HFN Analyst Relations - IT Analyst Relations Consulting

HFN Analyst Relations stands for analyst relations consulting. We support technology vendors in sales promotion and marketing-communication in European and especially in German-speaking IT markets. We enhance your long-term position in the IT market by launching targeted dialog with IT analysts specialized in areas such as software, hardware, IT services or telecommunications.

HFN monitors developments in the IT analyst community as carefully as IT analysts themselves monitor the development of your company. We cultivate contacts to IT consultants and IT analysts who work for IT research enterprises such as the Meta Group (now Gartner), Forrester, IDC, Ovum, Berlecon, Experton Group, TechConsult or PAC (Pierre Audion Consultants). 

Conquer IT Markets with HFN Analyst Relations

Analyst relations: that means professional communication with IT analysts, which means influence marketing. Analyst relations is becoming more important on the German IT market. The Kensington Group estimates that 40 to 60% of revenues in the IT sector are influenced by IT analysts. Analyst relations at HFN means forcefully exploiting your opportunities on the IT market by facilitating direct contact with the analysts who shape the market. Analysts not only recommend your products directly to their clients, they also exert direct influence on the media in Germany. Successful sales promotion is facilitated when IT analysts begin to understand your company and recommend your products and services to their clients.

Analyst relations  and analyst relations consulting should not be confused with investor relations, which addresses financial analysts but not IT analysts. Analyst relations also differs from public relations and marketing, which are aimed at different target groups. An IT analyst is not satisfied with 'marketing collateral' or press releases. An IT analyst needs specific information about your company's positioning, business-model, product portfolio, strategy and target groups.

HFN Analyst Relations - Services for technology companies: some examples

HFN Analyst Relations supports technology providers in the development of their analyst relations processes internally and externally, and professionally implements analyst relations management operations. 

We provide analyst relations consulting for optimal market positioning. We advise and train company spokesmen for effective communication with IT consultants and IT analysts.

We measure the performance of all operations based on Return on Investment and additional clearly understandable economic indicators. 

We function as a sparring partner, extended workbench or outsourced analyst relations department.

Analyst Relations Mini-FAQ:

Q: Don't IT analysts work primarily abroad?

A: In the German IT market, companies like Experton Group, Forrester, Gartner, IDC or Pierre Audoin Consultants have increasing influence on the market position of technology companies. Many IT and and Telecommunications companies nevertheless mistakenly assume that IT analysts work primarily in foreign countries.

The reality is fortunately different: there are some 100 German-speaking IT analysts and about 150 financial analysts with an affinity to ICT who are active in Germany alone. They exert direct influence on the media and, in their consulting activity, also on IT buyers and investors.

HFN AnalystRelations is the first consulting company on the German technology market that has the expertise necessary to quickly identify relevant IT analysts.

Q: Isn't it much too costly for a small or medium sized company to be engaged in analyst relations professionally?

A: An IT analyst can exert powerful influence on the sales of an IT company, whether large or small, through recommendations or warnings to IT users and media. Many IT and telecommunications providers doubt whether commitment of financial resources is a means to that end.

Successful dialog with these IT analysts is not a question of money. Success depends on identifying the relevant analysts and addressing the ones who have the most influence on the respective buyer of an IT provider.

It can be counterproductive to set up large budgets for influencing IT analysts. 'Incentives' such as parties and luxury tours do not communicate a professional impression of your company. It has become a seldom practice to invite analysts to visit the headquarters of a foreign IT company. Expensive gifts and excessive attention should be avoided for ethical reasons.

Technology companies are well advised to invest an appropriate share of time to developing a productive relationship to important IT analysts instead of committing financial resources in the wrong places without measurable performance.

Q: Don't only particular specialized IT companies work with IT analysts?

A: No. 80% of the Fortune-1000 companies rely on industrial analysts.

Q: We are a small IT business operation. Isn't our company too small to draw the attention of IT analysts?

A: The size of a company is usually of no importance. IT analysts are always looking for IT and TC companies with superior technologies, new ideas and innovative strategies. These companies may have no more than five employees.

Q: Don't analysts always try to gain access to confidential information?

A: Confidential information, in principle, cannot be used by IT analysts. Internal quality controls in the analyst houses provide one guarantee of this, and research companies' clients also carry out direct control to the same effect by simply checking /monitoring research that gets published about them.

You can stipulate a fundamental non disclosure agreement and then release information selectively. Furthermore, proper preparation of your material and core-message for IT analysts creates security. You avoid releasing information in the heat of battle which is not intended for IT analysts.