By Paul Davies

It’s all too common for companies to not be getting true return on investment from engagement with analysts. They may be spending large sums on reports but not extracting full value from them. Sometimes, there can even be a tendency to treat analysts like journalists, adding them into a list of media briefings without having a clear purpose for discussions. 

Here are the top 3 things that an analyst relations programme can deliver for you: 

1. Direct recommendation
   Analysts recommend technologies to your potential customers every day – in formal reports and also in private consultancy. Do they know enough about your company for those reports to be accurate? Are you missing out on major leads, or not closing deals as a result?
2. Help to identify critical growth opportunities
   More than ever, cloud-based products have the ability to easily extend to serve a global market so it’s important to form a broad view of regional trends. Being the first to know if a country is rapidly adopting key supporting technologies or is a major consumer of new services will give you a massive competitive advantage.
3. Competitor awareness
   Do you know enough about your competitors to help inform your strategy? Do you have independent insight on how the market perceives them – and you? Ongoing monitoring of market trends, competitor strategy, growth, investments and product development are crucial in ensuring differentiation in your own approach.
   

How does it work?

Analyst relations programmes are always built to meet specific objectives. Typically, there are 3 strands to activity: 

1. Outgoing
   Building and driving relationships with key analysts. Keeping on top of publication schedules of key reports and commissioning original reports to validate markets and show the value of technologies. Setting up briefings to help inform analyst insights, promote key announcements, gain feedback and to create third-party advocacy.
2. Incoming
   Monitoring analyst reports that cover key metrics for your business, utilising key analyst relationships for unique insights, tracking overall market trends and competitor activity.
3. Analysis reports
   Providing regular roundups and presentations on key industry data to inform your strategic decisions. Commissioning reports on particular market opportunities. 

An analyst relations programme will ensure you’re better informed and better prepared to win. Drop us a note here to find out more about what AR can be doing for you.