Startups rarely have huge sums to spend on analyst relations and AR services. This is often perceived as a barrier to getting the help they need to get their AR programs launched or taken to the next level. However, there are some modestly priced services that startups can turn to.
Analyst Directories – ARinsights’ ARchitect and Lighthouse AR’s AR Intranet are full featured analyst relationship management (ARM) applications that include analyst directories. Because these are full ARMs, the cost can run into the thousands of dollars per year. If a startup just needs access to a directory of analyst information, check out Tekrati’s Analyst Profiles. The cost is only $379 per seat for a full year and is easily purchased using credit card.
Advisory – Annual advisory services – retainer-based, on-demand ad hoc access to AR experts – can run over ten thousand dollars from SageCircle, Forrester, Lighthouse AR, KCG and other firms. Another choice is SageCircle’s Blocks of Consulting, which lets potential clients to purchase two hour ($495) and five hour ($995) blocks of AR strategist access easily using credit card.
Mini-workshops – A powerful tool for AR programs are workshops where AR experts come onsite for structured consulting engagements like AR plan creation. These engagements can run from $5,000 to $20,000. To provide a more affordable alternative, SageCircle has packaged inquiries, training and workbooks into phone-based engagements on very specific topics. For example, the Maximizing Analyst Consulting Days Mini-Workshop is only $895 and helps clients get the most out of Gartner SAS and other analyst on-site days.
Seminars – Education is one of the most economical and effective activities that any AR pro can take part in. There are full-day seminars from SageCircle ($995), Forrester ($1,975), KCG ($1,295) and Lighthouse AR (~$1,400).
Webinars – Can’t get out of the office for a full-day class? SageCircle ($95) and Lighthouse AR (£119.40, ~$240) offer webinars on a variety of topics.
Better than low price is free. Here are some resources that won’t cost you a penny:
- AR Diagnostic Mini-Workshop – SageCircle’s AR Diagnostic generates a rapid profile of your AR program against a standard set of strategic initiatives and operational foundation components.
- Blogs – Check the blogroll on the right for AR blogs with tips and tricks.
- Research reprints – Many analyst research notes are available on the web for free because a vendor has purchased reprint rights for marketing and sales support.
- Trends in the Analyst Ecosystem & AR – SageCircle on hot topics, perfect for regular staff calls and executive briefings
- Coffee Talks — SageCircle’s free Coffee Talks are our way to facilitate the development of the AR profession. A strategist or guest speaker will take five minutes to set up the topic and then it’s open discussion.
Yes, there does seem to be a lot of SageCircle offerings in the list above. That is because we are working hard to make our services accessible to startups. BTW, these services are equally available to the largest vendors and enterprises as well.
Bottom Line: Startups can do best-in-class AR with a modest budget if they know where to look.
Question: Are there other low cost or free resources about the analysts and AR?
Startups, do you want a prioritized list of what you need to do to take your program to the next level? SageCircle Can Help. Our strategists can:
Conduct a free SageCircle AR Diagnostic and provide you with a concise analysis of your program- Participate in an AR staff conference call to discuss the trends in the analyst ecosystem and how they might impact your program
- Act as a sounding board for your AR plans to ensure that you are anticipating all the changes
Click here or on grahic for SageCircle’s AR Diagnostic Mini-Workshop brochure — It’s free, it’s fast and it’s easy.
Contact us at info [at] sagecircle dot com or 650-274-8309 for more information about how SageCircle can help take your AR program to the next level.
Since 2000, SageCircle has helped analyst relations teams to focus on business value by encouraging innovative thinking that leverages insights and drives revenue.
Hey Carter, thanks for mentioning our AR Intranet. If folk are looking for a directory, then Analyst Profiles is great in the US and Apollo does something similar in Europe.
Our Intranet ranks the firms, and that is especially useful for teams that need to ‘triage’ in-bound enquiries.