Posted: November 26th, 2008 | Author: Duncan Brown | Filed under: Influencer50 | Tags: Influencer50 | No Comments »
We’re currently changing our web site, hosting platform, blog platform and other techie stuff. In the midst of this change the blog got ‘lost.’ Sorry.
There was an time that this would be really interesting for me, but nowadays it’s just a drag.
Anyway, I think the technical term is “growing pains.” That, or “incompetence on my part.”
Normal service has now resumed. Thanks for waiting.
Posted: October 21st, 2008 | Author: Duncan Brown | Filed under: Influencer50, influencer marketing | Tags: influencer marketing, Influencer50, Nick Hayes | No Comments »
Nick, the president and founder of Influencer50, appeared on Webmaster radio last week, covering the basics of Influencer Marketing. It’s actually an easy listen, and you can stream the interview podcast here. Or download the mp3 here if you want to miss the commercials!
Posted: April 22nd, 2008 | Author: Duncan Brown | Filed under: Influencer Marketing - the book, Influencer50 | Tags: Influencer Marketing - the book, New Communications Forum, Nick Hayes, Tekrati | No Comments »
In advance of Nick’s appearance at the New Communications Forum this week, he was interviewed by Barbara French at Tekrati on the subject of his debate with Paul Gillin. The link is here.
Posted: November 22nd, 2007 | Author: Duncan Brown | Filed under: Influencer Marketing - the book, Influencer50, influencer marketing, influencer relations | Tags: best practice, case studies, influencer marketing, Influencer Marketing - the book, influencer relations, Nick Hayes | No Comments »
The Book is imminent, which in publishing terms means two weeks or so. It’s due on the 3rd December in the UK, and 14th January in the US. Don’t ask why…
The book’s available for pre-order on various amazon sites. Because of the Christmas rush, we won’t be doing much in the way of formal promo until January, though I am discussing some of the book’s main themes at the CMO Summit next week, as an exclusive(!). I’m also at the Word of Mouth Marketing Forum in January.
One of the main features of the book is the use of case studies. We have twelve of them, and I’ve previously announced that Wipro, Adobe, Palm and Yahoo! are among them. I can now divulge that IBM and Nortel will also be included, along with several firms that declined to be identified for competitive reasons. More details on all the case studies is available here.
Finally, we’re delighted to have had the book reviewed by a dozen or so CMOs and other notables. The book reviews are posted here, and will also feature on the book cover. We’re really chuffed that so many took the time to read the draft and provide comments. Nick and I are indebted.
Posted: November 22nd, 2007 | Author: admin | Filed under: Influencer50, influencer marketing | Tags: CMO Council, influencer marketing, Influencer50 | No Comments »
I suppose these days I should refer to this as a “gig.” But I just can’t shake the image of rock stars in leather trousers. I digress.
I’m invited to address the CMO Council’s Summit next week in Berlin - I’m in the after-dinner slot. It’s a great opportunity to meet lots of Marketing chiefs in one place - should be a good event.
If you’re going, let me know - perhaps we can hook up.
Posted: September 11th, 2007 | Author: admin | Filed under: Influencer50, influencer marketing, measurement, net promoter | Tags: Delphi method, influencer identification, Influencer50, measurement, Net Influencer Promoter Score, Net Promoter Score | No Comments »
Interesting post on NPS here.
At Influencer50 we’ve rolled out our NIPS service - NIPS = Net Influencer Promoter Score. It’s based on the premise that influencer promoter scores should predict a customer-orientated NPS.
NIPS is a combination of NPS and the Delphi method to consensus-based forcasting. Basically, it’s ascientific approach to prove what all good consultants know - that if you talk to enough knowledgeable people eventually you become knowledgeable yourself (and can then sell that expertise).
The trick is knowing which people are the ones to talk to…
Posted: August 31st, 2007 | Author: admin | Filed under: Influencer Marketing - the book, Influencer50 | Tags: case studies, influ, Influencer Marketing - the book, Nick Hayes | No Comments »
The web site for the book is now live. Check it out at the imaginatively-titled http://www.influencermarketingbook.com/. The cover design is a draft, but we didn’t want to wait.
The site contains the table of contents and information on the case studies. It will shortly also list some further reading (or pre-reading, depending on how keen you are), which we’ll keep up to date.
I’ll continue to announce the case study participants here but the book site will also be updated.
More book-related news to follow…
Posted: May 9th, 2007 | Author: admin | Filed under: Influencer Marketing - the book, Influencer50, influencer marketing | Tags: case studies, Influencer Marketing - the book, Influencer50, Nick Hayes | No Comments »
We’re delighted to announce that Butterworth-Heinemann has commissioned Nick Hayes and me to write a book on Influencer Marketing. BH has a strong reputation in titles on marketing, both for the academic world and general commerce. In particular it published the popular Connected Marketing in 2005.
The proposed date for publication is November 2007, so lots of hard work to do before then. Specifically, we’ll be including case studies of Influencer Marketing in practice from around the world, across as many sectors as we can. This is not a technology market only undertaking, nor is it an Influencer50 brochure. We are collaborating with Influencer Marketing providers and practitioners, to create a useful resource for marketers seeking to identify and capitalise on influencers.
If you’re interested in supplying a case study then please let me know at duncan.brown@influencer50.com. We have several lined up already but can always do with more.
Many thanks.
Posted: January 17th, 2007 | Author: Duncan Brown | Filed under: Influencer50, analyst relations, influencer marketing, influencers | Tags: analyst relations, Bill Hopkins, Influencer50, influencers | 2 Comments »
Just finished reading “Influencing the Influencers” by Bill Hopkins, CEO at Knowledge Capital Group (KCG). KCG is an Analysts Relations firm, and the book is a guide to AR in the technology industry.
I think that if you’re in AR you’ll get a lot of value from the book. It categorises the various types of analyst, provides best and worst practice examples, and even offers careers advice. All in all an excellent volume on Analyst Relations.
It’s a pity about the title, then. At face value, it’s a cosmetic thing – “Influencing the Analysts” is much less pithy. But it’s the assertion that analysts are the most important influencers that concerns, because our clients and our research tell us (at Influencer50) that it ain’t always so.
Perhaps it’s just that our perspectives are different. Bill examines the reach of various influencer types into IT deals. Bill estimates that peer groups influence decision-making in 80% of IT deals, analysts influence decision-making in 60-80% of IT deals, and so on. Systems integrators and consultants influence 20% of IT deals.
Note that these deals relate to Global5000 firms. Does anyone know of an IT sale to a G5000 firm that wasn’t influenced by a systems integrator or consultant? Hmmm.
Influencer50’s approach is to examine the available influence on a decision, and how this influence is distributed across many influencers. So we measure the extent of influence on IT decision making, not simply its presence. Analysts may appear in 60-80% of decisions, but what’s the extent of their influence? We believe it’s overstated.
KCG’s model even allows for this: in its categorisation of analyst firms it names only Gartner and Forrester in the “Deal Maker & Breaker” segment. In other words, most other analyst firms have limited influence on decision-making. (Exceptions are granted, such as specialist point players and regional buy-side players such as Ovum.)
I suspect there is more agreement than disagreement between KCG and Influencer50. To quote from the book, “Some influencers, of course, are more vital to you than others. But, overall, the effective management of influencers has become increasingly critical to the success of any enterprise.”
That’s pretty much what Influencer50 is about.
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