Carter L
SageCircle Strategist, expert on the IT industry analysts and analyst relations (AR) strategies and best practices
What is the impact on decisions to buy analyst services whether the analysts do serious blogging?
Of the largest IT industry analyst firms(1) only Forrester seems to encouraging its analysts to actively blog (2) and expose valuable commentary to non-clients. Questions to current, past and potential clients of these analyst firms:
A. Forrester clients – Does the presence of Forrester’s blogs mean you are less likely or more likely to renew your annual contracts? Why?
B. Non-Forrester clients - Does the presence of Forrester’s blogs mean you are less likely or more likely to consider Forrester when considering analyst services? Why?
C. Does the fact the other major firms are not blogging impact your opinion of the firms? Why?
D. Does the fact the other major firms are not blogging impact the likelihood that you will or will not purchase services from them? Why?
I am especially interested in what CIOs and their staffs think of these questions. Thanks in advance for your responses.
(1) AMR Research, Forrester, Gartner, IDC, Ovum and Yankee Group
(2) Visit www.sagecircle.wordpress.com and look at the link list to see the major firm blogs
Answers (2)
Tarry S
Cloud Computing & Virtualization Evangelist, Fireman, Author, Researcher, Entrepreneur and Blogger :)
Best Answers in: Computers and Software (1)
Honestly some of the(ir) analysts who went blogging on ZDnet were really talking balderdash. Sitting and writing in confinement and having some college intern do your write-up is a far safer option than going all out and blogging yourself.
A. I'm no Forrester client, so cannot comment on that.
Let me tell you something about professional blogging: You have to really know about the technology, you must be a subject matter expert, you must weigh all the options and attempt to address the situation with a "Universally Acceptable Helicopter View". Now how do you do that. That is a big question. Some analyst bloggers are good but many others can be damaging to their companies if their reporting style does not align with their blogging.
B. Analyst firms must encourage their analysts to go and start talking to people around the world. One good example is The451Group. I see that they are open, I've met the analysts myself. That is the first step, writng collaboratively is the next one. Writing from a capsule and putting it into your blog may not get you anywhere. Go2Community strategy will help analyst firms get respect not only from the community but also from the industry.
C&D. The fact that many firms are not blogging collaboratively seriously puts a dent in their (if there is any) "strategic intent" initiative. Intended strategy can only get you somewhere you knew you'd land up, it is the strategic intent that will define if you will remain in the industry.
Today a lot of independent analysts are sprouting up, they are writing and living on the field everyday. I'd definitely go for the guy/gal who knows and can indulge in the deeper discussion as it is that depth that will be insightful to a client.
Links:
Clarification added January 28, 2008:
This is a typical example where an analyst's reputation can come under fire. Check out the post.
The blog strategy at MSFT, Sun and other is "be smart." I think that goes for analyst's blogs too. I follow Charlene Li at Forrester and find it tangentially interesting. Do I buy the service because of a blog? That depends on whether the analysts buy is offensive as a buyer looking for insights or defensive as a communications strategy looking for favorable coverage. - doug molitor
