Those of us who watch the watchers tend to use phrases like “the analysts”, “the media”, “the integrators”, “the bloggers”, “the academics”, and so on. Â In most cases, we use these phrases simply as short hand. Â We know that there are few common denominators uniting the people in these positions. Â However, that’s not the message we send to our colleagues … Read More
Support Jeff Kaplan’s 163-mile bicycle ride for cancer research
One of the many perks of my line of work (influencer relations) is getting to know people who go out and make a difference in the world. Jeff Kaplan, founder of THINKstrategies, is one of these people. He’s an influential voice on SaaS and an emerging opinion leader on cloud computing. Just as importantly (at least in my eyes), he … Read More
Defining the strength of influencer relationships
Human relationships tend to be complicated, and relationships with influencers are no exception. Yet, you need to know where you stand with an influencer and to share that insight with others in your organization. That’s why so many of us strive to describe influencer relationships in terms that are simple, meaningful and broadly applicable. There are many different systems for … Read More
Video of influencer marketing event at Commonwealth Club
A group of about 60 of us converged on the Commonwealth Club in late May for an evening of networking and discussion around influencer marketing. Thanks everyone for making it such a special evening. A Zoomify photo is available from Ron Fredericks, our videographer for the preso and Q&A. It’s at his LectureMaker blog — “Nick Hayes: Marketing Is Broken … Read More
Influencer marketing intro at IABC 2009 World Conference
You can get a good introduction to influencer marketing at the IABC 2009 World Conference. It’s just around the corner — in terms of timing, it’s next week; in terms of location, it’s here in San Francisco. This year, Nick will lead a session on influencer marketing. Don’t miss it if you are attending. He takes a 360 degree viewpoint … Read More
TechCrunch muscles in on syndicated research
TechCrunch has edged into the syndicated research business, the traditional turf of analyst firms such as Gartner, Forrester Research, IDC, Burton Group, et al. The idea behind TechCrunch Research is elegantly simple: package up quarterly reports based on the open source CrunchBase wiki database, sell the reports at economical price points and promote the service across the TechCrunch media network. … Read More
IIAR Breakfast at Forrester IT Forum 2009 in Berlin
Hannah Kirkman was in touch with an invitation to the IIAR breakfast meeting in conjunction with the Forrester IT Forum EMEA in Berlin next week. Â It’s an opportunity to find out about the IIAR (Institute of Industry Analyst Relations) and network with analyst relations peers. Â The informal breakfast meeting starts at 8:00AM CET on Wednesday, June 3rd at the … Read More
Word of mouth and influencer marketing interview on Love Digital
David Campbell, a digital marketing expert and one of Australia’s youngest agency heads, says the adage that word of mouth is the most powerful form of marketing has been around a long time. But how do you actually activate it? How can companies and agencies stimulate word of mouth marketing and use influencer marketing? And, what are the implications for … Read More
ZDNet: who do you trust for enterprise software advice?
ZDNet blogger Paul Greenberg ran a poll last week asking who his readers trust most — analysts, journalists, institutional analysts, bloggers, others — “when it comes to a good, clean honest look at the enterprise technology industry… especially around traditional and social enterprise software (CRM, ERP, social network platforms) and technologies associated with it”. With 171 votes to date, the … Read More
Analyst relations outreach: is the goal analysts or decision-makers?
Historically, analyst relations (AR) programs have been designed as a bridge between a technology company and the analyst community. As a result, AR programs have focused first and foremost on analysts, and only indirectly on prospects, customers and other decision-makers. Is it possible to reverse this program orientation? Bring it more in line with other communications strategies, such as social … Read More