Turn the Heads of Your Analysts

Challenge: Analysts need their independence – we need to work with them to influence them

Analysts have a tremendous impact on technology companies in the advice they give to their clients. Their recommendations can put your company on the short list or put your company out of contention. We need these analysts for their independence – the very same thing that can make the relationship so frustrating.

Work with your analysts — not against them. What they need is information about products, markets and trends. Give them what they need! You have a list of great customers who love your products. Create a project for the analysts where they can interview your customers to deliver key learning for your executive staff. What you will receive are several benefits. The first is an independent report on an issue of importance to your executive team – this is what you defined in your project. A secondary benefit is to get the analyst speaking with your customers and hearing directly about how your solution has helped them substantially. Finally, you will also have the analyst speaking directly with your executive staff – building better relationships and establishing ongoing communication flows.

I have frequently found that there is learning on all parties. The analysts learn countless new things about your company, your products and more. Your executive staff learns not to demonize the analysts but rather to understand their perspective. This frequently results in better ratings for the company and a better communication channel with the analyst.

Lesson: Working closely with your analysts on projects with customers is an effective and efficient way of putting the relationship on track.

Author: Larry Stein at TechMarketingStrategies

For the last 20 years, I have led demand generation teams supporting high growth technology companies. Now working as an independent consultant, my responsibility is to apply best practices in the creation of these programs. My goal is to enable marketing teams to become self sufficient with a data driven culture of KPI's, test and measurement in service of achieving company revenue targets. My approach is to work with senior management identifying objectives and wildly important goals. With these in mind, we work together to build programs, processes and systems that will reach these goals along with the measurement KPI's to evaluate progress. Along the way we will enable the team to manage and maintain these systems so achieving these goals becomes a natural cadence of the marketing organization. View all posts by Larry Stein at TechMarketingStrategies