Most analyst advisories end in a nod and a thank you. Then… nothing. No decisions, no changes, no momentum. That’s a waste of money and a wasted opportunity. A good analyst advisory session is packed with insight. But unless you plan for action, that insight will vanish. Today, we’ll give you five practical steps to turn your next analyst advisory session into something that actually takes your business forward. Because a smart conversation is nice. Impact is better.
What is an analyst advisory session?
An analyst advisory session is a high-value, two-way conversation between a technology vendor and one (or several) industry analysts. There are different names for this, Gartner calls them SAS days (Strategic Advisory Sessions) and at Forrester they’re strategy days. Other names include analyst workshops or consult sessions. They can be delivered in-person or virtually and analyst firms will have different policies on which you can avail of and under what terms. Ultimately, it’s a session that’s longer than an analyst inquiry and designed to explore a specific topic or challenge in depth.
To book an advisory, you typically need to be a client. You also pay for this engagement on top of your analyst firm subscription, that makes ROI non-negotiable. You’re paying for thinking time with a market expert so make it count. This is and opportunity to sharpen ideas, flag risks and make better decisions.
What happens during an analyst advisory session?
Don’t let your spokespeople fall into the trap of treating this like an analyst briefing. Advisory sessions aren’t about influence, they’re about insight. You’ll typically deliver a short briefing at the beginning, but the real point is to listen, challenge and learn. Because the analyst will also present right back at you. Advisories typically run for multiple hours, maybe even a full day. They give you space to test ideas, ask big questions and get unfiltered feedback.
An advisory session focused on keeping pace with a fast-moving market might look like:
- An introduction from the analysts on key market trends.
- Vendor presentation on how they have responded to those trends so far.
- Discussion on vendor roadmap and its alignment with trends.
- Brainstorm on product direction and competitive differentiation.
But even with a tight agenda, all too often, these sessions result in a great conversation that never converts into action. Typically, this is due to lack of preparation and not having outcomes in mind. This blog post will outline 5 steps to take throughout your advisory process to avoid falling into that trap.
Step 1: Align internally on an action mindset.
Advisories lead to action when you prime your stakeholders to expect it. Don’t just position it as an interesting conversation or a chance to sit back and listen to an industry VIP, sell it as a working session. That means thinking ahead about what kinds of decisions or changes might follow. Could you update messaging or refine your POV? Drop a feature? Change your launch plan? If your attendees show up ready to act, they’ll ask sharper questions, take better notes and listen with intent. Action doesn’t start after the session—it starts before.
Try to pick 2 or 3 things to focus on during the session. We typically tell our clients up front: “This session is to pressure-test our messaging and identify three new features for our roadmap.” That framing shifts the tone from passive listening to active engagement.
Step 2: Roles, rigour, results.
Treat the session like a live operation with clear roles from the start. Managing an analyst advisory day is no easy task. You’ll of course need your subject matter experts, but also the structural roles like timekeeper, notetaker and facilitator. A strong facilitator can turn a good session into a great one –that’s where a good indie analyst relation (AR) agency earns its keep. We’re always on hand to help guide idea sharing and encourage the kind of in-depth thinking these sessions are made for. That sometimes means letting conversations roam –especially when a tangent sparks something valuable. But it also means dragging the conversation back to the stated goals when it starts to drift too far. It’s a fine balance between exploration and focus, and facilitation is what keeps both in play.
And don’t underestimate the power that comes with writing things down. Everyone will take their own notes, but only AR is accountable for turning those notes into outcomes. Listen with intent and jot down potential actions as you go. What might we change? What needs testing? What should we escalate? If you have a secure GenAI tool, use it to scan your notes for next steps you might have missed. Capturing actions isn’t optional, it’s how you prove this session mattered.
Step 3: Debrief with direction.
Don’t let the session end when the video call drops. Book time with your stakeholders to debrief and come prepared. Show them how analyst relations and analyst firms can be their most valuable resource. This is your moment to lead –not just recap.
AR should lead with a starter list of actions drawn from the session. What did the analyst challenge? What did they endorse? What did they question that no one in your team could answer? Are there changes you can make to your marketing messaging? Are there new features to add to the roadmap? Even if your suggestions don’t all land, they will force the conversation in the right direction. Action needs a starting point and this is it.
Step 4: Follow-up or fall away.
Thoughtful reflection is crucial –but don’t let it stall progress. Give your stakeholders time to digest the debrief. Then press them to decide what actions will move forward and which ones won’t. Not every idea will make the cut, and that’s okay. The key is ruthless prioritisation.
We often help clients prioritise advisory takeaways into three buckets: do now, investigate further, and park. From there, we assign owners, agree timelines, and help maintain visibility as things evolve. Make sure there’s a single point of contact to drive momentum after the meeting ends. Without this, even the best advice can quickly fade into forgotten notes.
Step 5: ABFU –always be following up.
Keep the conversation alive. Make regular contact with those assigned owners, hold them accountable and stay visible in the process. Proving the ROI of AR isn’t always easy, but this is a real opportunity to move your AR programme beyond cruising altitude. It’s imperative to have these ideas attributed to your analyst advisory session. The longer and tighter your follow‑up chain, the stronger your claim to that credit. To help, build a tracking system that endures.
Remember that some actions won’t land for months or even a year. You need visibility on progress and the agility to pounce when windows open. This is how you turn insights into impact and start to build the reputation of AR in your organisation.
Acting after an analyst advisory session is a muscle you build over time.
In some organisations, acting is easier than in others. Start‑ups can seriously benefit form analyst advisory sessions as they move at breakneck speed. They test, learn and pivot overnight. Established vendors aren’t so nimble. They have layers of approval and chains of command. Change can stall in legal reviews, budget cycles and steering committees. But that doesn’t mean you don’t try. You need to adapt your approach to your environment. Find the quick wins. Work around the blockers. Keep pushing.
You’re building a habit, not flipping a switch. It won’t all land on your first go. As stakeholders see you prime, capture and follow up, they start to expect action. They’ll show up ready to decide. You’ll drag them along on your action mindset. And those actions will pay off. Better products. Stronger messaging. Faster launches. More sales. Soon, your business will be sailing forward and benefiting from all four impacts of analyst relations.
Read the Latest Starsight Transmissions.
- The ultimate guide to an effective analyst advisory session.
- De-risking in a downturn: Why AR is a 100x ROI tactic?
- How will a mature AR programme supercharge your business?
