In an era marked by economic uncertainty and shifting global trade dynamics, software companies operating in industrial manufacturing and aftermarket service markets face a critical question. How do you stay relevant in the eyes of the analyst community when the ground beneath your customers is constantly moving? For industrial software and services companies, tariff volatility presents both risks and opportunities. The biggest challenge is the extreme uncertainty now present in the global marketplace.
As new tariffs disrupt supply chains and complicate international operations, analysts are paying close attention to how industrial software providers are helping manufacturers respond. That makes this the perfect time to strengthen your analyst relations (AR) strategy—not just by showcasing product capabilities, but by reframing your company’s narrative around resilience, agility, and strategic value.
Here are three specific ways that you can engage with analysts more effectively amid ongoing tariff volatility:
1. Reframe Your Value Around Resilience and Cost Optimization
Analysts are no longer just asking, “What can your product do?”—they’re asking, “How does your solution help industrial companies survive and thrive in this economic environment?“
That’s why it’s critical to reshape your analyst messaging and engagement to highlight how your software enables:
- Risk mitigation – speak to how your software helps provide dynamic supply chain visibility to be more proactive in dealing with future potential disruptions.
- Operational agility – share solution capabilities that empower customers to achieve more flexible production planning, logistics management, or service delivery.
- Cost control and automation – cost savings will be critical to offset potentially higher material costs, so messaging speaking to reducing human error or improving throughput with predictive analytics will resonate well.
The industry analyst and influencer community will want to hear how your solution aligns with the most pressing buyer concerns right now. Bring data, real customer stories, and economic context to the conversation—focus on tangible outcomes like faster decision-making, reduced exposure to supplier risk, or improved compliance with changing international regulations.
Position your product as not just a tool—frame it as a solution that can buffer against macroeconomic disruption.
2. Partner with Analysts to Create Timely, Thoughtful Insights
Your analyst engagement shouldn’t stop at briefings. In times of disruption such as today’s tariff volatility, thought leadership becomes a powerful awareness strategy—and analysts are looking for vendors who can co-create content that addresses high-level trends.
Here is where it can be advantageous to have access to an analyst relations professional who is comfortable in having these types of conversations with the analyst community. Here are a few tactics to consider that could help achieve this type of engagement:
- Joint POVs and whitepapers exploring how trade policy changes are reshaping industrial operations—and how tech supports the shift.
- Roundtable events with customers and analysts discussing tariff impact in real-world scenarios.
- Regional insights that help analysts understand how reshoring, nearshoring, and regional compliance demands are influencing tech decisions.
By contributing timely, well-informed perspectives, you position your company as a strategic voice—not just another vendor briefing on roadmap updates. Analysts will be more likely to cite your brand in reports, recommend you to clients, and invite you into higher-level industry conversations.
3. Sync Analyst Outreach with Integrated Marketing Campaigns
Analyst relations is most effective when it’s not siloed. With tariffs dominating headlines, your marketing team is likely adjusting its content and messaging—make sure your analyst engagement is part of that shift. This also applies to your public relations strategy and content roadmap.
Here are a few examples of how you could best align these efforts:
- Use AR insights to shape marketing narratives, ensuring consistent themes across all channels (e.g., “global resilience,” “local agility,” “de-risking operations”).
- Share campaign messaging with analysts early—this helps them contextualize your strategy and may open the door for cross-promotional opportunities or earned media coverage.
- Build newsjacking campaigns that respond to trade policy developments, then brief analysts on how your solution helps industrial companies navigate the fallout (what I am doing now 😊).
Coordinated, cross-functional efforts increase your share of voice and allow analysts to see the depth of your positioning—not just what you say, but how you back it up across touchpoints.
Final Thoughts: Analysts Are Listening—Now’s the Time to Lead
Economic volatility creates both challenges and openings. As industrial and service customers reassess their tech stacks under new financial pressures, analysts are seeking clarity and guidance on which vendors are truly enabling strategic change.
By refining your value story, partnering on insights, and aligning your AR efforts with your broader marketing strategy, your company can stand out as a thought leader in the industrial software or aftermarket services space. When the market is uncertain, those who speak with authority, agility, and customer impact rise to the top.
Contact me if you are interested in discussing this topic further.
