Security buyers create their shortlists from analyst reports before a sales rep ever gets a meeting. Many startups ignore AR until Series B or delegate it to an agency using the same cadence for every client. We operate it as an embedded function: briefings, inquiry cadence, and category placement that accurately reflects what you built.
The Challenge
Your category might not exist in Gartner's taxonomy yet
Build in a newer space like non-human identity or exposure management and there may be no Magic Quadrant or Wave to compete in. Vendors shoehorn into an adjacent, wrong category just to get evaluated, burying them next to competitors solving a different problem.
Briefings happen once, then communication goes quiet
Most founders take one Gartner or Forrester call, treat it as a checkbox, and never follow up. Analysts cover dozens of vendors per beat and forget you within a quarter without a recurring inquiry cadence, so the next MQ cycle starts from zero.
Your competitors are purchasing analyst time that you're not
Larger, better-funded competitors run structured inquiry programs and get named in vendor comparison notes on a rolling basis. That volume shapes how an analyst frames the category. A startup showing up once a year is invisible next to a competitor an analyst talks to monthly.
Procurement creates shortlists from reports before sales ever gets involved
Security buyers increasingly pull their RFP shortlist from Gartner Peer Insights and Wave positioning before a rep gets a meeting. Absent from those reports, or misplaced in a quadrant that undersells you, you lose deals you never knew were in play.
How We Can Help
We begin by auditing your standing with analysts who cover your category: every previous briefing, inquiry, and report mention, mapped against the analysts at Gartner, Forrester, IDC, and boutique firms such as KuppingerCole or Omdia who actively cover your space. Most companies are surprised by how limited their actual coverage is.
Next, we create a 12-month AR calendar aligned with your real report cycles rather than a generic PR calendar. If a Wave in your category begins accepting submissions in Q3, the briefing cadence must start building familiarity in Q1.
We conduct the briefings directly, or prepare your CEO or CTO in advance, because a founder who rambles on a Gartner call wastes everyone's time. Decks open with the problem that matters to the analyst, not a product pitch. We also manage inquiry scheduling, relationship tracking, and correction requests when an embargoed draft misrepresents your positioning.
For emerging categories that lack a formal MQ or Wave, we target earlier-stage vehicles first: Gartner Innovation Insight, Hype Cycle placements, Forrester Now Tech, which validate a new category before it qualifies for a full evaluation.
This operates fractionally and as an embedded function, not as a retainer that delivers a monthly deck and a shrug. You get a single AR lead who understands your roadmap and works the account as an in-house VP of AR would before you can afford a full-time hire.
What we deliver
- Analyst coverage map and briefing calendar tied to real report cycles
- Briefing decks and spokesperson prep for every scheduled call
- Inquiry management across Gartner, Forrester, IDC, and boutique analysts
- Correction management when embargoed drafts misstate your positioning
Nobody purchases security software from a cold sales call anymore; they buy from a shortlist an analyst helped shape months earlier, meaning the deal you lose today was really lost during a briefing you skipped last year.
Our Methodology
The first 90 days unfold across three phases. Weeks 1-3: audit previous analyst contact and create a coverage map that ranks every analyst by relevance and influence. Weeks 4-8: conduct the first briefing round with priority-tier analysts, prepare spokespeople, and develop a submission plan for the next evaluation cycle. Weeks 9-13: run a second briefing round incorporating feedback, establish inquiry cadence on a recurring schedule, and deliver the first coverage scorecard.
What sets this apart from a traditional retainer: we don't charge for generic updates to analysts who don't cover your category. Each briefing happens because a specific analyst's report timeline requires it. That's operator thinking brought to AR, rather than agency volume for volume's sake.
Our Working Approach
First 30 days: coverage audit, analyst mapping, and a briefing calendar aligned with actual report deadlines. Days 30-60: briefing execution starts, with cadence moving into a biweekly rhythm. Days 60-90: submission strategy for the next available evaluation window, along with an initial coverage scorecard. From day 90 onward, it's continuous cadence management, at least quarterly briefings, and rapid response whenever a draft report requires correction.
The team structure stays lean: one embedded AR lead serving as your day-to-day contact, supported by Winston Francois's broader marketing bench as needed.
- More active relationships with analysts who actually cover your category
- Inclusion in relevant evaluation reports where you were previously absent or miscategorized
- A repeatable briefing cadence your team can run on its own after the engagement
If your cybersecurity company needs analyst relations leadership, we should talk.
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Frequently asked questions
What does cybersecurity analyst relations cost?
Fractional AR engagements generally cost $8K-$20K per month, depending on the number of analyst firms requiring coverage and the briefing volume your calendar demands. Covering Gartner and Forrester alone falls at the lower end; adding several boutique firms alongside the majors costs more. That's significantly less than hiring a full-time VP of AR once salary and ramp time are factored in.
How soon will we see results from analyst relations work?
You can expect the first briefing calendar within 30 days and completed briefings by day 60. Inclusion in a formal report depends on the report's evaluation cycle, which may be a quarter or more than a year away. AR compounds over time; companies that stop after 90 days lose momentum within two quarters.
How will the AR lead collaborate with our internal marketing and executive teams?
Your AR lead participates in your marketing team's regular cadence instead of working in a separate silo. They gather roadmap and customer-proof input from product and sales, then prepare your CEO or CTO ahead of every call. It's a specialist integrated into your team, not a black box.
What makes this different from hiring a PR or AR agency?
Most agencies assign AR to junior account managers who run a templated cadence across a dozen clients with limited cybersecurity context. We operate as an embedded fractional specialist who understands your product and how procurement relies on these reports. You're paying for the person who prepared the briefing and joined the call.
How do you evaluate ROI from analyst relations?
We monitor leading indicators, including active relationships, briefing frequency, and inquiry volume, alongside lagging indicators such as report inclusion and quadrant movement. Direct revenue attribution is more difficult here than in demand generation because the influence appears in shortlist inclusion that sales may never observe directly.
What type of cybersecurity company is the best fit for this?
This is best suited to Series A through growth-stage security vendors, approximately $5M-$100M ARR, selling to enterprise buyers who reference analyst reports before procurement. If you're pre-revenue or sell only to SMBs, AR investment is premature; fund demand generation first. Companies operating in a newer, undefined category are also strong candidates.
