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On this page you will find editorial analyses and links to articles discussing issues on a variety of technology marketing subjects. If you enjoy what you read here, please add your email address to our mailing list at left to receive periodic updates.
How to Subscribe - step-by-step instructions for RSS or email A B2B Technology Branding Manifesto A newly converted brand evangelist rants on how and why the business-to-business technology industry fails at true brand creation...and suffers for it. Adding insult to injury, he blogs regularly on the subject. 10 Things To Do Before Any Analyst Event This list of recommendations on making the most of analyst events appeared in a recent issue of O'Dwyer's online PR newsletter. It's an excellent preparation checklist to follow, no matter what the event or level of participation. When Analyst Firms Interfere with Vendor PR INFLUENTIAL recently responded to a question from one of the public relations firms with whom we collaborate in serving clients. It seems that lately the marketing departments of the leading analyst firms have become a bit bolder in how they manage use of their names in press releases. A Simple Explanation of Marketing Sometimes a simple metaphor...or two or three...can go a long way in explaining a confusing subject. We've all been single at one time or another, right? Use this light-hearted but handy guide the next time your Mom asks what exactly it is you do...again. Explaining the Value of Analyst Relations to Salespeople Industry analysts play a critical role in the sales cycle, and yet understanding exactly how they influence end user purchase decisions eludes many a sales organization. Training the field on the nature of the research game - and how they can profit from it - will lead to the realization that their objectives and those of Marketing are one in the same. What a concept. Qualifying Customers for AR Reference Programs The amount of risk that a customer assumes in talking to an industry analyst is much less than with press interviews. Still, getting buyers or users to agree to act as a vendor reference requires a skillful touch - one that points out the mutual benefits of participation. What Industry Analysts Want from Customer Interviews Any robust analyst relations program should include an effort to connect target analysts with the company's end user customers. For vendors with annual research contracts, this kind of outreach is an imperative for realizing analyst account ROI. Here are some guidelines for delivering the best references to research analysts. Building a Successful Customer Reference Program In the complex, considered purchase world of enterprise technology, obtaining and sustaining solid reference customers is a "no brainer", right? Then why is it so hard to do? Many a PR practitioner or user event planner or white paper writer has suffered because many vendors have no idea how to turn closed sales into fierce customer loyalty over time. Here are a few guidelines. Brand Magnetism & The Value of Loyalty These two articles from Optimize Magazine tackle a persistent problem in enterprise technology marketing: weak customer loyalty. The first imparts practical advice on how to build brand momentum over time, including the importance of executive participation and the partner ecosystem. The second examines the fundamentals of a sustainable brand and its promise: truth, meaning and distinction. Both articles include a 90-day action plan. PR on Websites: Increasing Usability A survey by web usability guru Jacob Nielsen revealed that the press sections of most corporate websites have improved somewhat in meeting the basic information needs of journalists, who are usually under tight deadline. The top 5 reasons why reporters visit a corporate site: to find a PR contact, look up basic corporate facts or financials, check the company's spin on events, and download needed images. The study also examined how companies handle scandals and other crises - it isn't hard to guess how they rated. A Sounder Approach to Influencing Industry Analysts This rant is against the typical vendor's approach to "analyst relations" - one in which public relations controls the agenda and serves important but ultimately myopic ends. Instead, a deeper more encompassing approach is advocated that takes into account the needs of the entire sales and marketing organization, as well as product and company management. Why Tech Analysts Feel Your Pain Mel Duvall of Baseline Magazine does a great job explaining how industry analyst firms work, and in sidebars examines Gartner, Meta Group and AMR. Not surprisingly, the vendors interviewed complain of low ROI for the dollars they invest, but take part of the blame. The other typical lament: the need to pay for access. Sounds like these guys need INFLUENTIAL. Are You Ready for Your Close-Up? Alison Overholt of Fast Company offers six great tips every executive should know to nail live, face-to-face interviews. The evergreen list includes "be a great storyteller" and "it's a conversation, not a presentation", among others. Although she frames the article for TV appearances, the advice applies to any situation where executives present to persuade. Be sure to read the sidebar for the subtle art of "blocking and bridging". Nine Ways to Fix a Broken Brand The dot-com bust with its instant brand creation promises have left many in the tech industry disillusioned. This list of practical approaches from Fast Company includes undertaking an historical brand audit, articulating brand essence, mining an emotional connection, and the importance of consistency. Cool stuff. Electronic Kool-Aid Acid Test Michael Wolff, author of the best seller "Burn Rate" and a media columnist, dissects the separatist culture of the technology industry that, although more pronounced during the late 90s, still exists today. With scathing insight that rings all too true, he compares the corporate culture at some technology companies to that of a religious cult - complete with brainwashing by charismatic leaders. Still, our working longer, harder and cheaper than "them" is not without its benefits. Wolff argues in the end that "drinking the Kool-Aid" helps techies sell unproven, intangible, fantastic products driven purely by communal faith. I like fruit punch flavor - how about you? Marketing Muse: Going Back to Basics Michael Teeling took issue with Aaron Lazenby's examination of the change in fortune of the high tech PR industry. His targeting the profession as the source of the majority of the Internet Bubble's ills was unfair. We point out that the best PR is always strategic, and will remain so, in any economy. New Economy Jargon Generators If you can't come up with exactly the right spin for your new business venture, check out Dack.com's "web economy bulls**t generator" or Andrew Davidson's "corporate gibberish generator". Dack's site randomly combines a set of verbs, adjectives, and nouns, and voila!--creates a buzzword-compliant catchphrase for any business model. Andrew's skewers the company of your choice with a whole page of marketing jargon. First check out the generators, and then call INFLUENTIAL for some real help -- especially if any of the results sound even remotely familiar. Meet the Analysts Analysts relations professionals, as well as any tech marketer who has dedicated budget toward annual research subscriptions, will appreciate this run-down of how each firm would approach the pesky problem of a burnt out light bulb. Meet the Press Public relations professionals, as well as anyone who still enjoys picking up and reading a real newspaper, will appreciate this silly list defining the audiences for each of the largest dailies in the country. Home | Approach | Services | Background | Clients | Contact | News | Also Influential | Buyer2Brand Blog |
