Influential Technology Marketing Strategies

Industry analysts, when engaged early and effectively, provide critical feedback to test go-to-market strategy, validate product roadmaps, and help shorten the sales cycle. Technology marketers must be proactive in navigating and influencing this vital channel. INFLUENTIAL specializes in maximizing client ROI from research firm engagements with a flexible range of custom services spanning a quick read to assistance at every step of the way. Our solid relationships inside the sales organizations of major firms like Gartner, Forrester, and AMR directly benefit clients.

Have key industry analysts validated your strategy? Even before initial launch efforts are undertaken, analysts can provide a critical yet constructive sounding board for corporate strategy, product positioning, competitive landscape, or market ecosystem. Although investment in a full service PR program may be premature, you can benefit from a finger on the pulse of present issues, emerging market trends, and future product requirements. INFLUENTIAL will work with you to laser target only the most prominent minds in your market space, and target the right mix of analyst interaction styles to maximize your return. The results? Getting analysts into the fold early can result in clearer differentiation, sounder sales strategy, new alliance partnerships, and influential references from a trusted third party.

How can you leverage industry analysts better? The traditional scope of most PR-driven "analyst relations" efforts is to feed corporate communications programs with press references and publishable quotes - typically tied to peaks of activity like launch events. Maybe your PR firm isn't even measured on increasing the amount of analyst coverage the company receives. Even the best PR firms seldom extend the leverage of positive analyst opinion to guide early product management decisions or actively impact the sales pipeline. It's time to bring in an AR expert and move beyond simply "briefing" key analysts to instead have lively, interactive exchanges that better inform your strategy and competitive positioning INFLUENTIAL offers programs that complement and extend existing PR to bridge the gap between corporate communications and other mission-critical business objectives.

Are you maximizing the return on your research investments? So many times, a vendor forks over the budget for a direct line to the prominent industry analysts in its market, but then only ever uses the published research. The true value is left on the table; the deeper benefits lost. Inquiries and advisory sessions, event passes and teleconferences, rolodexes and rumors - effective research account management can leverage them all to impact product management, business alliances, or the sales field. INFLUENTIAL can even negotiate more favorable terms for new annual agreements, thanks to excellent sales relationships with the major IT research firms. You get peace of mind that your investment is in the hands of a dedicated, focused AR expert.

How can you leverage industry analysts most strategically across your entire marketing effort? You only have two hands. Ok, maybe you have more at your PR firm, but they are focused on getting press, and you don't seem to talk to them much except around a launch. You need help building AR-driven sales tools for the field, sharing those great customer case studies with all your targets, or extending your efforts in vertical markets. INFLUENTIAL can handle all of these, by complementing and extending your good work. Plus we offer other goodies - such as special quarterly reporting and analysis of analyst coverage, trended in ratio to competitors over time.

Analyst relations seems like the all-consuming beast. It starts with basic briefings and a couple inquiries and soon your client is asking you to staff all-day consulting sessions. Maybe it's time you start thinking of AR the way you think of IR, and outsource this demanding channel to an expert who understands PR but can free you and your team to focus on core competencies. INFLUENTIAL's level of research access will help you deliver quicker analyst audits and references, research on trends and competitors, stronger analyst-informed presentations, more analyst ink, and analyst:customer interactions. We can even help build a stronger bridge inside your client spanning corporate communications to product marketing or engineering or sales.

"I have worked with Mike Teeling since beginning of 2000 in his capacity as analyst relations lead with one of my clients in the software market. I've been impressed with Mike's responsiveness and professionalism in fulfilling my information needs and those of the client firm."

Dan Vesset
Research Director
IDC

"Mike is an outstanding person, and one of the best Analyst Relations people I have had the pleasure to work with. Highly Recommended."

Kiki Callahan
former Inside Sales
Gartner Research

Maximize Your ROI from Industry Analysts