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The Brief Truth About Briefings (And Why We’re Interested Now)

NID_mouse_padWith George LaRocque joining The Starr Conspiracy, we figured now is a good time to write about vendor briefings since we’ll be doing a lot more of them in the coming months. What’s a briefing, why do HR vendors do them, why do we care, and what does it all mean?

What’s a briefing?

At its very basic level, it’s an exchange of information. During the briefings I’ve done, I hear everything from the minutia of their product strategy, to talking shit about competitors, to things like availability of credit or client turnover. Very good briefings are usually a combination of insight into market, product, client, and viewpoint that is distinct and tells a story.

Why do HR vendors do them?

Analysts, press, and influencers all need information to talk credibly about the market. If I want to talk about how mobile is taking over HCM in 2014, I better have some proof points. And if I want to have a market narrative, I need to talk to multiple parties. HR vendors want to be a part of that story, and they want relationships with people in the market with unique voices. Many great relationships have started thanks to these briefings.

Why are we doing them now?

I never stopped (and George has been doing them on a continual basis). You see, you get on these distribution lists and you stay there if you still cover HR conferences and HR tech companies. That’s obviously not the reason, though. The Starr Conspiracy Intelligence Unit is diving deeper into the market, to drive analysis that we are sharing with the world and further solidify our ability to tell the unfiltered truth about the HCM market based on deep expertise.

What does it all mean?

It means you’ll finally be talking with true market analysts instead of someone who is going to rake you over the coals for only nailing 14 out of 15 product features. We actually believe in marketing instead of seeing it as some sort of impure, necessary evil in the world of HCM and we care about connecting the buyers and sellers of HR technology in a truly meaningful way. That’s the story that needs deeper analysis and it’s the one we’re here to tell.

Ready to chat?

Shoot us a quick note at briefings@thestarrconspiracy.com and let’s set up some time to chat.