Who has taken my IT buyer?
The marketing of IT products is undergoing a radical change. At a time like the present one in which business executives expect that technology is increasingly critical to its success and IT managers consume most of their efforts on maintaining systems with more than 30 years old, it is normal makers involved with business and even a "bridge" to his fellow-time systems to incorporate new technologies to improve their processes, or give them advantages over their competitors. And that means that marketing must take into account this shift in influence buying.
There are also other reasons why it is necessary to focus our marketing on buyers of business:
* When you're marketing a new product introduced by technological discontinuities in the market and still in the early market, focusing on marketing to buyers from the business (rather than technology) can be a very appropriate strategy. In this scenario, many experts advocate a vertical marketing that identifies an "economic buyer" owner of a business problem is important and urgent that can be resolved with the new product and our focus marketing it.
* In times of crisis like the current (and especially after the technology bubble burst earlier this decade) the purchase of IT products justified only by the lateness of its technical performance, its modern architecture or fashion technology gives way to an assessment based on criteria of business done by those responsible for it.
According to a survey of business decision-makers in the U.S. Europe and conducted by Forrester, many of the activities of the purchasing processes and implementing IT solutions are as much responsibility as Business Technology. Some of these activities in more than half of respondents thought that business should play an equal or greater than that of systems are:
* Establishment of priorities for investment (54%)
* Selection of the solutions offered by suppliers (57%)
* Documentation of the requirements of the solutions (53%)
* Negotiation with and management of suppliers (51%)
Many vendors of this change may surprise trend changed with the passage because they do not translate the characteristics of their products to business results and marketing resources and sales are not accustomed to, nor have the ability to maintain a dialogue with these new partners. Paraphrasing the title of the book "Who took my cheese?" Forrester analysts put in the mouths of those old-school providers of the question, "Who Moved my IT Buyer's?"
Given this new landscape is not enough to give a veneer of "business jargon" to the speeches and try to sell more product as always. Forrester analysts advise technology providers to refine their position, their online presence and market research so that sensitive business decision and take the following actions related to their marketing:
* Raise the corporate positioning, so it resonates in the management of business. Associating the brand with those features, performance, aspirations ... that will make these business leaders to succeed in their roles.
* Position products based on what these do for customers. Forget the position based on the technology and develop value propositions based on the benefits and business results that provide the products.
* Communicate your message with clarity and conciseness. Using the terminology of business and technology best suited to each audience.
* Focus on the Web experience to the business decision. Almost 50% of those making the decision and buy a certain type of product coming to the Web to inform and validate their purchasing decisions. Choose as a standard type of business decision-maker related to our product and make it the object and the measure of our website and online marketing.
* Include in the market research information on the dynamics of purchase. Information on actors, relationships and purchasing processes must be key to strategic marketing decisions.
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