Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Challenge
81%
66%
of ITDMs say
that lack
of content
matched to their information
needs will decrease
the likelihood
of a purchase
Time-crunched IT executives
feel this pain most acutely
vs. Non-Heads of IT
Heads of IT
40% 33%
Top 3 Challenges
54%
51%
42%
Stage 1
Stag e 2
Stag e 3
Stag e 4
Stage 5
Stage 6
Determine the
Business Need
Determine
Technical
Requirements
Evaluate
Products
& Services
Recommend
& Select
Vendors
Sell
Internally
Approve And
Authorize
Purchases
48% CIO/
Executive IT
LOB
44% Management
What Type
of Content
Do They use?
CEO
Enterprise
11
Stag e 3
Stag e 4
Determine the
Business Need
Determine
Technical
Requirements
Evaluate
Products
& Services
Recommend
& Select
Vendors
2. Search engines
3. White papers
4. Tech content sites
5. Newsletters
2. Search engines
3. Tech content sites
4. Tech vendor sites
5. Tech vendors
2. Search engines
3. Tech content sites
4. Tech vendor sites
5. Tech vendors
2. Tech vendors
3. Search engines
4. Tech content sites
5. Tech vendor sites
2. Tech vendors
3. Analyst firms
4. Tech content sites
5. Search engines
2. Analyst firms
3. Tech vendors
4. White papers
5. Executive events
84%
8 6
vs.
Stag e 4
Stage 5
Stage 6
Determine the
Business Need
Determine
Technical
Requirements
Evaluate
Products
& Services
Recommend
& Select
Vendors
Sell
Internally
Approve And
Authorize
Purchases
49%
Technology news
Feature article
on technologies
Case studies
40%
How-to content/
information
44%
38%
37%
Product demo/
product literature
42%
Product testing/
reviews/opinions
42%
41%
Technology news
66%
Product demo/
product literature
63%
49%
Technology news
How-to content/
information
49%
48%
Case studies
Product testing/
reviews/
opinions
45%
Product demo/
product literature
ROI tool,
calculator, other
assessment tool
29%
41%
Product testing/
reviews/opinions
Analyst Research
(IDC, Gartner, Forrester) 36%
Product demo/
product literature
31%
31%
Technology news
Buyers guides
ROI tool,
calculator, other
assessment tool
of ITDMs are
willing to share
online content
1
86%
85%
83%
Technology content sites
82%
Conferences or events info 81%
Third-party research
79%
88%
2
Email/
forwarding
at each stage
26%
21%
Product demo/
product literature
21%
Top 5 Tactics
How to
Engage
ITDMS
Timing
5 days
Create quality
content by using
insights about IT
leaders and their
tech-savvy LOB
counterparts
37%
Share on
LinkedIn
Develop
content that
speaks to key
stakeholders
at each stage
of the purchase
process
71%
3
Deliver your
content and
message at
the right time
via preferred
channels
54%
Ensure timely
follow-up from
knowledgeable
representatives
Sources: IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Survey, 2014; IDG Enterprise Role & Influence of the technology decision-maker Survey, 2014
say no
vendor
follow-up
Build credibility
and trust with
decision-makers
is considered an optimal
time frame in which to receive
additional related content
Unbiased product
testing/reviews/
opinions
Relevant
content
93%
86%
73%
18%
51%
43%
say a knowledgeable
vendor rep makes them
more likely to purchase
83%
Discuss in person
or by phone
3.2Weeks
72%
Analyst research
(IDC, Gartner, Forrester) 19%
Established,
trusted brand
51%
of ITDMs use
social/business
networking sites
for business purposes
62%
Knowledge
84%
82%
When
do they
want it?
Top
Content
30%
Case studies
26%
18%
to technologys most
powerful audience of
enterprise influencers,
business stakeholders,
solution champions and
final decision-makers.
say networking/
connecting with peers
ranks as a top benefit of
attending face-to-face events
Product testing/
reviews/opinions
Analyst research
(IDC, Gartner, Forrester) 19%
Case studies
Peers
of ITDMs say association with a trusted third party increases credibility of vendor content
93%
1
44%
Product testing/
reviews/
opinions
Top Source:
pieces of content
Stag e 3
IDG Enterprise
connects you
connecting Peers
2 additional
Stag e 2
Feature
article on
technologies
Months
After registering to
access a piece of content,
ITDMs are interested in
receiving an average of
Enterprises
download more
assets than SMBs
Stage 1
happens frequently
Sell
Internally
Approve And
Authorize
Purchases
1. Peers
Pull it all
together
Stage 6
1. Peers
Sharing
Methods
Stage 5
Average number of
informational assets
downloaded by ITDMs
during purchase process
6.3
Months
1. Peers
Non-Heads of IT
1. Peers
Top 3
The 3 Keys
to Increase
Sales
Heads of IT
1. Peers
Feature article on
trends, strategy,
management
at each stage
CFO
1. Peers
70%
Stag e 2
Analyst research
(IDC, Gartner, Forrester) 33%
How Do
They Share
& Use Social?
Shorten The
Sales Cycle
By Targeting
High-Level IT
SMB
Stage 1
How Much
content
do ITDMs
want?
Where Do
they Find
Content?
How Many
ITDMs Weigh
in on Major
IT Purchases?
Top ITDMs
61% IT/Networking
68% IT/Networking
50% IT/Networking
50% CIO/
59% CIO/
Staff
Staff
Staff
Executive IT
Executive IT
IT/Networking
IT/Networking
IT/Networking
IT/Networking
48% Management 49% Management 48% Management 43% Management 49% 49%
Decision
TIME FOR MAJOR
PURCHASE
Know Your
Target
Customer
To succeed, tech marketers must deliver the right content, to the right person, at the right time, in the right format. Here is a roadmap to help guide your efforts.
claim social/business
networking sites increased
their brand loyalty
77%
of ITDMs
report
that association with a
known, familiar source
builds trust
92%
of ITDMs
are more
likely
to click on a link from a
familiar trusted source,
like IDG Enterprises
network of tech sites
Trust
Time Spent with
Vendors by IT Team
Familiarity Cuts
Sales Cycles in Half
Current Vendor
3.3 Months
Enterprise
4 months
Prospective Vendor
Enterprise
7 months
SMB
3 months
6.2 Months
SMB
6 months
Current Vendor
4.41
2.54
hours
per week
Prospective Vendor
www.idgenterprise.com
hours
per week