Leverage is the reinforcement stage of the IDEAL model. At the end of each analyst relations program period, we should have an inventory of insights and silver bullets for our stakeholders, organizational learning to refine the next cycle of analyst relationship management, and a plan of action to reinforce the value created by the analysts for our firm.
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[…]
Analysts 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. […]
Since 2000, SageCircle has helped analyst relations teams to focus on business value by encouraging innovative thinking that leverages insights and drives revenue.
The IT advisory analysts (e.g., AMR, Forrester and Ovum) have their fingerprints all over the IT and telecommunications acquisition projects of large and some mid-size enterprises. While the participation of the analysts is not meant to be a secret, sales representatives of tech vendors are often unaware of their influence behind the scenes. This can be a fatal flaw in a sales process, since an analyst can eliminate a vendor from a sales opportunity with a single comment. To bypass this problem, vendor sales representatives need to ask prospects a few simple questions during the qualification phase as well as throughout the sales cycle. […]
Since 2000, SageCircle has helped analyst relations teams to focus on business value by encouraging innovative thinking that leverages insights and drives revenue.
Interesting press release from our friends at H&K on Industry Analysts, Print Media Leading Influencers in IT Decisions. This concerns the nearly annual study H&K commissions to interview (much better and more expensive than a web survey) IT buyers about where they get their information and advice on purchasing decisions. […]
Since 2000, SageCircle has helped analyst relations teams to focus on business value by encouraging innovative thinking that leverages insights and drives revenue.
On Monday the 31st, Zack Urlocker a blogger/columnist for InfoWorld had a nicely provocative headline Other Underreported Stories: Analyst Integrity? Of course, the rumors – urban legends – about pay-for-position or pay-to-play have been around forever. In general, these rumors are just that. The easiest way to dismiss them? Common sense. […]
Since 2000, SageCircle has helped analyst relations teams to focus on business value by encouraging innovative thinking that leverages insights and drives revenue.
Innovative Minds Don’t Think Alike is an essay by Janet Rae-Dupree in today’s Sunday New York Times Business section. The first paragraph is what really caught my attention: “It’s a pickle of a paradox: As our knowledge and expertise increase, our creativity and ability to innovate tend to taper off. Why? Because the walls of[…]
Whether IT managers at corporate/government organizations or product managers at IT vendors, many analyst clients do not maximize the value of client inquiry because they do not approach using inquiries systematically. The best practice below does not require a lot of time, only a few minutes to write up the background e-mail, but can result in a much more valuable interaction because the client and the analyst come to the call more focused.
SageCircle Technique: […]
Since 2000, SageCircle has helped analyst relations teams to focus on business value by encouraging innovative thinking that leverages insights and drives revenue.
Have you read a piece of analyst research — research note, blog, podcast or whatever — recently that really made you go “hmmm”? It could be something that directly impacted your plans, how you are working on a task or it was so good that you shared it with colleagues. Drop me an e-mail with your nominations[…]