated fields: Since your investors’ details are already on Agora’s CRM, there’s no need for you or them to fill in the details again. Agora automatically imports and auto-populates their known details from their profile onto the document.
• Free text boxes, checkboxes, and drop-down menus.

Once you’ve customized the documents, simply add them to your subscription flow following the on-screen instructions.

4. Go live and invite investors to subscribe

Now the fun part: activate the deal and start raising equity.

Your first step is to send your investors an invite to the deal’s data room: they’ll receive the invite through their Investor Portal, from which they can go through the entire process.

On your end, you can track the progress of each investor in your subscription flow and, if needed, help them complete the process on time should they get stuck.

You also have the option to invite prospects who aren’t currently active investors by sharing a link to your online brochure. They can make a soft commitment and provide their information through an inbound lead form.

Once you approve them, they will gain access to the deal’s data rooms and their own Investor Portal, where they can subscribe to the deal.

Additional features needed in GPs’ fundraising toolbox

Agora’s subscription flow is just one component of the fundraising toolbox GPs have at their disposal in our portal. Let’s take a look at the other tools that can level up your fundraising process:

Investment marketing

Agora’s fundraising portal lets you create customized data rooms and brochures to market your projects. Using our template generator, you can conveniently add media, metrics, maps, project descriptions, and documents to showcase your deals to potential investors.

By providing a professional and informative overview of your investment opportunities, you’re able to nurture more leads into your subscription flow – which takes care of the rest.

Advanced inbound lead management

Agora’s lead dashboard and automated follow-up emails help you track and manage inbound leads throughout the fundraising lifecycle. By automating tedious tasks, you never have to worry about leads slipping through the cracks or spending hours manually following up. Ultimately, this increases your conversions of leads into signed deals while freeing up your time to focus on high-value tasks.

Insights & analytics

In the ever-evolving world of fundraising, keeping a finger on the pulse of your goals and progress is crucial for achieving success. Enter Agora’s sophisticated insights and analytics tools, which provide real-time visibility into your fundraising endeavors.

With the ability to meticulously track investor engagement and scrutinize fundraising performance, these cutting-edge tools empower you to make data-driven decisions. This, in turn, allows you to fine-tune and optimize your strategy for maximum impact.

Revolutionizing real estate partnerships

In the world of real estate partnerships, harmony and alignment between GPs and LPs are paramount. Agora’s cutting-edge investment management software, thoughtfully crafted by real estate experts, offers an intuitive and tailor-made solution to expedite investment processes while fostering trust among investors.

Our comprehensive solution boasts a range of features, including a dynamic investor CRM, a streamlined document management center, and an intuitive, user-friendly investor portal, all working in unison to ensure real estate partnerships can thrive, with seamless collaboration and a shared vision for success.

Modified Date & Time : 11 Jan 2024, 10:00 am

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Author

Asaf Raz

Asaf is Agora’s Head of Marketing and a growth expert providing consulting services to tech startups and VCs. Asaf is also the host of The Deal Makers Podcast, where he hosts top CRE talents for conversations where they share their success stories and industry insights.

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