Author: SageCircle

Man bites dog — IDC licenses reprint of Outsell report in order to tout itself

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logo-outsell.jpgIn what is for me an amusing twist how things normally work, here is an analyst firm getting a reprint of another analyst firm’s report in order to promote itself. In this case, it’s IDC that got the reprint of an Outsell report “IDC Grows Vertically Through Insights Product Line” to put on its website for marketing purposes. It is a pretty straight forward market research piece IDC, mainly facts with some analysis. You can get a copy by

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To boost credibility vendors should use candor about the risks with their products / services / markets

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Candor is an important tool for vendors to use when talking with industry analysts because it builds credibility and relationships. On the other hand, vendors that only talk about happy topics and put a rosy glow on everything can do significant damage to their credibility. I am not suggesting that vendors air their dirty laundry with the analysts. Rather, vendors should discuss real and known risks with products or markets and how to manage those risks. Frankly, the analysts are probably hearing all the downsides related to your […]

Newbie’s Guide to Twitter

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Tip o’ hat to Forrester analyst and prolific blogger Jeremiah Owyang for the tip about The Newbie’s Guide to Twitter. Of course, he tweeted it and because I follow him I saw it.   If you have not checked into microblogging yet, playing with Twitter is not a bad idea.  I’m starting to use it as a research[…]

Startups can create business value by focusing on industry analysts [Startup Saturday]

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rocket-for-startups.jpgThere is great value for startups that sell to corporations or large governments to invest in analyst relations (AR). The analysts can: 

  • Bolster startups’ credibility by characterizing the startup as “viable” or an “up-and-comer”
  • Generate highly qualified leads by placing the startup […]

Forrester’s Charlene Li on 60 Minutes this Sunday, January 13th, to discuss Facebook

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Congratulations to Charlene for this plum media opportunity. This is very positive for the social media industry as Charlene is a knowledgeable observer who has a knack for giving the press clear and concise sound bites that educate without sensationalizing the topic at hand. Check out “Facebook (and me) on 60 Minutes” for details. I[…]

A nifty free utility for capturing bits and pieces of content from the web

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graphic-hp-smart-web-print-utility.jpgThe free HP utility Smart Web Print gets a thumbs up from The Mossberg Solution by way of the Wall Street Journal. From the article:  
 
“Some people try to organize Web research by opening Microsoft Word documents alongside their browsers. They copy and paste data from sites into the documents, but this is usually a messy process that traps users into wasting time fixing formats and deleting ads. Others press Print whenever a helpful site appears, resulting in wasted paper and ink. Savvier users create folders within their Web browsers that hold multiple URLs about a research topic, but these data can’t easily be shared or printed for use away from the PC.
 
There’s a better way… […]

Why social media scares the analyst firms and vendor AR teams

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icon-social-media-blue.jpgIsn’t it ironic that the CIT (communications and IT) analyst firms and the vendor AR teams are often lagging adopters of new technology and techniques when it comes to doing their jobs? Social media, aka Web 2.0, like blogs, social networks, microblogging and the like offer great opportunities for the CIT analyst firms and the AR teams to be more effective and efficient. However, moving to incorporate social media also introduces significant risks for both groups. Putting their heads in the sand and hoping that social media will go away is not

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How to break analysts out of auto-pilot inquiry responses

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icon-phone-headset.jpgAnalysts who cover really popular topics can answer the same question over-and-over to the point where they go on auto-pilot. This means delivering basically the same information and advice regardless of the client’s situation. This is especially true for end-user or IT manager inquiries. Back when I was a Gartner VP & Research Fellow covering CRM, I once counted up 300 inquiries in a short time all asking me to compare and contrast the same three leading vendors. My eyes would glaze over as soon as the appointment reminder popped up for yet the next inquiry on the three amigos. So how do you ensure that the analyst is not on auto-pilot? Provide background on your situation and ask drill down questions. […]