One of the US-based industry analyst firms, Enterprise Strategy Group, just announced it’s expanding into China. Announcements like this raise at least 2 interesting questions:

• Can ESG — a small specialty tech market research firm — gain enough traction in China to make the investment pay off?
• What does it mean to analyst relations and influencer marketing programs?

The answers depend on what’s going on under the covers.

If ESG’s intent is to export its influence to China, then I’d be skeptical. Competition on the ground for influence opportunities — and research spending — is already fierce.

On the other hand, there’s an undeniable halo effect of operating in China. Local presence in China could be highly beneficial to ESG here in the US and in Europe. ESG could boost its stature and qualify for new business opportunities among its tech vendor clientele.

What does it mean for analyst relations and influencer marketing? It means looking for shifts in decision-maker ecosystems, as established analyst firms move into China. Monitoring decision-makers in China is crucial work. Sales efforts can go off-track by the unexpected involvement of an analyst through local partners and resellers.

Watch for impacts outside of China as well. Monitor decision-makers elsewhere in the world, to understand whether analysts are leveraging their China operations to open new doors.