Agents at The Starr Conspiracy provide strategic insights, conduct primary research, and write a lot of sales and marketing content for HR technology and enterprise software companies — work that drives leads, increases brand awareness, and increases market share. So why do we send some of our clients to work with analysts, who do similar work?
To answer that, it’s important to explain the benefits of working with analysts, especially for brands that haven’t engaged with analysts or startups and are still getting their bearings in a competitive landscape.
Analysts spend the bulk of their time face to face with companies, with sellers and buyers. Mostly with sellers, but they know what buyers are looking for in specific technology and solutions. That matters because as you get in front of an analyst, you describe your company, your product or solution value proposition, and get an opportunity to practice the pitch and get immediate feedback.
There are two primary ways to get in front of an analyst:
- Paid engagement — This is where you establish a relationship that might be as simple as a membership, which may include access to some consulting time with an analyst or access to that firm’s primary research and data. Other engagements include hosting webinars, writing white papers, or publishing joint or sponsored research.
- Unpaid engagement — This is primarily in the form of briefings. Most analyst firms will take a briefing with brands that are doing something significant or disruptive (and they’ll know if there is hyperbole in those claims) within a solution category. But if you’re a paying customer, you’ll get on that dance card with greater velocity and frequency.
So everything covered so far is work that The Starr Conspiracy does. Here’s why we are promoters of analysts and why we don’t see them as competitors (in fact, they are great partners with TSC): They have an audience that is looking for information prior to making a buying decision. Now, The Starr Conspiracy has a pretty stout following as well on our blog, social channels, and newsletter. But we wouldn’t be doing the right thing if we didn’t suggest that our clients tap into every possible source that feeds the buyer’s journey.
At the end of the day, we routinely make recommendations for clients to engage with analysts to help feed the sales funnel, bolster their brand awareness, and grab a bigger chunk of market share. We see analyst relations as an important component of the comprehensive communications plans that we build for our clients. And we happen to like quite a few of the analysts to boot.
Note: If you would like to book a briefing with The Starr Conspiracy, contact Lance Haun — Analyst and Practice Leader, Thought Leadership and Industry Positioning — at lance@thestarrconspiracy.com.
