Month: March 2008

Will you get analyst opinions in a briefing if you are not a client? [AR seminar question]

Posted on by

question-mark-graphic.jpgYes… if you give them a chance to actually speak and if you take the time to ask correctly.

There is a common (mis-)understanding that analysts will only provide opinions if you are a paying client of their firm.  So can you get their opinions during a briefing? For the most part, analysts are more than happy to comment on what they hear in a briefing. The primary reasons why they don’t express their opinions are […]

Research consumers need account maintenance, part two

Posted on by

Last week (see Part One) we spoke of how getting the maximum value from an automobile required a certain amount of ongoing maintenance and how analyst firm contracts were no different.  We suggested that research consumers create a multi-point checkup and review status with the firm’s Account Executive (AE) on a regular basis.  Each client should have a specific checklist that matches their goals and objectives, but there are some common themes that apply to any purchaser of analyst research.

Some checklist items

First you should consider housekeeping items that pertain to the everyday working of the contract. Are there problems with […]

Reminder – today is Gartner’s Quarterly Analyst Relations

Posted on by

logo-gartner.gifSpeakers:

  • Aaron Yaverski, GVP HTTP Product Management
  • Allison Fletcher – Vendor Relations Manager

Agenda:

  • Discuss proposed agenda for upcoming AR forums that will be held during Spring Symposium/ITxpo in Las Vegas, NV (April 6 – 10) and Barcelona, Spain (May 12 – 15)
  • Q&A
  • Adjourn  […]

Did you know that you can comment on Forrester’s research on its website?

Posted on by

icon-social-media-blue.jpgSomething that came up yesterday at the AR Effectiveness Seminar is that nobody knew that they could rate and comment on research notes on Forrester.com. This is another example of Forrester embracing social media and they deserve kudos for doing so. However, to make it really powerful, Forrester should actively promote the use of this feature to its clients.  This will begin to create a true community focused around the conversation on research.

A key issue for vendors is the ability to easily influence the impact of Forrester research.  This feature should be a powerful tool for all vendor analyst relations (AR) teams.

End users (aka IT buyers, your customers) are using Forrester.com to find and read […]

Startups should look for “bite-sized” services that provide AR insights and tools at modest prices [Startup Saturday]

Posted on by

rocket-for-startups.jpgStartups 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 […]

Pet peeve – reporters who refer to analyst firms as consultancies

Posted on by

I guess I am just a nit picker, but it always catches my eye when reporters refer to Gartner, Forrester, et cetera as consultants or consultancies. The analysts’ business and research models are typically quite different from consultants. Best to refer to analyst firms as “research and advisory firm” or “market researcher.” Also catching my eye is when[…]

Research Consumers need account maintenance, part one

Posted on by

To get the maximum value from an automobile a certain amount of ongoing maintenance is required.  This includes the regular oil change as well as larger items done at specified intervals.  A trip to either the dealer or the quick-lube usually results in a multi-point “safety inspection” to highlight any special concerns. 

Research consumers from IT clients or IT vendors should also consider regular account maintenance and checkups in order to maximize the value of their contract and ensure great service.  Consumers should take control of driving value out of analyst contracts because most analyst firms’ internal processes are not optimized for clients or are simply inefficient.  They don’t generally provide the “safety check” and instituting a review process with your analyst firm Account Executive can serve to monitor the value you receive from the firm’s services.

The Account Executive

The Account Executive (AE) is the key to getting the most out of contracts, because they are the client’s representative within the firm and can best provide access to research and to the analysts. However, […]

AR managers do not like surprises, which mean they are a little annoyed at blogging analysts

Posted on by

icon-social-media-blue.jpgObviously SageCircle is a big proponent of social media and the potential for positive impact on the analyst ecosystem. However, that view is not shared by all AR professionals. I recently had an interesting conversation with an AR manager who was more than a little irritated with major firm analysts who blog. Are these normal growing pains in the evolution of the AR-analyst relationship or is this a nascent backlash?

A big part of this person’s annoyance was centered on the lack of discipline and rigor in the analysts’ […]