Vendor-side influencer relations programs tend to focus on public relations, analyst relations and blogger relations. I’ve talked before (e.g. here and here) about the value of broadening these programs to include other types of influencers, such as the research leads at professional associations. Announcements today from CEA and ESA underscore why this makes so much sense. The Consumer Electronics Association … Read More
Edelman’s TweetLevel – measuring influence within Twitter
You can’t do influencer relations without a good set of tools for identifying influencers and measuring and tracking their influence. Here’s a new tool for your consideration: Edelman’s TweetLevel, by Jonny Bentwood. TweetLevel calculates an “importance” rating of 0-100 for anyone with a Twitter handle. And, it’s free to use. Most of the big agencies provide their clients with pricey … Read More
HBR: 3 degrees of influence
Influence made The Harvard Business Review 2009 List of breakthrough business ideas. As you know, I’m a fan of the idea that social media may expand traditional spheres of influence by eroding reliance on physical “nearness” (propinquity), to decision-makers. The HBR study by James Fowler and Nicholas A. Christakis tightens the noose the other way: “New research shows that personal … Read More
Measuring up while the chips are down
It’s easy to get caught up in what to say, how to say it — even how many characters to say it in — and completely lose sight of the simple truth that our words are just words, unless they’re backed by actions. This is certainly not a new idea. However, it’s being expressed by lots of different people right … Read More
LinkedIn for influencers
LinkedIn is one of several tools that can help influencers pursue their passion for gathering and sharing knowledge. Here’s some insight from my own experiments as well as conversations with influencers: Starting with basics, treat LinkedIn as a directory for being found. Create a complete profile. Write every section of text for fast, easy reading — and with a eye … Read More
Will social media change the way we measure influence?
Scott Brinker blogged about propinquity and Twitter last week. I’d never heard the word propinquity before. However, propinquity seems to be a label for a familiar concept — the notion that physical promixity promotes relationships. My parents harped about that while I was a teen. Happily, Scott takes a different tack. He suggests that social media applications such as Twitter … Read More
Ray Wang on the analyst life
R “Ray” Wang has posted a synopsis of his role as an industry analyst. Ray is with Forrester Research. His clients include tech buyers and tech providers. As a result, his straightforward summary describes the main roles that many analysts play in the tech industry. I noticed that Ray doesn’t focus on describing his influence. He doesn’t call out his … Read More
Events with uber influence: TED, SXSW and Obama inauguration
Some events are so saturated with powerful people discussing powerful ideas that they gain the stature of an uber influencer in their own right. Two of these rare events take place in the western U.S. in the early months of each year: TED and South by Southwest. This year, a 3rd event joins their ranks — and jostles right to … Read More
Freeform Dynamics’ management transition
Dale Vile, co-founder and managing director of Freeform Dynamics, announced a change in leadership at his company. Jon Collins is stepping up to take over as Managing Director of Freeform Dynamics, while Dale assumes a role as Research Director. Co-founder Helen Vile continues as operations director. I expect this transition will be seamless, and look forward to seeing what Jon … Read More
SMB IT decision-makers rely on consultants
The high tech industry analysts aren’t making much headway among the SMB decision-makers, according to this week’s Sage Market Pulse from Chadwick Martin Bailey. In this survey, independent consultants and colleagues lead all other types of external advisors on IT needs and solutions. You can see that SMB decision-makers are a smart bunch. They set up a well-balanced decision ecosystem … Read More