Media relations are only one part of Public Relations. An important one, admittedly, but whether you want to raise your profile, build your brand, or position yourself in the market, there’s one audience you can’t afford to overlook: Industry analysts.

Why? Because analysts are key influencers. The recommendations they make and the comparative reports and whitepapers they write shape the thinking of journalists, potential customers and investors. Analyst houses and consultancies can be an indispensable source of information because they know your market and competitive landscape, but they can also be your most valuable ambassadors as they are a credible, independent source of expert opinion on your industry.

It is this feature that makes them the go-to source for so many other target audiences. As a result, Analyst Relations (AR) is essential to a well-rounded and successful Public Relations programme. Analysts should be engaged early on in a campaign as building relationships with these key influencers is vital. But it’s important to remember they are researchers and not reporters. They don’t need or want just a news release, a scoop or a sales pitch. They want strategy, direction and insight from the top of the business and time with your leadership team or the senior executives that can give them the information that will enable them to do their job.  

Traditional briefings either over the phone or face-to-face or analyst-only events are useful but it’s building up strong, personal relationships capable of delivering detail and fresh material that is the key to success. And by taking the time to invest in a focussed AR campaign and providing analysts with the right information and access points, you can ensure they assess your company accurately and position it correctly in its sector.

A good PR team should offer a strategic AR programme as part of an integrated campaign. Too many don’t and by failing to make connections with these important influencers, they run the risk of the not seeing the full benefits of even the most targeted media relations efforts.  It’s also important to start talking to analysts early on in a campaign as they can be a useful source of sector knowledge with a bird’s eye view of what’s going on. They can provide you with valuable insights into your industry, and will also know what your competitors are up to; both inputs which can help shape the roadmap the business follows as well as direct your communication efforts.

Prospective clients may see AR as adding to the cost of a campaign and an element that can be dispensed with to trim the fat from a retainer, but it is one of the cornerstones of a successful, comprehensive campaign and should not be ignored.