businesses are happy to offload technological headaches most productive way possible?” he asks. “The companies
by paying for hosted or managed services. Businesses want who are really innovative in marketing are the ones asking
to get on with their core activities, and are happy to rely on these questions. How can they forge relationships to
trusted partners to manage technology. Key marketing ensure that they are delivering relevant, personalised
wins can come from making your company one of these content on a timely basis?”
trusted partners. As the market continues to commoditise and as buyers
However, starting the journey to becoming a trusted are put under greater financial pressure, they are looking
partner requires a change in philosophy from tech at the quality of the pre-purchase relationship – the
marketers. Focus less on traditional ROI and more on relevance of the information – as an indicator of post-
relationship ROI. purchase value. For many buyers, the purchasing process
For years, return on investment has been marketing’s has become an opportunity to interview vendors for the
mantra. Naturally, this has spilled over into the marketing position of trusted partner.
“The biggest challenge for B2B
of technology products and services and it has become In a recent interview with IDC, Kenric Anderberg, CIO
tech organisations is to stop
commonplace for vendors to communicate what kind of of Philips Medical Systems, said, “I am not focused on
looking inwardly. They are so
ROI the buyer will achieve from a particular purchase. product functionality. I assume that if the sales rep is
often caught up measuring the
Increasingly though, buyers are keen to maximise their meeting with me, someone on my team has checked out
pipeline, etc. that they forget to
return on the time spent pre-purchase wading through the functionality. By the time a vendor meets with me, the
look at the most important
content and marketing communications prior to spend. relationship is more important than the product. Vendors
thing, which is: what do their
“The biggest challenge for B2B tech organisation is to need to treat each sales call like a job interview – spend
customers actually want?”
stop looking inwardly,” says Paul Cash, MD of Hurricane. the time upfront to understand my business and make sure
“They are so often caught up measuring the pipeline, you know about previous interactions.”
PAUL CASH
demonstrating contribution to value, sales revenue and The challenge this presents to marketers is in the need
MD, Hurricane
profitability that they forget to look at the most important to ensure every touch point prior to purchase chimes with
thing, which is what do their customers actually want?” the overtones of credibility and relevance.
Time-wasters need not apply The channel is dead, long live content
Cash claims the average IT decision maker spends nearly Such a renewed focus on customer needs is having a
five hours a week researching information about products dramatic effect on attitudes toward channel application.
and services. Three of those hours are spent gaining One of the more detrimental effects of new media and
information relating specifically to new purchases. the rise of new marketing channels has been a tendency
“How can marketers make sure the time these people for marketers to forget their heads.
spend with your company’s information is spent in the “It is faddism,” says James Trezona, MD of Mason
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