The tl;dr of 15 years in AR - Part 1/3: Replace Misconceptions with Winning Moves.
In my work with startups, scaleups, VCs and Accelerators I constantly hear common misconceptions about analyst relations. Which is both, frustrating and a huge opportunity: Because it means it doesn't take too much to get ahead of the pack.
Here are 5 common mistakes and insider tips that you can use.
1. Depth
đźš« MISCONCEPTION
Analysts value prop is tracking markets and large vendors… - Not only...
🚀 WHAT MATTERS
The many vendor briefings an analyst gets makes them a trusted source for buyers. A single analyst gets hundreds to thousands of buy-side inquiries per year.
Since these are paid and nda-protected, buyers share actual strategies, architectures, priorities, and project needs to get meaningful advice.
âś… WINNING MOVE
Tapping into the resulting insights is how smart startups make bolder decisions sharper and earlier than rivals.
It means speed and accuracy. See examples in a later post.
2. Timeliness
đźš« MISCONCEPTION
The key value is in analysts’ annual publications… - Yes & No.
🚀 WHAT MATTERS
Buyers ask analysts for vendor recommendations beyond the usual suspects when they refine tech strategies, examine options and when shortlisting vendors.
Which is all the time.
âś… WINNING MOVE
Educate analysts about your capabilities, ICP, programmes continuously.
Once they gain confidence in your startup, you can find yourself matched to best-fitting opportunities that you never knew of.
3. Focus
đźš« MISCONCEPTION
The only thing that matters are the MQ-type analyst reports. - No.
🚀 WHAT MATTERS
The practitioner relevance of less prominent but equally respected innovation-trend reports can unlock crucial early conversations.
Your startup’s mention as an example vendor can ignite market pull (and result in better investment term sheets).
âś… WINNING MOVE
Prioritise analysts by research agendas that best match your positioning and strengths.
Time and tailor your briefings accordingly.
4. Breadth
đźš« MISCONCEPTION
We don’t need an analyst to tell us about our playing field. - Well...
🚀 WHAT MATTERS
Your product is part of an architecture.
Your solution may touch multiple processes / business functions.
Your clients may be in various industries.
âś… WINNING MOVE
Don’t think too narrow. Engaging analysts in adjacent markets and technologies broadens both, your visibility and gathering of insights enormously - at minimal effort.
5. De-Risk
đźš« MISCONCEPTION
Analysts are innovation-averse. - No, but BS-averse.
🚀 WHAT MATTERS
Established vendors’ hijacking of innovative concepts w/o actual capabilities but throwing marketing budgets at it, is a huge threat to startups.
Analysts’ role in protecting buyers from hype, separates capable innovators (like you) from mere pretenders (like, you know who).
âś… WINNING MOVE
At the “cost” of free briefings, startups can win powerful natural allies in protecting the strategic value of their innovation and differentiation.
Find this useful? Part 2 in this series will be about VC recommendations and research evidence.
