James McGovern (@mcgoverntheory, LinkedIn) asked here how to structure a briefing.
Before you actually get started, figure out what you’re trying to achieve. Simply “engaging” and “developing the relationship” or “outreach to analysts” aren’t AR tactics that deliver outcomes, it just conveys you’ve got no clue of what needle you’re trying to move. Check the AR Compass for some thoughts on analyst relations impact.
Here are some of the past posts on the IIAR blog that dealt with the subject (full list below):
- Suggestions for vendors (must have been before Gene Hall thought vendors were fruit machines?) by Carol Rozwell / Gartner
- Briefing tips and best practices from Lisa Rowan / IDC
There are also tips hidden away on the Gartner website:
- Slide 13 in this preso >Vendor Briefings Overview< is a useful checklist on content (also available as a standalone Word >Sample Agenda<)
- Michael Maoz, provides some best practices for effective vendor & analyst engagement during briefings in this >written overview<, but more on a software standpoint
Kevin’s got a point that briefings have to be remembered and it can pay to change the order. I’d say it depends on your spokesperson: if you do something too un-natural and un-comfortable it’s most likely to backfire and you won’t get a good result.
In terms of content, there’s nothing wrong with the good old funnel structure, even if you change the order:
- vision: I always add a positioning slide (i.e. we aim to make the most enjoyable fruit machines of the industry)
- strategy, inc. GTM: how can you deliver the vision?
- issue, business problem: can go in there first, the key here is not to teach grannies (analysts) how to suck egg -it’s their job and they can get incredibly precious if your execs lectures them
- solution, product, capabilities: what do you actually do and how it solves the problem at hand?
- differentiators: why should your clients actually care?
- use cases, credentials: does it really work in the real world?
- architecture and the rest of the technical aspects, delivery model, pricing aspects, ROI: how do it work
- wrap-up and summary
It’s not any more complicated -but often quite hard already!
One more thing, as would Columbo say: have 3 key messages and repeat them three times.
AR pros: how do you do it?
Analysts: what do you like to hear?
Related posts
- IIAR> Best Practices Paper: Running an industry analyst briefing
- [GUEST POST] Do’s And Don’ts For Analyst Interactions by Chase Cunningham / Forrester
- 10 things analysts want most
- IIAR Webinar: Introducing CCS Insight – and how they make sense of the connected world
- [GUEST POST] Tips to Ensure a Productive Analyst Briefing
- [GUEST POST] How to Create a More Compelling Analyst Event
- Wrap-up: IIAR Germany 2018 kick-off
- [GUEST POST] What is your product and what does it do? by Adrian Sanabria / Threatcare
- [GUEST POST] Analyst Briefings: The Delicate Business of Client References, by Vicki Jenkins / Nelson Hal
- [GUEST POST] Analyst Briefings: Preparing for Success, by Vicki Jenkins / Nelson Hall
- [GUEST POST] Analyst Briefings: Are you a Strategic Team Member or the Note-Taker? by Vicki Jenkins / NelsonHall
- [GUEST POST] Key Requirements for Vendors When Briefing Software Analysts, by Natalie Petouhoff / Constellation
- [GUEST POST] Maximizing the impact of an analyst briefing – 2 of 2 by Richard Stiennon / IT-Harvest
- [GUEST POST] Maximizing the impact of an analyst briefing, by Richard Stiennon / IT-Harvest
- The hype cycle of Vendor Briefing Requests
- How to structure an analyst briefing?
- [GUEST POST] Vendors: suggestions to maximize briefing value, by Carol Rozwell / Gartner
- [GUEST POST] Briefing tips and best practices from Lisa Rowan / IDC
- Analysts: When you’re looking for a briefing – help me to help you
- On the use of briefing request forms for analyst firms marketing
- Gartner improves the vendor briefing process
I had the same questions from James last Thursday, and my suggestion for a ten slide deck was: Strategy; Segmentation; Solutions; Sweet spot; Clients; Roadmap; RoI/Pricing; Work in Progress; Channel; Service
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