Navigating Gartner: Tips for Customer Outreach and Analyst Relations | CMAweekly Customer Marketing and Advocacy Slack

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Navigating Gartner: Tips for Customer Outreach and Analyst Relations | CMAweekly Customer Marketing and Advocacy Slack

Marissa Bird
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Hi Megan! I own both advocacy and AR for my company so adding some thoughts here. In general, I am not a huge fan of having customers reach out to Gartner directly to discuss product experience, mostly because IF something negative is said to Gartner, it can obviously affect standing. In the past, I have asked a Gartner analyst what types of questions they would be interested in asking our customers and either getting those answers in writing or on video.
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Karilla Dyer
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Following out of curiosity because I've never encountered this! I also drive reviews and provide a list of references when we're submitting for an MQ. I've never asked our customers to proactively call up Gartner on our behalf.
Lacey Butler
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You could also see if your AR folks can set up a call where you join WITH the customer to (a) set up intros and (b) make sure the call doesn’t go off course. I agree with getting the questions or topics in advance and having a prep call with your customer(s) to outline the call and what to expect.
Megan Donaldson
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Thanks Lacey Butler - as someone who crosses AR and CMA...have you received this advice from Gartner before? Any info on the "Gartner seat"?
Lacey Butler
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I haven’t, but I have had customers on calls with Gartner in the past :). Personally, I’m not sure how you would tactfully ask or find customers with Gartner seats (I.e., a customer who pays for Gartner reports, etc). Instead, I’d propose pre-arranged calls with some of your top customers.
Megan Donaldson
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Alexie Glover is this something you've come across with your clients before? Emma Hanevelt I saw that you work closely with AR at Grammarly in another post...have you come across this?
Alexie Glover
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Megan Donaldson this is a new one for me, personally. I'm going to touch base with my larger team though! I'll let you know if I hear of any advice for folks in your situation.
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Emma Hanevelt
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Hey, Megan Donaldson! I've never heard of that happening for Magic Quadrant reports, but I've reached out to our AR manager to check. Like you, they've leveraged our reviews, so I run a review campaign before the reports are written. We've had that request from other AR vendors before (Forrester, InfoTech Research) but not Gartner. I'll follow up if our AR Manager shares anything different.
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Megan Donaldson
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Emma Hanevelt in the case of forrester, infotech etc...do you broker that conversation and intro? Or are you asking customers to proactively reach out to the analyst?
Emma Hanevelt
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We broker the conversation. I wouldn't feel comfortable asking our customers to reach out to Gartner. I'd offer to facilitate a conversation.
Alexie Glover
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Hey Megan Donaldson just confirmed with my team. Our experience has never been that customers are asked to reach out to Gartner proactively. If customers are connecting with the Gartner analysts it's always in response to a report where Gartner is requesting specific references, which we provide. With GPI serving as the avenue for customers to provide "proactive" feedback. Sorry to not be of more help!
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Megan Donaldson
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Thank you! I'm going to advise my team to go back to Gartner to make sure we're not misinterpreting the ask. Seems like you guys are scratching your heads as much as we are with this request.