Justifying Analyst Contracts When You're Not in the Magic Quadrant
Smart, strategic AR professionals understand the business value of investing for the future
June 6, 2025 · Strategic AR #1 · Inquiry of the Week #4 · AR Playbook
AR Intelligence Snapshot
"How do you articulate the business value of working with analyst firms when a vendor is not mentioned in research such as the MQ, Wave, etc.?"
This astute question came from Alexander during the WBSRocks livestream I was a guest on (March 21, 2025, replays: YouTube or LinkedIn). It's a question that gets to the heart of what analyst relations is really about: is AR a tactical role for scheduling briefings and “moving the dot” or is it a strategic function that delivers measurable business outcomes and shapes the future?
The counterintuitive reality
Some of the highest-value analyst engagement occurs precisely when vendors aren't yet included in Big Rock research. This pre-inclusion period represents peak opportunity for relationship building, market influence, and strategic advisory value that creates compound returns when formal evaluation participation begins.
Dig Deeper
What are the five distinct value propositions that justify analyst contracts regardless of current research inclusion?
How to ensure that analysts’ end-users inquiries become lead generation opportunities for your company?
How can AR work within the analysts’ "pointillism" research methodology to help shape the market narrative?
Why does the "recency effect" makes regular inquiries as valuable as in-depth product briefings?
Which type of firms warrant this type of investment: just the FIGs or boutiques as well?