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Most B2B IT marketers are marketing "blind". They are basing their plans on generic B2B marketing advice, or even worse, anecdotal evidence. But what statistical evidence exists that can specifically advise B2B IT marketers on how to structure their campaigns for best effect? We therefore asked 150 IT decision makers, from a variety of business departments, who had purchased B2B IT products or services in the last 12 months, how they chose their suppliers. What information sources did they rely on? What content types did they use? The findings are in this deck, and the full analysis breakdown - with guidance on how to build better B2B PR and marketing programmes from the results - is available here: http://info.ccgrouppr.com/tech-decision-makers
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© 2013 CCgroup
© 2013 CCgroup
What is the received wisdom?
“Inbound Marketing”* is taking over:
*Promoting a company through forms of content marketing (blogs, eBooks, white papers, SEO and social media), as opposed to “buying” attention through cold calling, direct mail and advertising, aka Outbound Marketing.
65% of B2B companies implemented inbound marketing practices in 2013 (HubSpot’s 2013 State of Inbound Marketing)
Inbound Marketing leads cost 61% less per lead vs Outbound(HubSpot’s 2013 State of Inbound Marketing)
78% of buyers claim the most sought-after content is the white paper (Earnest 2013)
85% of buyers want suppliers to distribute content via social channels (MarketingProfs 2013)
81% of B2B purchases start with a web search (SearchEngineLand.com 2013)
© 2013 CCgroup
But…
Not all “B2B” is the same
Inbound Marketing is surely the way to go, but what do B2B IT
marketers specifically need to do?
© 2013 CCgroup
We went and found out
We asked…
• 150 IT decision makers…• …from UK businesses…• …who had made IT investments in the last
year:
What information sources and content types did you rely on during the three key
stages of the Sales Funnel?
Respondents included IT decision makers from marketing, sales, IT, finance, HR, logistics, facilities and customer support departments
?
© 2013 CCgroup
Sales FunnelWhat is a “Sales Funnel”?
The process where increasingly smaller proportions of your audience move from being unaware of you, to aware, through to being positively interested and then, ideally, a customer.
The terminology that defines each layer differs throughout the B2B Marketing industry, but the three layer titles we used in our survey were:
• Research & Long List Creation• Short List Creation• Final Decision
© 2013 CCgroup
Research & Long List CreationQ. How likely would you be to use the following
information sources in order to create a long list of suppliers?
© 2013 CCgroup
Short List CreationQ. How likely would you be to use the following
information sources in order to create a long list of suppliers?
© 2013 CCgroup
Final DecisionQ. How likely would you be to use the following
information sources during the final purchase decision?
© 2013 CCgroup
What’s Missing?We also asked our respondents what information sources they would have liked to find and particularly sought out, but weren’t typically available:
3. Supplier news in trade media
2. Case Studies
1. White papers
4. Supplier webinars
5. Video on supplier’s website
© 2013 CCgroup
Does your marketing need to change?Key takeaways
1. During research and long list creation, search engines and personal contacts are by the first port of call, followed by “industry sources” such as trade media, industry analysts and events. Social Media and national press are not the resources many perceive them to be.
2. When compiling short lists and also when making the final decision, case studies and white papers are the most influential resources. Frustratingly, these are the scarcest of available materials.
3. Coverage in trade media is highly important at all stages of the Funnel, but also often not available.
© 2013 CCgroup
How do I put this into practice?STEP ONE:
You need more content.Find angles by consulting the wider organisation for topics
Your sales and account management teams all deal with your customers and prospects every day, and know what’s troubling or concerning them.
And don’t forget your marketing suppliers – your PR team in particular should have an ear to the ground on the topics and angles that can set you apart.
© 2013 CCgroup
How do I put this into practice?STEP TWO:
Focus on the white paper
Writing 2,000 – 3,000 words on a theme, your company’s argument and your differentiator gives you a fully articulated core article.
From this, you can then create any of the materials mentioned previously, all hinging on the same co-ordinated theme.
© 2013 CCgroup
How do I put this into practice?STEP THREE:
REPEAT!
In only a few months, that content will be exhausted.
Coincidentally, it will also only take a few months for your colleagues and suppliers to have a new angle for your next campaign.
Once you’ve started creating content, don’t stop!
© 2013 CCgroup
More informationAll of the research findings, analysis and conclusions are available in this white paper:
How do IT decision makers choose their suppliers?
The document is downloadable here:
http://info.ccgrouppr.com/how-tech-dms-choose
© 2013 CCgroup
Who is CCgroup?
FAST FACTS
Award-winning B2B technology PR agency
Based in London
20+ years old20+ people
Four specialist divisions:
• Business Technology• Mobile & Telecoms• FinTech• CleanTech
www.ccgrouppr.com
How to get in touch:
020 7535 7300@ccgroup
www.ccgrouppr.com
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