What your analyst wishes you knew.

Not naming names here, but these are a few things that some industry analysts would like you to know:

1. If you claim that your product is the "world's only" or the "first," I will be tempted to prove you wrong, and nine times out of ten, I can.
2. Please don't assume that I'm not technical. Make your presentation detailed, and I will ask you if there's something I don't understand, but starting out by explaining what a firewall is does not win any points.
3. You know how some vendors send out a marketing email using the latest headlines as soon as they come out?  That's ambulance chasing.  Don't be that guy.
4. One-way webinar-style briefings are a waste of your time and mine. We have a chance for a good, personal dialogue; don't throw it away on a cattle call.
5. I'm happy to hear about any factual errors I've made in a report about you, but if you object to an adjective I used ... sorry.  Not changing it to fit your marketing better.
6. Yes, I talk to your competition.  Don't worry, I love you all equally.
7. I try hard to find something positive to say in all my reports.  If I can't, then I don't write one. If I haven't written about your latest ... you might try asking me why before complaining.
8. Yes, it's very nice that you're in the Magic Quadrant.  It doesn't have anything to do with my analysis, though.
9. If you want to meet up at a conference, that's great, but please book EARLY.  Especially for RSA.
10. At the end of the day, this is only my opinion.  As an analyst, I reserve the right to be wrong.