In the run-run to its 2018 Cool and Hot Vendor Forum on October 18 in Orlando, Florida, the Gartner Observatory is developing case studies to spotlight the most impactful, innovating and intriguing firms we have spoken to, out of hundreds of Cool Vendor designation holders who have taken part in our research. In this case study, our communications director Suwen Chen outline the process for winning the designation, and what the outcomes were.

1. IN IDENTITY AND ACCESS
MANAGEMENT, 2014
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H T T P : / / W W W . G A R T N E R O B S E R V A T O R Y . O R G /
G A R T N E R O B S E R V A T O R Y , A U E B S R E S E A R C H P R O J E C T
BEING A COOL VENDOR
Based in the UK, EVRYTHNG "built the industry’s leading IoT Smart Products
Platform in the cloud" to make products smarter. They collect and manage
real-time data, to build "connections between objects, people and
applications". This process helps companies to become smarter and
improves the customer's experience.
" I don't think that it was like the most
important thing that happened to us",
but the CV helped them to get on the
radar of other research firms.
ANALYST RELATIONSHIP
ADVERTISING & PROMOTION
Starting up any kind of business
requires an infusion of capital. There
are two ways to acquire capital for a
business: equity financing and debt
financing.
COOL VENDOR
Now having customers like Coca-Cola
and Unilever, it helped to build global
credibility and to bring some 3rd party
endorsement to them. It is also helpful
to increase the team morale and
attract new employees.
The most important thing for the
analysts to be a CV is probably that
technology has to be seen as very
relevant to where the analysts believe
the market is going. In the background,
the team has to be credible.
It's a disadvantage to be based in
London. " I think the analyst community
regards technology coming out of the
U.S. as somehow more impactful
potentially than technology coming out
of Europe."
Department benefiting the
most: marketing department
EVRYTHNG has tweeted and
blogged about the CV and they
also use it in their corporate
credentials.
"If something is too unconventional,
like some of our products are, it might
be too risky for some analysts to build
a relationship."
Analysts need to overcome
established thinking models and
conservativeness because when
talking about IoT they most likely
don't think about clothing or beer,
but about a connected car or
connected refrigerator.
"Some analysts have a very specific
point of view of the established
market, which sometimes leads
them to be a bit resistant and also
to difficulties in conversations."
Companies like Cisco and
Samsung invested in
EVRYTHNG in 2014, which
created more credibility
and interests towards the
analysts.
To establish relationships,
they target specific
analysts that they feel are
commentating on the
space.
It is important that the analyst
community is aware of new,
emerging technologies.
In 2014 and 2015 EVRYTHNG
focused very much on building this
awareness.
"When building a company like
EVRYTHNG you have to focus on
important audiences, where
analysts belong to."
Some financial analysts have
approached them after winning
the Cool Vendor. There is some
outreach from the sales
departments of organizations
like Gartner or Forrester, through
which they are introduced to
analysts.
Industry conferences are
a good place to build up
new analyst relationships.
Most effective approach: Big
announcements, like the one
EVRYTHNG made in 2016, which
created a lot of interest from
the media and various analysts,
leading to in-depth interviews.
Analysts relationship
maintenance is an
ongoing part of their PR
strategy, and they have
an ongoing
communication process
such as sending
information and get
target interviews.