1. © 2002 Giga Information Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution in any form without the prior written permission of Giga Information Group is expressly prohibited. Giga Information Group ® Technology Advice. Business Results. Working With Industry Analysts 101 Erin Kinikin, Vice President John Ragsdale, Director

2. © 2002 Giga Information Group, Inc. 2 Top Six Things We Wish We Knew When We Were “Vendors”  Analysts are not paid to do briefings  Analysts know more than you think they do –Markets, trends, mainstream demand  Analysts know less than you think they do –Case studies, technology details, vendor differentiation  Analysts are “from Missouri” –Value proofpoints, not opinions –Roadmaps only in rare cases  Analysts are interested in what they cover, not what you sell –Coverage is dictated by client demand – it’s a data point!  Analysts are most helpful if used proactively

3. © 2002 Giga Information Group, Inc. 3 First Things First: The Right Presentation  Know your audience  Ask the analyst what they want before starting  Tell them: –The business problems you solve –Who your competitors are and how you position against them –Total Economic Impact/ROI –Customer success stories / Proofpoints –Demo--and consider leading with it

4. © 2002 Giga Information Group, Inc. 4 “Let Me Show You A Graphic To Illustrate…..”  Crisp clear graphics –To explain products and packaging –To illustrate the market or market changes  Spend the cash to get a strong graphic you can reuse in sales presentations and collateral  Analysts will use this to understand –What you sell –What you think is important –Where you fit

5. © 2002 Giga Information Group, Inc. 5 “A Little Market History for You……”  Don’t give the analyst a history lesson  Don’t slam competitors without facts  Don’t brag about features you can’t explain  Don’t exaggerate –“Customers haven’t asked for it,” is a good answer  Customer examples are the best proofpoints

6. © 2002 Giga Information Group, Inc. 6 Visual Clues it is Time to Move On  Putting down the pencil  Watching the clock  Fidgeting  ….and if the analyst asks you to move on, please do

7. © 2002 Giga Information Group, Inc. 7 Get the Most From Analysts: Good Client Practices Market Requirements Product Planning Product Launch Competitive Analysis Value Justification Trends, client requirements, market demand Feature priorities, strategy validation Message validation, Go to market strategy Differentiation, Client feedback ROI “Follow the Project”

8. © 2002 Giga Information Group, Inc. 8 Recommendations  Build relationships with the primary analysts covering your area  Pre-brief on significant announcements  Ask for input BEFORE finalizing release priorities or launch messaging