In the first installment of my analyst relations Q&A with Eric Hanselman (Chief Analyst at 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence), he provided some insight on how startups and more established tech companies can effectively engage with industry analysts. Here, Eric offers thoughts on what’s changed in recent months and how companies can benefit by effectively engaging in an analyst relations program in the coming six to twelve months.
Michelle: How can an analyst firm help startups and others as we move forward during this time of COVID-19? Perhaps share an example.
Eric: My take is that an outside perspective is always valuable, and the current environment makes it much more difficult for companies to get nuanced reflections from the outside world. Pre-pandemic, interactions with customers, partners, and prospects could happen more freely. The story that a company develops could be formed over time, through many small interactions. It’s much harder to generate those many interactions today. Analyst firms can replace that feedback in a more concentrated form.
Message validation is a great case in point. Analysts hear a lot of pitches and can provide insight into what’s repetitive or, in this market, insensitive or overused, and help companies craft a unique voice and value in the way they address the world. Alarmist messaging is widely overused and can be easily discarded. A message of care has to be crafted carefully to be perceived as sincere.
Living an entirely virtual existence has shifted a large part of the mechanics of our interactions with companies. The lack of a chance to meet in-person means that we’ve got a work a lot harder to keep in touch with the full range of companies that we’d like to cover. There’s always been a lot of value in the random connections that one can make at industry conferences. We’re still a long way from replicating that in virtual events. At the same time, the density of requests that we’ve seen has increased dramatically. That’s making it more complicated for analysts to identify interesting companies.
The options for engagement with clients are more constrained, as well. We have to find ways for them to rise above the virtual clutter that’s pervading business life. They’re competing for attention in this more scattered environment. It means that focus and clarity are critical to expressing themselves in their markets. Companies should be looking at engaging in a range of mediums to match a much more diverse set of consumption modes. Short-form video and content-rich podcasts are gaining ground.
The world will eventually get back to in-person interactions, but not at the same scale that we’ve been used to. As humans, personal connections are fundamental and can’t be replicated with the technologies that we have today. There’s interesting work being done on better virtual experiences, but they’re far enough beyond broad usability that it will be a while before they’ll make it into common use.
You, like many analysts, have worked remotely for a long time. Is there a tip you’d like to share for those who are new to working from home?
For me, keeping to a schedule is important, but the biggest impact on my productivity is not being shy about locking down my most productive times during the day. It’s tempting to let important meetings creep into reserved time in your calendar, but that’s a slippery slope. Especially in these stressful times, be sure to support yourself. Juggling work and family commitments was tough enough before we entered these new conditions and now productive time is much more precious. Keep in mind that you’ll do your best work and do your best for your colleagues and customers when you’ve been able to settle the noisy commitments that would distract your focus on them.
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Eric is the Chief Analyst at 451 Research, part of S&P Global Market Intelligence, and coordinates industry analysis across the broad portfolio of 451 research disciplines, with an extensive, hands-on understanding of a range of subject areas, including information security, networks, and semiconductors and their intersection in areas such as SDN/NFV, 5G, and cloud native computing. Eric helps 451 Research’s clients navigate these turbulent waters and capitalize on potential outcomes. He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), a VMware Certified Professional (VCP), a member of 451’s Center of Excellence in Quantum Technologies and is a frequent speaker at leading industry conferences.