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Analytics Marketing Insights From BusinessWeek, IDC and Others

When it comes to business intelligence and analytics, winning customers among the all-important C-level and line of business (LOBs) decision makers requires an integrated approach that includes more than the often-promised solutions orientation, according to a series of research reports from IDC, Computerworld and BusinessWeek. While some of the reports' content repeats the same platitudes you've heard for years, and includes a healthy dose of self-serving statements, there are some insights worth repeating.

It should be painfully obvious to anyone who has marketed to non-IT buyers that personal peer referrals is the number one pre-requisite for purchasing decisions, according to an IDC study earlier this year. Credible and compelling white papers from independent authors is the second most important influencer, according to IDC. Yes, it is self-serving for IDC to promote independently authored white papers, but the point is valid even if the source has an obvious bias.

As this list shows, C-level and LOB officials are more likely to buy your product or service if they've received enough independent assessment and reference of the value of your business intelligence and analytics "solutions."

Top 5 Analytics Influencers of Non-IT Buyers

  1. Peer referrals and professional organizations
  2. Independently authored white papers and reports
  3. Direct communications with vendor reps
  4. In person events
  5. Vendor collateral/white papers
Source: March 2005 report from IDC, "Business Analytics Software Marketing: Effective Strategies for Building Awareness and Influence"

And when it comes to business intelligence solutions, none is more important than analytics. A recent Computerworld survey found that having the right analysis tools are more important than dashboards, scorecards and other types of knee-jerk reaction products:

Top 5 Parts of BI Solution to Non-IT Managers

  1. Analytics
  2. Ad hoc query
  3. Dashboards/scorecards
  4. Production reports
  5. OLAP
Source: August 2005 report from Computerworld, "Trends in Business Intelligence Purchasing and Implementation"

Here's the Pitch
These reports are timely in that they show the value and importance of our Nov.28, 2005 special ad section in BusinessWeek, "Unmasking Analytics." It will include comments from BusinessWeek readers and users of analytics, as well as insights from leading analysts and The Data Warehousing Institute, our partner in producing our business intelligence sections. We're going to describe the state-of-the-art in analytics, whetting the appetite of prospects for those companies participating in the section.

Furthermore, we're introducing an Analytics Knowledge Center on the BusinessWeek Web site with articles from the magazine as well as highlighting the best white papers, case studies and analyst reports.

Any company not yet participating in the section and the Knowledge Center has until next week to contact its BW rep or me personally for more information. Let me know if you want more information about the integrated program. Also, don't forget that we can help you produce more leads and business by creating credible and compelling information for C level and LOB officials.

Legal Stuff
The data and charts are (c) 2005, The McGraw Hill Companies. All rights reserved. This e-mail newsletter is (c) 2005, Triangle Publishing Services Co. Inc. All Rights Reserved.

For prior issues of my newsletters with research data and analysis, visit this page of our Web site.

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Thanks again for your interest and support.


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