By William Hopkins and Stephen England
Participating at Gartner symposia, and at any other analyst event large or small, is expensive in time and manpower--not to mention booth and hotel costs--yet many companies
arrive ill-prepared, resulting in less-than-satisfactory results.
Having a pre-event operational plan and understanding the multiple potential objectives for each event are two great places to start. However, understanding what has worked
(and what has not worked) in the past will give you a better chance of making a first-class impression and increasing the number of times a key analyst will short-list or
recommend your client over one represented by someone else.
There are 10 things to think about as you and your clients prepare for analyst events, no matter who the sponsor:
- Have a plan. Make sure the four bases (analyst relations, lead generation, business development, intelligence gathering) that need covering at any major event each has an
owner and a plan. - Know exactly which analysts to whom you want to your client or company executive to speak and why. Either set up meetings in advance or get to the event early to use the
briefing-registration system. - Make sure your key internal resources and spokesmen are committed to going to the event. Have travel plans and hotel bookings in place.
- Prepare and practice any pitches or briefings you plan to give well in advance, making sure to keep them at fewer than 15 slides.
- Remember that these events are bad places to pitch complex ideas and new products. The 30-minute standard format is good for and well-suited to "lighter" fare and relationship
building. - Make the most of networking opportunities. There are key places (like the fountain and certain bars) that make impromptu meetings and quick introductions easier. Use them.
- Don't forget to meet and greet key non-analyst employees of the analyst firm - including the "quote-approval" people and the vendor-relations groups from the head office.
- Never underestimate the power of your client being the first person to congratulate an analyst after his or her presentation. And it's yet another interaction point.
- Remember to ask the analysts questions. They talk to more of your prospects than you do, and they know stuff you don't. Ask them, and their ego/personality will prevent them
from ever being able to refuse to answer. - Measure how well you did and spread the word - how many meeting/briefings with analysts you care about/how many leads/how many partner deals/how much good intelligence.
Contacts: William Hopkins is CEO and partner, and Stephen England is president and partner of The Knowledge Capital Group, an Austin, Texas-based authority on industry-
analyst relations that has worked with more than 700 clients in seven years. They can be reached at 512.334.5975.