Analyst Relations Resources

When it comes to analyst prioritization and segmentation, there are many ways to divvy up the landscape. Some models we love are organizing analysts by core and opportunistic to our objectives, tiering by levels of engagement, or our personal favorite – the Spotlight Way Maturity Model.

We all know building relationships with analysts doesn’t happen overnight. But, it’s important to remember that it also doesn’t happen without thoughtful and purposeful actions. While it’s a common best practice to prepare before analyst interactions, we believe it’s equally as important to debrief after them. The feedback and nuggets of insight we learn from analysts during interactions like inquiries can help us make momentum towards our ultimate goal with the analyst – if we disseminate and distribute the insights accordingly.

Whenever you started in analyst relations, inquiries were likely one of the first offerings you heard about from analyst firms. Included in most firm subscriptions, analyst inquiries are uninterrupted time to ask an industry expert about questions specific to your business. But making the most out of analyst inquiries requires us to take a step back and hone in on the foundations of this offered service.

Recently, we’ve shared tips for making mutually beneficial connections between AR and marketing and AR and sales. This week we’ll discuss how the product team is a key driver in creating successful AR outcomes at the highest level, informing buying decisions and ultimately driving bottom-line growth.

Recently, we shared a few tips for using AR in marketing to activate thought leadership. Today, we want to focus on the relationship between AR and sales.

At Spotlight, our clients run the gamut from large enterprises to small independent firms, start-ups to mature organizations, and experienced analyst relations pros to relative newbies in AR. One thing they all share is the need to deliver value through their AR program.

We all have probably experienced our spokespeople returning from an analyst interaction saying, “the analyst just doesn’t get it.”

A briefing is one of the best ways to inform an analyst of the value that your company provides to a given market. And, anyone can do it – it doesn’t require a subscription, plus it’s a great way to test into the analyst channel to see if it works for your business.

We all know prioritization is a key tenet of analyst relations. Since budget, time, and personnel are all limited in AR, what do you do when your company wants to launch a new product into an unforged market?

In a perfect world, we would have an unlimited roster of raving fans who are available at the drop of the hat to give us a glowing review. Ah, utopia.

In reality, we know customer references are pulled in many directions. From case studies to event appearances to prospect calls, and of course, analyst research, it’s hard to keep track of when and who you should lean on for evaluation research references.