GigaOM Pro Marks First Anniversary, Emerges from Beta at Structure 2010

BarbaraAnalyst relations, analysts, Industry analysts

Editor’s Note: Republishing this post I wrote today for Tekrati. It ties into several of my themes here, and to my July webinar with Jeremiah Owyang. GigaOM today celebrates the first anniversary of its GigaOM Pro research division. GigaOM Pro is one of the more interesting of the recent entrants to high tech industry analyst business. Mike Wolf (@michaelwolf), vice … Read More

Where else can you get IT research and advisory?

BarbaraIndustry analysts, influence, Influencer identification, influencer relations, Research, Uncategorized

If you’ve been following my blogs or are a client, you’re familiar with my position on alternatives to the tech industry analysts for research and advisory. With this post, I’m bringing these conversations about alternatives to the industry analysts online. This post introduces some basic ideas and examples. My position is simple: well-respected alternatives are out there; more sources are popping … Read More

HBR: 3 degrees of influence

Barbarainfluence, Influencer identification, Research

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

Social media driving competition for purchase influence

BarbaraB2B, Consumer markets, Influencer marketing, Research, social media

Tom Smith’s guest post at Mashable makes the point that we now trust the opinions of strangers as much as we trust our close friends, thanks to social media. He’s highlighting findings from the Universal McCann study, “When did we start trusting strangers”. Don’t let yourself get lulled into thinking this phenomenon is taking place only in consumer markets. Social … Read More

SMB IT decision-makers rely on consultants

BarbaraDecision-makers, Research

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

How sourcing advisors are getting into your account

BarbaraInfluencer marketing, Research, Sourcing advisors

If you sell technology, you already know that sourcing advisors figure prominently in your influencer ecosystems. Have you ever wondered how they manage to get into your accounts in the first place? Most likely, they’re getting to your customers and prospects through word of mouth referrals, vendor referrals, or direct sales. That’s according to a new study on the sourcing … Read More

Survey: Tech decision-makers split on social media

BarbaraDecision-makers, Research

There’s quite a debate raging over whether IT decision-makers are influenced by blogs and other forms of social media. No matter which side you take in this debate, you’ll find good news and bad news in the latest installment of the “IT Social Media Index.” The IT Social Media Index is becoming a twice-yearly survey conducted by ITtoolbox (now part … Read More

exevo Invests $1 Million in Global Technology Panel

BarbaraIndustry analysts, Research

Interesting news for industry analyst and market research companies operating in high tech: exevo, a leading Market Research Outsourcing (MRO) firm, announced has invested USD $1 million in instituting a Global Technology Panel comprising dedicated business and consumer panelists. The research panel totals more than 125,000 members, divided between a Business Panel of more than 75,000 opinion leaders and a … Read More

MR meets MRI: this is your brain on advertising

Barbarainfluence, Research

Market researchers are turning to neuromarketing — aka brain scans — to understand secret reactions to advertising, media and product packaging. The goal is discovering what triggers your brain’s pleasure center, spurring that purchase instinct. Dr. Joshua Freedman, a neuropsychiatrist at FKF Applied Research and professor at UCLA, has used brain-scanning technology to test the effectiveness of political campaigns and … Read More