It’s easy to forget about your investors until you need more money, but that’s the absolute worst time to approach them again. Investors don’t want to feel like ATMs.

The best approach is like the old Chicago voting adage: do it early and often.

Talk to your investors early and often. Create a process to communicate informally once a month and more formally once a quarter. Investor communications are best delivered in writing, either through mail or e-mail. The monthly report you send to investors should only be a page or two and can include P&L information. A more substantial quarterly report should include detailed financial information.

Phone calls and in person meetings can be beneficial too. Consider scheduling semi-annual meetings or brainstorming sessions with investors