LONDON — Fast-growing performance-driven PR and marketing agency Hard Numbers has launched an analyst relations practice, to help scaling and high-growth technology clients build their profile with the analyst community across the UK and Europe.

The new offering is targeted at clients across the technology, financial services and commercial software and SaaS industries, where analyst opinion can heavily influence buyer behaviour and investor sentiment: data from AR Insights shows 84% of B2B tech buyers cite analyst reports as the single biggest driver of their purchase decisions.

Hard Numbers’ offer includes briefings with a network of relevant sector analysts, as well as giving clients insights into market trends and competitive monitoring.

Agency co-founder and MD Darryl Sparey said the new practice aims to plug a gap in the market by helping earlier stage firms – which are currently underserved by traditional agencies and AR departments – to get in front of key analysts in their sector.

“Navigating the analyst community can be a complex task,” he said. “Too often, early-stage and scaling technology companies are deterred from engaging with this key stakeholder group due to its reputation as a ‘pay to play’ industry. We hope to educate clients and prospects alike that there's a huge opportunity to engage with key influencers on an organic basis, and demonstrate how AR can help high-growth companies to win big.”

The AR practice will be led by senior communications consultant Claire Simpson (pictured), who added: “The analyst community is a specialist audience of B2B influencers for technology firms. They’re hungry for data and proof points. Their word can make or break a deal. AR is a unique discipline in its own right, yet analysts are often targeted with the same communications as journalists and other external audiences.”

Launch clients for the new practice include payment processing platform BlueSnap, where VP marketing and partner strategy April Grudier said: “As a company that operates in a highly-competitive landscape, building a strong relationship with analysts brings huge value to our business. Working with Hard Numbers has helped us to identify and engage with a higher volume of relevant sector contacts, as well as scale our AR activity to cover the European market.”

The move comes after a string of recent client wins at the agency – including Khoros, Shieldpay, Carma, Kognic and CoverageBook – and reported 70% year-on-year growth in 2022 to just shy of £2 million in annual turnover.