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MDB
CEO Receives On Nov. 17, The Advertising Club of Metropolitan Washington, Inc. bestowed its highest honor, the Silver Medal Award, upon Cary Hatch, MDB's president and CEO. She was recognized for her outstanding contributions to the advancement of advertising, civic dedication and corporate leadership.
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Influencing the Influencers
What do analysts do? Industry analysts monitor every facet of a marketplace, including market conditions, user attitudes and industry competition. They sort through and assess the accuracy and objectivity of all the information that surrounds us in publications, newsletters, conferences and meetings. Analyst firms generate revenues by sharing
their expertise with subscribers that rely on them for recommendations
regarding capital investments as well as for day-to-day business advice.
These subscribers are often your most coveted prospective customers. Getting started A good industry analyst relationship starts with a briefing delivered either face-to-face or via teleconference. Before "pitching" your CEO for a briefing, make sure your Web site is up to date. Analysts often check it before deciding whether or not to schedule a briefing, so the content—especially news releases, investor relations materials and company data under "about us" needs to be current. When developing your list of target analysts, it's important to note that you'll need to plan to meet with several analyst firms as well as several analysts at each firm—most likely at individual meetings. In addition to using a PR database to identify
targets, a search of news coverage within your company's space will identify
analysts favored by journalists that will be "must-haves" on
your list. The meeting A typical briefing lasts no more than an hour. After introductions, the CEO will take 10 to 15 minutes (one minute per PowerPoint slide) to provide an overview covering:
Do's and Don'ts
After the introductions and overview, there should be approximately 30 minutes for dialogue. While the focus should be on answering the analyst's questions, it is also your opportunity to ask the analyst for input. Analysts can be helpful when seeking recommendations for marketing and strategic partnerships. They also have an excellent overview of how related and competitive products or services are described. Often words and jargon you think sound exciting are overused in the marketplace. Their advice can help focus marketing efforts as well as offerings. It is important to provide a leave behind for
the analyst. It should include fact sheets such as a detailed company
profile, biographies of the executive team and product information. Additionally
it can include brochures and sales literature. And don't forget to provide
a hard copy of the presentation. Keep in touch Analysts want to feel as though they have a
one-to-one relationship with the company's leadership and appreciate knowing
that their advice has been considered. Don't hesitate to let them know
how their recommendations influenced the company's approach. A quick thank
you email will do more for the relationship than you think. Complement
the personal touch with regular updates such as emailed news releases,
customer letters and newsletters. Make sure to obtain their permission
first. Determining success Do not expect the analyst to provide a written assessment or other deliverable beyond the verbal assessments given in the meeting. One of the best measures of the result of the effort is the quantity and quality of analyst quotes in the media. Additionally, the frequency that the company is contacted by analysts for roundup reports and for providing expertise and contact information will help to demonstrate the value of investing in building your analyst program. Benefits of an Industry Analyst Tour An industry analyst tour is a series of meetings scheduled in a short period of time for you to meet with multiple industry analysts. It achieves the following objectives:
NOTEWORTHY According to a recent Simultaneous Media Survey by BIGResearch, consumers' use of media doesn't occur in discreet time frames.
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The
opinions of industry analysts affect how prospective customers and others
view your company and its offerings. Their recommendations influence everyone
from Main Street to Wall Street. Their quotes are published in the media.
Their opinions drive decisions by businesses on technology investments,
product strategies and business models. Clearly, these analyst-influenced
decisions can have a major impact on a company's profitability.