Analyst relations and media relations are separate jobs in a SaaS launch. Media relations pitches journalists who write news for the public. Analyst relations briefs the Gartner and Forrester analysts who write research for their clients, including vendor comparisons. A SaaS launch needs both, and the analyst briefings come first because a briefing request can take weeks to schedule.
Last updated: October 29, 2026
In this guide
This guide compares the two jobs by audience, output and timing, then sets out the order to run them in a launch.
- How the two jobs differ
- Which launch events need both
- What analyst relations does alone
- What media relations does alone
- The order to run both
- Who owns each job
- Frequently asked questions
How do analyst relations and media relations differ?
Analyst relations and media relations differ in audience, output, contact format, timing and confidentiality, as the table shows.
| Dimension | Analyst relations | Media relations |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Research analysts at firms such as Gartner and Forrester, who advise their clients | Journalists and editors who write for readers and viewers |
| Output | Research notes and vendor evaluations such as the Gartner Magic Quadrant and the Forrester Wave | News stories, features, interviews and mentions |
| Contact format | A scheduled briefing; Gartner describes it as a one-way presentation of about 45 minutes | A pitch by email or call, an embargoed briefing or an interview |
| Timing | Requests are filed weeks ahead; Forrester says a calendar-based decline can be resubmitted in three to six months | Tied to the news hook and the reporter's deadline |
| Confidentiality | Gartner briefings are on the record; Forrester signs no NDAs | Embargo terms agreed with each reporter |
| Cost of access | No fee; Gartner schedules briefings at the analyst's discretion and Forrester ignores client status | No fee for earned coverage |
A Forrester blog post titled "Analyst Briefings Are Not Sales Calls" tells vendors that analysts are not prospects. A reporter is not a prospect either, but a reporter needs a story a reader will care about by a deadline. The same product news needs two framings: the analyst deck explains the category and the architecture, and the press pitch explains what changes for a customer.
Which launch events call for analysts, reporters or both?
Most SaaS launch events call for both audiences, because Forrester lists the same triggers for analyst briefings that reporters cover as news: a new product, a changed business model, a partnership and a merger or acquisition.
| Launch event | Analyst relations | Media relations |
|---|---|---|
| New product or major release | Briefing with deck and customer proof | Embargoed pitch with a customer story |
| Pricing or business model change | Briefing that explains the change and the reason | Pitch only if buyers are affected publicly |
| Partnership | Briefing with integration details | Joint announcement and trade press pitch |
| Acquisition or merger | Briefing on combined product plans | News release and executive interviews |
| Customer milestone | Added to the customer proof slide | Case study pitch |
The first four rows follow Forrester's own list. Each event needs the same facts told two ways, so one approved fact sheet should sit behind both jobs.
What can analyst relations do that media relations cannot?
Analyst relations reaches the research that a vendor cannot opt out of, which media relations cannot do. Gartner says vendors cannot choose to be added to a Magic Quadrant or to opt out, and Forrester says it evaluates vendors whether or not they take part and does not accept requests to be removed from a Wave.
Analysts therefore write about a company's category with or without its input. A briefing is how the company supplies the product facts. Gartner and Forrester also offer vendors a chance to check findings for accuracy before publication, and press coverage rarely offers a pre-publication check of that kind.
What can media relations do that analyst relations cannot?
Media relations reaches the public and builds the news record around a launch, which analyst relations does not do. Muck Rack's State of Journalism 2026 report, which surveyed 897 journalists, found that 86% say PR pitches inspire at least some of their stories and 88% immediately delete pitches that miss their beat.
That is a different test from an analyst briefing. A reporter asks whether a reader will care, while a Gartner analyst, according to Gartner, schedules a briefing based on interest in the vendor, its technologies and its market. 5W's guide to what media relations is covers how reporters choose pitches.
In what order should a SaaS launch run both jobs?
A SaaS launch should run analyst briefings first, press pitches second and the launch announcement last, because briefing requests take the longest to schedule. Gartner says lead time grows when a request involves more than two analysts or lands during an event, and a Forrester analyst writes that scheduling can take weeks.
| Days before launch | Analyst relations | Media relations |
|---|---|---|
| 90 to 61 | Map analysts, read their recent notes and file Gartner and Forrester requests | Map reporters by beat and draft the news angle |
| 60 to 31 | Hold briefings as analysts accept | Secure customer approvals and build the fact sheet |
| 30 to 1 | Send each briefed analyst the fact sheet and pricing model | Offer embargoed briefings to chosen reporters |
| Launch day | Send the release and product page link to analysts | Release goes live and the embargo lifts |
| After launch | Log analyst questions and file the next request | Follow up with reporters and report coverage |
The analyst side of this calendar, with a request template and a 10-slide deck outline, is in 5W's guide on how to brief Gartner and Forrester.
Who should own analyst and media relations in a SaaS company?
One person can own both jobs in a small SaaS company, but each job needs its own calendar, contact list and success measure. Analyst relations is measured by briefings accepted and by how accurately published notes describe the product. Media relations is measured by coverage that reaches named buyers.
Both jobs share one set of numbers. A figure in the analyst deck must match the press release, and 5W's PR statistics citation audit, which checked 100 claims across five roundups, shows why each figure needs a named source before it is published.
Companies that hire an agency should ask who runs analyst briefings and how they are followed up. 5W's guide on how to choose a B2B tech or SaaS PR agency lists that question, and SaaS PR vs digital marketing helps set the budget.
Frequently asked questions
Running analyst relations next to media relations raises questions about ownership, order, decks and cost.
Is analyst relations part of PR?
Analyst relations often sits inside a PR or communications team, but it serves a different audience. Analysts write research for their clients, and reporters write for the public. Which team owns each job is a staffing choice.
Which comes first, analyst briefings or press pitches?
Analyst briefings come first. Forrester says scheduling can take weeks, and Gartner says lead time grows for larger requests and during events. Press pitches and the launch announcement follow once briefings are booked.
Can one deck serve both analysts and reporters?
No. Gartner describes a briefing as a one-way presentation of products, services and strategy, so the analyst deck is detailed. A reporter needs a short fact sheet and a news angle. Both should draw on the same approved numbers.
Does a SaaS company pay for an analyst briefing?
No. Gartner says analysts schedule briefings at their discretion, not because of a fee or contract. Forrester says it does not consider client status when it decides on a briefing request.
How do you brief Gartner and Forrester before a launch?
File a request through each firm's vendor briefing form, send a deck that fits the 45-minute Gartner format, and start the calendar 90 days out. The steps are in analyst relations for B2B tech: how to brief Gartner and Forrester.
SaaS and B2B technology companies planning a launch can start with 5W's SaaS PR practice or its technology PR practice.
