Join Us for a Tech Marketing Dinner Party

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RSVP That’s a lot of needs to address, and “mouths to feed!” PLEASE JOIN US FOR A TECH MARKETING Dinner Party SO WHAT TYPES OF MESSAGES ARE MOST APPETIZING AT EACH STEP OF THE SOFTWARE PURCHASE CYCLE? The Software Tech Content “Menu” by Stage: An evening filled with tasty content for hungry SOFTWARE BUYERS When it comes to software investment, there’s a lot for buyers to sink their teeth into…It’s a smorgasbord of available software products. Software is often bought by committees and has greater reach into the business enterprise than any other technology investment. Tech marketers must cater to this committee’s unique tastes every step of the way. RSVP WHO’S ON THE GUEST LIST? Did you know that 8+ functions are typically represented on the software buying committee? That’s a big dinner party! Each committee member consumes 3 pieces of content during each of the software buying cycles. It’s up to you, the tech marketer, to make sure software buyers are filling up on great content at each stage. Leave them hungry and they’ll look elsewhere to fill their needs. SEU Buying Stages in Months Identify Needs Specs/ Funding Vendor Selection Implementation Management Renewal 5 5 5 10 5 2 DON’T LET YOUR SOFTWARE BUYERS GO HUNGRY – SATISFY THEIR CONTENT CRAVING. It’s a multi-course meal – ranging from snacks and appetizers to the meatiest content and delectable desserts. Webinars Blogs Forums/discussion boards Case studies Social media Tech media Analyst reports Events/Conferences NEEDS STAGE Product information is key, especially how-to videos and self-directed demos. IT Operations Engineering Marketing Finance Project Management Business Development Sales and Support And, they favor events and conferences more than any other tech buyer. Wait, what about whitepapers! Aren’t those the holy content grail? NOT for software buyers. Have whitepapers on the menu, but don’t make them the main course. Tasty TIP First Course SPECS STAGE Highlight performance details with content that makes them accessible and easy, and helps determine how end users will feel. Second Course CHOICE STAGE The committee is VERY active here. It’s all about inviting them to events, and keeping the good content coming. Third Course IMPL. STAGE Prove your worth here. How are you an implementation partner? How are you making things easier for the software buyer? Fourth Course MGMT. STAGE Help them help you. They need your support more than ever. Message about benefits to their end users. Fifth Course RENEW STAGE What’s trending? Are you still supporting me? How is the software functioning now? All these content topics are relevant! Sixth Course Marketing Solutions LinkedIn Blog LinkedIn on Twitter Want your best resource to build your marketing roadmap for today's software buyer? Check out our in-depth research eBook, “Beneath the Surface: Taking a Deeper Look at Today’s Empowered Tech Buying Process.“ Sources: Andy Bartels. February 2014, Forrester, “Understanding Shifting Technology Acquisition Patterns” LinkedIn Tech Research, “Beneath the Surface: Taking a Deeper Look at Today’s Empowered Tech Buying Process,” September 2015. The proof is in the pudding! KEY INGREDIENTS FOR THE SOFTWARE TECH MARKETING MIX The software buying committee definitely consumes a special marketing diet. When creating your next recipe for tech marketing success, set the table appropriately: End user software buyers are more receptive to new vendorsdon’t give them a reason to forage elsewhere. Software buyers show strong interest in events while selecting vendors. “Cater” events to these buyers and they’ll keep coming back for more. Software buyers use 4+ resources at the vendor choice stage – here’s another chance for your marketing content to stand out. End user software has a long implementation phase and involves multiple participants with varying roles—so serve up rich content that leads to increased chance for renewal. Software buyers actively research more topics at the renewal stage. Create relevant content to be part of this process.

Transcript of Join Us for a Tech Marketing Dinner Party

Page 1: Join Us for a Tech Marketing Dinner Party

RSVP

That’s a lot of needs to address, and “mouths to feed!”

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A

TECH MARKETINGDinner Party

SO WHAT TYPES OF MESSAGES ARE MOST APPETIZING AT EACH STEP OF THE SOFTWARE PURCHASE CYCLE?

The Software Tech Content “Menu” by Stage:

An evening filled with tasty content for hungrySOFTWARE BUYERS

When it comes to software investment, there’s a lot for buyers to sink their teeth into…It’s a smorgasbord of available software products. Software is often bought by committees and has greater reach into the business enterprise than any other technology investment. Tech marketers must cater to this committee’s unique tastes every step of the way.

RSVP

WHO’S ON THE GUEST LIST?Did you know that 8+ functions are typically represented on the software buying committee? That’s a big dinner party!

Each committee member consumes 3 pieces of content during each of the software buying cycles.

It’s up to you, the tech marketer, to make sure software buyers are filling up on great content at each stage. Leave them hungry and they’ll look elsewhere to fill their needs.

SEU Buying Stages

in Months

Identify Needs

Specs/Funding

VendorSelection

ImplementationManagement

Renewal

5 5 5 10 5 2

DON’T LET YOUR SOFTWARE BUYERS GO HUNGRY – SATISFY THEIR CONTENT CRAVING.

It’s a multi-course meal – ranging from snacks and appetizers to the meatiest content

and delectable desserts.

Webinars

Blogs

Forums/discussion boards

Case studies

Social media

Tech media

Analyst reports

Events/Conferences

NEEDS STAGE

Product information is key, especially how-to videos and self-directed demos.

ITOperationsEngineeringMarketing

FinanceProject ManagementBusiness DevelopmentSales and Support

And, they favor events and conferences more than any

other tech buyer.

Wait, what about whitepapers! Aren’t those the holy content grail? NOT for software buyers. Have whitepapers

on the menu, but don’t make them the main course.

TastyTIP

First Course

SPECSSTAGE

Highlight performance details with content that makes them accessible and easy, and helps determine how end users will feel.

SecondCourse

CHOICESTAGE

The committee is VERY active here. It’s all about inviting them to events, and keeping the good content coming.

ThirdCourse

IMPL.STAGE

Prove your worth here. How are you an implementation partner? How are you making things easier for the software buyer?

FourthCourse

MGMT.STAGE

Help them help you. They need your support more than ever. Message about benefits to their end users.

FifthCourse

RENEWSTAGE

What’s trending? Are you still supporting me? How is the software functioning now? All these content topics are relevant!

SixthCourse

Marketing Solutions

LinkedIn Blog

LinkedIn on Twitter

Want your best resource to build your marketing roadmap for today's software buyer? Check out our in-depth research eBook, “Beneath the Surface: Taking a Deeper Look at Today’s Empowered Tech Buying Process.“

Sources:Andy Bartels. February 2014, Forrester, “Understanding Shifting Technology Acquisition Patterns”LinkedIn Tech Research, “Beneath the Surface: Taking a Deeper Look at Today’s Empowered Tech Buying Process,” September 2015.

The proof is in

the pudding!

KEY INGREDIENTS FOR THE SOFTWARE TECH MARKETING MIX

The software buying committee definitely consumes a special marketing diet. When creating your next recipe for tech

marketing success, set the table appropriately:

End user software buyers are more receptive to new vendors−don’t give them a reason to forage elsewhere.

Software buyers show strong interest in events while selecting vendors.

“Cater” events to these buyers and they’ll keep coming back for more.

Software buyers use 4+ resources at the vendor

choice stage – here’s another chance for your marketing

content to stand out.

End user software has a long implementation phase and involves multiple participants with varying roles—so serve up rich content that

leads to increased chance for renewal.

Software buyers actively research more topics at the renewal stage. Create relevant content

to be part of this process.