“The money we spend (and will continue to spend) with The Skills Connection has proved to be an invaluable investment. Our target analysts have a much sharper understanding of the value we deliver, and now give their clients stronger endorsements of our solutions, and we hear way more feedback from our customers that a Gartner analyst recommended our company, and the deal was sealed because of it. In my view, working with the Skills Connection has definitely led to a tangible increase in new business opportunities.
There’s simply now way to navigate the nuances and complexities of a major research assessment without some insight into how analysts think and behave in the context of a research study. It’s a rigorous process for both analyst and vendor if done right, and you must go in with the right mindset and the right approach when responding to study questionnaires, and interaction in general. Only a former research analyst can truly guide you through an experience like that. We joke that our Skills Connection analyst is our “oracle”, but without her we’d be flying blind. Sure – you might get top right eventually based on execution alone, but the experience you give analysts and the quality of the information you provide gives analysts a sense of how organized and ready for prime time you are. Don’t be sloppy and don’t provide the wrong kind of information or you’ll miss out on massive opportunities. Trust me – you won’t get it right without the right guidance."