More Related Content Similar to Working With Industry Analysts 101 (20) Working With Industry Analysts 1011. Working With Industry Analysts 101
Erin Kinikin, Vice President
John Ragsdale, Director
Technology Advice.
Business Results.
®
Giga Information Group
© 2002 Giga Information Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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2. Top Six Things We Wish We Knew When
We Were “Vendors”
Analysts are not paid to do briefings
Analysts know more than you think they do
– Markets, trends, mainstream demand
Analysts know less than you think they do
– Case studies, technology details, vendor differentiation
Analysts are “from Missouri”
– Value proofpoints, not opinions
– Roadmaps only in rare cases
Analysts are interested in what they cover, not what
you sell
– Coverage is dictated by client demand – it’s a data point!
Analysts are most helpful if used proactively
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© 2002 Giga Information Group, Inc.
3. First Things First: The Right
Presentation
Know your audience
Ask the analyst what they want before
starting
Tell them:
– The business problems you solve
– Who your competitors are and how you position
against them
– Total Economic Impact/ROI
– Customer success stories / Proofpoints
– Demo--and consider leading with it
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4. “Let Me Show You A Graphic To
Illustrate…..”
Crisp clear graphics
– To explain products and packaging
– To illustrate the market or market changes
Spend the cash to get a strong graphic you
can reuse in sales presentations and
collateral
Analysts will use this to understand
– What you sell
– What you think is important
– Where you fit
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5. “A Little Market History for You……”
Don’t give the analyst a history lesson
Don’t slam competitors without facts
Don’t brag about features you can’t explain
Don’t exaggerate
– “Customers haven’t asked for it,” is a good
answer
Customer examples are the best proofpoints
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6. Visual Clues it is Time to Move On
Putting down the pencil
Watching the clock
Fidgeting
….and if the analyst asks you to move on,
please do
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7. Get the Most From Analysts: Good Client
Practices
“Follow the Project”
Market Requirements Trends, client requirements, market demand
Product Planning Feature priorities, strategy validation
Message validation, Go to
Product Launch
market strategy
Competitive Differentiation,
Analysis Client feedback
Value
ROI
Justification
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© 2002 Giga Information Group, Inc.
8. Recommendations
Build relationships with the primary analysts
covering your area
Pre-brief on significant announcements
Ask for input BEFORE finalizing release
priorities or launch messaging
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