How should a security company work with Gartner and Forrester?
Enterprise security buyers often check what Gartner and Forrester say before they shortlist a vendor. That makes analyst relations important for some companies and a distraction for others. This page explains the published participation rules, who should invest, and how to brief analysts so they understand what you do.
How should a security company work with Gartner and Forrester?
Treat analysts as informed sceptics who need regular, factual updates. Request vendor briefings to explain your product and strategy, offer customer references they can speak to, and learn how each firm runs its evaluations. Enterprise product vendors should start early; most services firms can spend that time elsewhere.
Analyst opinion matters most when your buyer is a large organization with a formal shortlist process. For a small business buying a penetration test, an analyst quadrant rarely enters the decision. For a bank choosing an identity platform, it often does. The security buying process explains where third-party opinion sits among the other evidence a committee looks for.
When is analyst relations worth the effort?
ShoutEx view: analyst relations is worth real time when you sell a product into enterprise accounts, when your category already appears in analyst research, and when competitors are named there and you are not. It is a low priority for most services firms and for very early product companies still finding their buyer.
| Company | Analyst priority | Why | Focus instead or as well |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise product vendor (identity, cloud, data security) | High | Large buyers check analyst research while shortlisting | Briefings, references, Peer Insights reviews |
| Mid-market product vendor | Medium | Some buyers ask; few decide on it | Reviews, comparison pages, community |
| Early-stage product vendor | Low to medium | Little to show yet; briefings still build awareness | One introductory briefing a year |
| MSSP or MDR provider | Low to medium | Regional buyers rarely consult analysts first | References, case studies, local events |
| Pen-test, compliance or vCISO firm | Low | Bought on trust in named people and sample work | Sample reports, community talks |
If you are a product vendor, the guide for security product vendors covers the other proof enterprise buyers look for alongside analyst coverage.
How do Gartner and Forrester decide which vendors to include?
Both firms publish rules, and they differ in useful ways. Gartner's Ombuds says the cost to be included in its research is "nothing", that status as a client has no bearing on research position, and that all vendors, client or not, can engage with analysts through the Vendor Briefing process. Analysts accept briefings based on relevance, so a request is not a guaranteed slot. Whether every briefing is free is not something we could confirm; Gartner's page says vendors can request them.
The Magic Quadrant FAQ repeats that vendor client status does not affect inclusion or positioning, and lists the four quadrants: Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries and Niche Players. It also says Peer Insights reviews complement Magic Quadrants. ShoutEx view: inclusion criteria are set report by report, so read the criteria in the last edition of the report you care about before deciding you qualify.
Forrester's Wave participation policy explains that vendors are invited if they meet the inclusion criteria for that Wave. A vendor that declines the questionnaire or briefing is not a full participant and cannot review its scorecard, but Forrester may still evaluate it from public information and client interviews, and will not remove a vendor on request. Forrester's page does not address payment or client status, so we make no claim either way.
| Question | Gartner | Forrester |
|---|---|---|
| Does inclusion cost money? | No, per Gartner's Ombuds | Not stated on the participation policy page |
| Does client status affect position? | No, per Gartner | Not stated on the participation policy page |
| Can non-clients brief analysts? | Yes, through Vendor Briefings; analysts accept based on relevance | Participation follows each Wave's inclusion criteria |
| What if you decline to take part? | Not addressed in the sources we used | You may still be evaluated, without reviewing your scorecard |
| Can you ask to be removed? | Not addressed in the sources we used | Forrester will not remove a vendor on request |
How do you prepare a vendor briefing that analysts remember?
A briefing is usually 30 minutes, and analysts hear many of them. Make yours easy to place in their mental map of the market.
- Open with the problem and the buyer in two sentences: who buys, what they replace, why now.
- Show the product working, briefly, on the part that differs from the category norm.
- Give numbers you can defend: customer count by segment, regions served, deployment model. Skip vanity figures.
- Name your customers' alternatives honestly, including the ones you lose to and why.
- Offer references analysts can call without a salesperson listening in.
- Leave time for questions; the analyst's questions tell you what the market is asking them.
- Send a short written follow-up with the slides and any promised answers within two days.
| Quarter | Activity | Output |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | Briefing on annual roadmap and new customers | Updated analyst file; reference list refreshed |
| Q2 | Inquiry with a Gartner or Forrester analyst you can access, or a follow-up note | Notes on how buyers describe the category |
| Q3 | Prepare for any evaluation cycle: criteria, evidence, references | Questionnaire answers drafted early |
| Q4 | Second briefing on product changes; ask about upcoming research | Report calendar for next year |
Brief before you need something.
Analysts remember the vendor that sent a clear update twice a year and answered questions honestly. They are less moved by the vendor that appears only when an evaluation questionnaire lands.
What role do Peer Insights reviews and references play?
Peer reviews give analysts and buyers a view from practitioners, and Gartner itself describes Peer Insights as complementing its Magic Quadrants. Ask happy customers to write an honest review after a successful deployment, never in exchange for a gift that would bias the review, and answer critical reviews calmly and specifically.
Analyst research and review sites also feed the shortlists that AI assistants produce, because those pages are public and frequently cited. The AI search guide explains how to check what assistants say about your company and which third-party pages they lean on.
What mistakes do security vendors make with analysts?
- Buying a subscription and expecting a better position. Gartner states that client status does not affect positioning.
- Briefing only when a report is due. By then the analyst's view has formed.
- Overclaiming. Analysts talk to your customers; a claim they cannot confirm costs you credibility for years.
- Sending marketing to the briefing. Bring a product leader or engineer who can answer detailed questions.
- Ignoring practitioner opinion. What engineers say in community channels reaches analysts through their client inquiries.
- Quoting reports loosely. Each firm has rules on how its research may be cited; follow them exactly.
What should you measure in analyst relations?
Analyst work moves slowly, so measure activity and outcomes over a year rather than a quarter.
| Measure | What good looks like |
|---|---|
| Briefings held per firm | At least two a year with the analysts who cover your category |
| References offered and used | Analysts actually spoke to customers you named |
| Mentions in relevant research | Named where your category is covered, with accurate description |
| Peer review count and recency | Steady flow of recent reviews, answered where needed |
| Deals where analyst research came up | Logged by sales, with whether it helped or hurt |
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to pay Gartner to be in a Magic Quadrant?
No. Gartner's Ombuds says the cost to be included in its research is nothing, and Gartner states that client status does not affect inclusion or positioning.
Can a vendor that is not a Gartner client brief analysts?
Gartner says all vendors, client or not, can engage with analysts through its Vendor Briefing process. Analysts accept briefings based on relevance.
What are the four Magic Quadrant categories?
Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries and Niche Players.
What happens if we decline a Forrester Wave?
Forrester says a vendor that declines is not a full participant and cannot review its scorecard, but Forrester may still evaluate it from public information and client interviews.
Can we ask Forrester to leave us out of a Wave?
Forrester's policy says it will not remove a vendor on request.
Should a penetration testing firm invest in analyst relations?
Usually not as a priority. Pen-test buyers decide on the testers, methodology and sample reports, so community talks and clear proof tend to do more.
How often should we brief analysts?
ShoutEx view: about twice a year, plus a short update when something material changes, such as a major release or acquisition.
Do Peer Insights reviews matter?
Gartner describes Peer Insights reviews as complementing its Magic Quadrants, and buyers read them while shortlisting. Ask satisfied customers for honest reviews.
Sources & further reading
Regulations, platform policies and market data change. These sources let you check the facts on this page, last checked October 7, 2026.