Over three decades as a Technology Industry Analyst, my brand has now expanded to the Tech Influencer space. Over that time, I have learned many important lessons, which every marketing executive needs to know. The marketplace is getting noisier and more chaotic. Today, the key challenge businesses face is being seen and heard. Marketing executives need to punch their way onto the map and through the noise in order to be successful.
That’s why companies are expanding their PR departments to include both the Technology Industry Analyst and the Influencer communities in addition to the news media.
You see, when a company talks about themselves, it is not as powerful and convincing as when an objective, third party expert talks about them. This adds enhanced credibility.
This creates an air of objectivity which is invaluable when reaching out to investors, customers, prospects, workers, regulators and the industry in general.
Why companies work with top Industry Analysts, Technology Influencers
The first step is marketing executives must win over the influential voices and opinions of Industry Analysts and Tech Influencers.
I have been a Tech Industry Analyst for more than thirty-years. Over time, I have also become known as an Influencer.
This gives me a unique ability to see and this question from both sides and interact with companies on a variety of levels.
Key challenge faced by every CEO and CMO
I have learned several important lessons. One of them is that some companies do a much better job than others at the entire PR, Industry Analyst Relations and Influencer Relations game.
Executives need to understand that in a competitive marketplace, they compete on a variety of levels with other companies. It can be a struggle to be heard and get their messages out in order to succeed.
Competition in today’s marketplace is hotter than ever. While that shows a healthy and growing space, it is increasingly a challenge for individual companies to be seen and heard as the noise level is greater than ever.
Unless you are a Google, Amazon, Apple or other high profile company, it is a struggle to be seen and heard in this noisy marketplace.
Lists of Top Influencers and Technology Industry Analysts
That’s why companies are looking for new ways to reach the marketplace with their messages.
After all, whether a customer is going to spend $50 per month on a service plan, or hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars on a network, they still need to feel comfortable before they make that commitment.
In recent years, I have been fortunate to appear in many Top Influencer lists. (See my web site www.jeffKAGAN.com for examples). Searching Google, you will find many such lists. So, do not just look at one list and think it’s the one.
While I thank each and every one of these lists for the honor of including me, the truth is I am not really doing things any differently than I have been in the last three decades as an Industry Analyst. It’s just that today I am being recognized under a new label called Influencer as well.
So, this is an important factor to remember when thinking about the Industry Analyst and Tech Influencer arena. There are many different flavors in these two groups.
Understanding the Analyst and Influencer community is key to success
Today, the lines between these two groups are blurring. Yet, in this chaos it is important for every marketing executive to understand the basics.
The influencer community is still new and still misunderstood.
A common mistake is people tend to think of all influencers in the same breath. They think all influencers as a single-color crayon, but with different followers.
In truth, the influencer community is like a big box of Crayola Crayons. There are countless different colors or flavors, and many different ways to reach the marketplace.
This is not new. This has been the way companies have worked with the Industry Analyst community for decades. It is only now spreading to the Influencer community.
Industry Analysts and Influencers all have different followers
The truth is, if you line up ten different Industry Analysts and Influencers, you will likely find ten different business models and ten different groups of followers.
That’s why it is up to the marketing executive to learn the best way to get maximum value out of each.
Remember, different influencers and analysts can help in different ways. Understanding those differences will help executives choose the right people to work with and to get the most out of each.
As I attend various company briefings, large, small, and one-on-one. Executives all want to get their messages out and bring the marketplace up to speed on their offerings and their success.
Industry Analyst and Influencer Briefing or Event
As time passes, companies are starting to combine these two groups creating Industry Analyst and Influencer Briefings. The number of participants can be a smaller group of top players or a larger group of more generic ones.
The blending of these two groups at these briefings is key to understand for every executive, if they want to get the most out of the working relationship.
On one hand, this blending allows companies to reduce costs by combining two into one. However, it is crucial to share the right message in order to get value from both.
On the other hand, choosing the right participants and offering the right message is also important.
Like it or not, people judge. They judge based on others attending the same meeting. They judge based on the level of which executives are presenting and appearing. They judge based on what is presented and so on.
It is important the senior executive team understand this in order to get the value they want. That’s why having the “right mix” of participants, guests and content is so important.
Finding the right Analysts and Influencers is key to company success
Bottom line, every CEO and marketing executive wants their company to be successful. Period.
How they get there is the question. There are many different paths a company can take. Some are more successful than others.
So, choosing the right path is important. Choosing the right technology industry analyst and tech influencer to work with is important.
Once the Industry Analyst and Influencer community is convinced, this will be reflected in their work. That may include columns, reports, speeches and social media posts.
This is read and consumed by investors, workers, competitors, regulators and so many other industry watches.
Winning over the Industry Analyst and Influencer communities
The goal is to share a positive view of the company, its executives, the competition and the direction the industry is heading.
That is why winning over the Industry Analyst and Influencer community is what every executive wants to see happen.
It helps them prove how successful they are and how important they are to the company. This solidifies their value as an executive.
And all of this starts by partnering with and working with the right mix of Industry Analysts and Influencers. Ones who can help the CEO and CMO explain their key corporate messages to the loud and chaotic marketplace.
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