Most Analyst Relations teams can tell you exactly how many briefings they ran last quarter. Fewer can tell you which of those briefings changed what an analyst actually believed - or how. And that's the problem. Briefing counts are inputs. Inquiry responses are inputs. In-person touchpoints are inputs. None of [...]
Last week, I promised more detail on why Analyst Relations has moved from an art to a science. Here it is. Four forces drove the shift. 1. Instant gratification: Executives now expect immediate proof. Not "Was the briefing useful?" but "What moved? What was published? What can we show?" 2. [...]
Analyst Relations has shifted from being an art to a science. That was the focus of my connecTED talk at KCG Connects 2026 in Austin today. AR was once an art form - but is increasingly turning into a science, with dashboards and data. It’s always motivating to present to [...]
Not all industry analysts influence buyers in the same way. But many vendor AR programs are designed as if they are. Understanding the difference is crucial. It affects how you allocate time, budget, evaluate success and set expectations. Here is a framework demonstrating how analyst influence truly operates in practice. [...]
Something happens regularly on LinkedIn that exposes a raw nerve in Analyst Relations. An analyst posts about being excluded from a vendor's AR program. The comments pour in. Peers rally. People who've never worked inside that vendor's business, never seen their pipeline data, and never spoken to their customers, confidently [...]
Unfortunately, that's how too many executives think about industry analysts. It's down to AR professionals to wean your executives off the mentality that every touchpoint is a "vendor briefing." No matter where they meet an analyst — tradeshow, event, private dinner or even the coffee line — they see an [...]
Many analyst tiering models are upside‑down. They focus on people and firms, but really should start at the end, focusing on business outcomes. Analyst Relations tends to over-focus on T1/2/3 lists based on analyst firm brands and overall influence or standing in the market. There's a flaw. This drives the [...]
Your executives don't care if Analyst X or Analyst Y "likes" your company. They care about AR when it: Influences deals and pipeline Shapes shortlists and RFP criteria Impacts media and market perception The shift? Reframe AR as a revenue driver, not a relationship exercise. Replace activity metrics with impact [...]
Mastering what makes top analyst advisors tick is an art form for Analyst Relations professionals. Top AR pros play a huge role in setting up analysts for success, navigating their quirks (special needs on T&E are universal!), and reading the room when analysts are facing off against high-powered execs. It [...]
Three AR leaders recently asked me a version of the same question: “How can we be confident that our narrative is truly differentiated?” Here’s the acid test: If you hide the vendor name, could an analyst still tell who said it? Too many vendor stories hit the same notes: “innovation”, [...]