SPLAT!  An email lands in my inbox.
The voice on the phone says, “We just sent you a link for you to view our presentation.  I hope that you don’t mind that it is late.  Let me give you the passcode.”  I smile. Their presentation, like 99% of all analyst briefings, arrives within five minutes of the briefing start time; and, they want to do a web conference.
<I have never understood vendor client’s obsession with web conferencing.  It makes no sense to me. I like to take briefings the old fashioned way: direct to my PC.  This allows me to do handy things like archive it, take notes, send it to their prospects and leaf through it for questions.>
We start.  The voice at the other end of the phone says, “We have a number of people that want to meet you today. Let’s start with introductions.” The voices talk faster than I can type or absorb. It leaves me feeling like WHEW!   As I look at my clock, I now see that ten minutes has past.  All I know is that there were a lot of people on the phone.  I feel bad that I could not catch any of their names. If only there was a slide, at the start of the presentation introducing the speakers as a handy reference.
Batter up.  The whistle has blown.  The briefing has begun.  The normal process is the drip method.  Drip. Drip. Drip.  Put up a slide.  Talk to each slide. <We gotta be sure that WE talk at length to each slide.>
 I ask, “How many slides are there?” The voice chimes back, “Oh, only about forty. We are on slide ten. We will move faster.” I look at the clock on my computer and smile.  We have twenty minutes left for the briefing. I put my phone on mute and pour another cup of coffee.
At five till the hour, a voice chimes in, “Oh my, where did the time go?  We are so sorry we did not have time to finish the presentation. Did you have any questions?  Oh, you did?  Sorry, we will try to get to them next time.”
This is the typical flow; but, sometimes, like last Friday, I can also find myself with the well-intentioned; yet proud, CEO. He is the one that can talk, and talk, and TALK.  Sitting on the other end of the phone, I wonder how a person can talk so fast and for so long without taking a breath. I smile. It is usually a love fest: given by him for him. So much energy expended with so little accomplished.
I have been an analyst for eight years, and one thing has remained constant.  It is the fact that too few companies understand the principles of analyst relations and how to give an effective briefing. We are the silent partner that helps to get them noticed and into deals, but few know how to do it well.  In a hope to make it better, I want to share five principles that work for me:
Inform, don’t sell. Yes, I know the goal. I understand that the vendor wants to influence me to write about them or to advocate their solution in a sales cycle.  As counter-intuitive as it may seem, the best way to accomplish this is to not overtly sell. HUH?  How do you do this then? Tell client stories.  Shoot straight. Share insights on what is going well and going wrong with current client engagements.  Over-selling, strong-arming and side-stepping can only land you into the analyst’s penalty box.
Build a relationship.  An analyst wants a relationship with great thinkers in the industry. Folks that are good at analyst relations use this time to build relationships that matter.  A successful briefing is dialogue. Dialogue is VERY different than presentation.  In dialogue there is a two-way exchange of information. During  your next briefing, make this hour one of many in a long relationship.
Be grounded and data-driven.   Come to the session armed with facts. Know your customers, know your case studies, and explain what your product does.  In over 70% of briefings, companies struggle with information on their OWN case studies.
Debate. Agree to disagree. Don’t fight.   Analysts are paid for opinion.  They are typically strong-willed, opinionated people.  They are trained to see patterns in markets, and to share advice about these opinions. Typically, things work well when the analyst agrees with your position.  However, the true mettle of the industry analyst relations department happens when the opinions do not align. This is not the time to shun, fight and bully the analyst. Instead, this is the time to listen, think and formulate a strategy on how to help an analyst reverse a position. Play fair.  If you have a strong relationship, it will emerge stronger from a healthy debate on a topic. Remember, a true analyst serves a community, and integrity is paramount.
Make it a two-way dialogue. Engage the analyst in dialogue.  Use the time to get input, find out what is happening in the market. Use it to gain insight. 
Over the past eight years as an analyst, there is one constant.  Vendor briefings follow the same pattern: SPLAT. TALK. END. A new decade is dawning; and I have a request, “Can we try to break the mold?”  I think that it would be better for everyone. 
Sorry, but I have to run.  Can you excuse me now?  I have another SPLAT in my inbox….  Talk to you later!