• Rik Turner , Principal Analyst at Ovum


• 31.07.2017 11:30 am
undisclosed

1. What do you love about your job?

The variety of activities, ranging from cramming to get a report written on a particularly complex type of technology, to dashing between back-to-back meetings with vendors at trade events, and delivering speeches online or in person.

2. What’s the best way for PRs to pitch and secure a briefing with you?

Know my coverage area and what aspect of it I am currently writing about as part of my research agenda for the year. Then, send me an email pitching the vendor, technology or product.

3. What are you usually looking out for when going into a briefing?

If I don’t already know the company, I need the vital statistics of the outfit: when it was founded, by whom, what was their background, what they were seeking to achieve with the new venture, when they brought the product to market and whether the mission statement has changed along the way. And, of course, who they compete with.

If it’s a company I already know, I want to understand how the new development (product, service, go-to-market, etc.) alters their offering and how it should improve matters for them – i.e. widen their appeal, make it easier to buy or answer more customer requirements.

4. Any no-no’s that spokespeople should bear in mind?

Refusing to tell me who they compete with is always a bit of a faux pas. Telling me they are completely unique in the market is daft, while instructing me to go search on Google is, well, off-putting. Saying “We’re a bit unusual in that I don’t think any of the competitors do quite the mix of things we do” is a more considered response.

5. What are some challenges for analyst relations in the EMEA-wide landscape?

On the IT side, most analyst firms focus on the US because that’s where the majority of the tech comes from. If they look at Europe or the rest of the world at all, it is perhaps from a go-to-market perspective (i.e. those analyst houses that cover the channel) or from a regulatory point-of-view, in as much as there are different rules to comply with.

Things are different on the telecom side, where clearly there are huge providers in each country or market that need to be followed as closely as their US counterparts.

6. Why are analyst relations important for an organisation?

They are needed to help shape market perception, both in terms of getting an organisation’s message out to analysts who can write about it in a meaningful way, and of teaching the organisation itself what to say and what not to.

7. What would you say is the crucial difference between analysts and press that PRs always forget?

A difficult one. Perhaps they need to bear in mind that analysts are not looking for a scoop, but rather for greater understanding generally of their client’s business strategy. I think the good ones get that, though…

Analysts provide deep insights that can influence key decisions. They interact with diverse groups of people, including vendors, partners and customers. Building strong analyst relationships will stand you in good stead as your organisation builds up an identity and presence.