Gartner typically refreshes most Hype Cycles in June and July every year. From a timing point-of-view that means the analysts are starting to think about what they want to change in the Hype Cycle in April. Then in May and June they move into their serious work on their Hype Cycles in order to get them through Editorial by the end of June. Working backward that means that AR programs need to start now to think about how they want to influence the Hype Cycle.
A valuable resource for AR programs that want to influence the Hype Cycle is the book Mastering the Hype Cycle: How to Choose the Right Innovation at the Right Time (Harvard Business Press, $19.77 + S&H on Amazon) by Hype Cycle creator Jackie Fenn and colleague Mark Raskino. While written for the enterprise client, there are many valuable insights in the book for vendor AR professionals. Click here for SageCircle’s review of the book.
Related posts:
- Thinking about Gartner’s HypeCycle
- Gartner’s Hype Cycle – Anticipate andInfluence
- Mastering the Hype Cycle – Highly recommended for different reasons for differentaudiences
SageCircle Technique:
- Add influencing the Hype Cycle to your annual AR Strategic & Tactical Plan
- Carefully review the list of Hype Cycles to identify relevant targets (while there are 96 Hype Cycles as of July 6, 2008, this task will likely not require a lot of time and effort)
- Identify which of your company’s leading-edge technologies or thought leadership ideas are or are not being covered on a Hype Cycle
- Conduct inquiries with the appropriate analysts to determine potential changes to Hype Cycles you are interested in influencing
- Develop a tactical plan to educate analysts about technologies – not products – whose position on the Hype Cycle you want to impact
Bottom Line: The Hype Cycle deserves a lot more attention from vendors than it receives because of its impact on IT’s strategic decision making. Vendors who sell to early adopters and fast followers should consider putting more emphasis on providing input to the Hype Cycle and leveraging it in the marketing and sales processes.
Are you interested in learning about how to incorporate into your AR Strategic & Tactical influencing recurring signature deliverables? Check out SageCircle’s STRATEGIC ISSUES: Challenges for AR Team seminar which has sections on planning, including recurring research. The next seminar will be held on March 24-25, 2009 in Cupertino in the Silicon Valley. Click here for more information including agenda, registration and future sessions.
Question: AR teams – Have you incorporated influencing the Hype Cycle into your AR strategic and tactical plan? What is the percentage of effort you put into influencing the Hype Cycle versus the work done on a Magic Quadrant or Forrester Wave?
Since 2000, SageCircle has helped analyst relations teams to focus on business value by encouraging innovative thinking that leverages insights and drives revenue.
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