Recent data from SageCircle’s latest SageAnalysts study reveals a startling trend: the biggest names in tech are not just maintaining their lead – they’re actively widening the gap. Let’s dive into the numbers and explore this “rich get richer” phenomenon in analyst relations.
The Big Five: Doubling Down on Analyst Communication
We analyzed the communication frequency of the top five tech giants – Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), IBM, Google, and Cisco. The data show a dramatic increase in analyst interactions compared to 2022:
- Microsoft: +40%
- AWS: +35%
- IBM: +30%
- Google: +25%
- Cisco: +20%
On average, these industry leaders have increased their analyst communication volume by 30% year over year. In the chart below, the bubble size shows how the communications volume of the leading analyst relations programme has changed. Bigger bubbles signify more change and tend to be from the largest firms.
This reflects a multi-faceted approach that includes more frequent briefings, expanded event participation, increased multi-analyst webinars, expanded targeting, and intensified direct outreach efforts. However, these firms are not only those with the highest volume but also the best, as measured by analysts’ responses about which vendors have the best advocacy (ARQ in SageCircle’s language) and Strategic Influence & Market Impact (SIMI).
This isn’t simply a bounce-back from the pandemic; the performance of other leading solutions providers proves that.
The Rest Struggle to Keep Pace
In stark contrast to our five giants, other vendors in the study showed much more modest gains:
- Other major vendors (e.g. Oracle, SAP, Salesforce): 5-10% increase
- Smaller players and niche providers: 0-5% increase, with some showing no change or slight decreases
This growing disparity represents more than just a numerical gap – it signifies a fundamental shift in how influence and mindshare are distributed across the tech landscape.
Implications of the Widening Gap
- Mindshare Monopolization: The sheer volume of interactions gives top vendors an outsized presence in analysts’ consciousness, potentially skewing research perspectives and recommendations.
- Resource Feedback Loop: Larger budgets enable more frequent and diverse touchpoints, creating a self-reinforcing cycle of influence that smaller players struggle to match.
- Narrative Control: Increased communication allows industry giants to more effectively shape and control key narratives about technology trends, market direction, and innovation.
- Innovation Perception Distortion: Even if smaller firms drive significant innovations, their voices may be drowned out by the constant drumbeat of more prominent players’ messaging.
- Market Myopia: This imbalance could lead analysts to develop a skewed perception of the overall market, potentially overlooking valuable solutions from smaller or more specialized providers.
- Competitive Intelligence Asymmetry: Major players gain disproportionate insight into analyst thinking and competitor positioning, further entrenching their market advantages.
Breaking the Cycle: Strategies for Leveling the Playing Field
While the data paints a challenging picture, there are strategies that smaller and mid-sized tech companies can employ to increase their influence:
- Quality Over Quantity: Focus on high-impact, personalized analyst interactions that deliver unique value. Prioritize depth over breadth in engagements.
- Niche Expertise Amplification: Leverage deep domain knowledge or specialized technical expertise to become indispensable sources for analysts in specific areas.
- Innovative Engagement Models: Explore unconventional ways to provide value to analysts beyond traditional briefings. Consider analyst-in-residence programs, joint research initiatives, or exclusive early access to emerging technologies.
- Ecosystem Leverage: Form strategic partnerships or join relevant technology ecosystems to amplify collective voices and present more comprehensive solutions to analysts.
- Data-Driven Differentiation: Provide analysts with unique, data-backed insights that larger firms might overlook. Focus on specific use cases, emerging market segments, or under-analyzed industry verticals.
- Thought Leadership Focus: Invest in producing high-quality thought leadership content that positions your company as a visionary in your space, giving analysts a reason to seek out your perspective.
- Analyst Relations Specialization: Consider hiring AR specialists with deep relationships and expertise in your specific technology area, rather than generalists.
- Selective Targeting: Rather than trying to engage with every analyst, focus resources on building deep relationships with a carefully chosen subset of influential voices in your market.
Recommendations for the Analyst Community
Analysts and analyst firms also have a role to play in maintaining a balanced and healthy tech ecosystem:
- Diversity Quotas: Implement internal guidelines to ensure a mix of large and small vendors is included in research reports and vendor evaluations.
- Emerging Vendor Programs: Develop dedicated programs to identify and spotlight innovative smaller players, ensuring they receive appropriate attention.
- Bias Training: Provide training to help analysts recognize and mitigate potential biases towards more prominent, communicative vendors.
- Alternate Sourcing: Actively seek information from diverse sources beyond vendor briefings, including end-users, industry events, and independent research.
- Transparency: Disclose the scope and limitations of research, including which vendors were evaluated and the criteria for inclusion.
Conclusion: A Call for Ecosystem Balance
The “rich get richer” phenomenon in analyst relations presents a complex challenge for the tech industry. While top firms effectively leverage their resources, there’s an urgent need to ensure diverse voices and perspectives are heard within the analyst community.
A genuinely healthy tech ecosystem requires a balanced view that values innovation, expertise, and insight regardless of a company’s size or communication budget. As we move forward, vendors and analysts must work together to create a more level playing field that fosters innovation, promotes fair competition, and ultimately delivers the best solutions to end users.
The future of tech depends on our ability to nurture a diverse landscape of players, ideas, and innovations. It’s time for the industry to collectively address this growing influence gap and ensure that the best ideas – not just the loudest voices – shape our technological future.
An earlier version of this article appeared on LinkedIn on
