How Buyers Consume

How Buyers Consume: Marketing Content, Sales Knowledge, and SME Wisdom
2ND Annual Great Indian IT Marketing Summit | Bangalore, India | 11 February 2014

2ND Annual Great Indian IT Marketing Summit
Bangalore, India | 11 February 2014

How Buyers Consume:
Marketing Content, Sales
Knowledge, and SME Wisdom
Highlights from ITSMA’s Annual B2B Customer Research
Dave Munn, President & CEO, ITSMA

twitter hashtag:
#ITSMA14
Tweet at #ITSMA14

How Buyers Consume: Marketing Content, Sales Knowledge, and SME Wisdom | E021114 | © 2014 ITSMA. All Rights Reserved. | 1

Customers have a ravenous appetite
for information and ideas

they average
hours a week
keeping up with
the industry

5

and almost
half average
hours
a week

9

Tweet at #ITSMA14
Source: ITSMA/CFO,How Buyers Consume: Marketing Content, Sales2013
How B2B Buyers Consume Information Survey, Knowledge, and SME Wisdom | E021114 | © 2014 ITSMA. All Rights Reserved. | 2

ITSMA | 91 Hartwell Avenue | Lexington, Massachusetts 02421-3137 USA
Phone: +1-781-862-8500 | Fax: +1-781-674-1366 | Email: info@itsma.com | Internet: www.itsma.com

Page 1


...but they have lots of choices
and are being bombarded with
invitations and propositions

…and a lot of it is not relevant,
targeted, interesting, readable,
or in formats they desire

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Page 2


So what’s our solution? Providers are planning increased
investments in thought leadership, content, and skills

#1

Priority for
Marketers

#1

Thought
leadership
development
and
dissemination

Tweet at #ITSMA14

Planned
Spending
Increase

#1

Content
development

Essential
Skill for
Future
Success
Writing/
story telling/
editing/
publishing


Over the last few years we’ve learned the following about
customer’s knowledge-seeking behavior

More learning
from solution
providers
(Increased solution
provider credibility)

More learning
from sales
(Importance
of sales)

More learning
from multiple
marketing
channels
(Decline of
peer influence)

More learning
from social
sources
(Rise of the
social buyer)

Based on 700+ responses from global B2B buyers of large-scale, complex technology-based solutions.
Source: ITSMA, How B2B Buyers Consume Information Study, 2012, 2011
Tweet at #ITSMA14



Page 3


Our 2013 research revealed the importance of people early
in the sales cycle—especially your experts

Need for
person-to-person
marketing
Expanding role of
subject matter
experts (SMEs)

Based on 438 responses from global B2B buyers of large-scale, complex technology-based solutions
Source: ITSMA/CFO, How B2B Buyers Consume Information Survey, 2013
.
Tweet at #ITSMA14 How Buyers Consume: Marketing Content, Sales Knowledge, and SME Wisdom | E021114 | © 2014 ITSMA. All Rights Reserved. | 7

Early in the buying process, digital sources of information
are not the only sources of information—people matter!
When you are keeping up with
the industry and learning about
technology solutions, how do
you tend to distribute your time
among the various sources
of information?
Mean % of Time
(N=427)

People-based
sources =
45%

Offline

21%

With solution
providers or
outside
experts

Online

34%

22%

With peers

23%

Tweet at #ITSMA14



Page 4


Buyers rely on multiple information sources, often moving
effortlessly between on- and offline
When you are keeping up with the industry and learning about technology solutions,
how do you tend to distribute your time among the various sources of information?
Mean % of Time (N=427)
1.
2.
3.
4.

Top Offline Sources
Solution provider materials
Management consultant reports
Industry analysts reports
21%
Trade publications

Top Solution Provider
or Outside Expert Sources
1. Solution provider SMEs
2. Solution provider sales
3. Solution provider events
4. Management consultants
5. Industry analysts

34%

Top Online Sources
1. Solution provider websites
2. Web search
3. Trade media websites

22%
23%

Top Peer Sources
1. My own company
2. Other companies
3. Membership-based councils
or private communities

Tweet at #ITSMA14


According to ITSMA’s 2012 research results, 70% of
buyers want to engage with sales reps before they identify
their shortlist
At what stage of the buying process do you find it most useful to engage with sales
reps? % of Respondent (N=270)

70%
24

24

23

16

14

Stage 1.

Stage 2.

Stage 3.

Stage 4.

Stage 5.

EPIPHANY

AWARENESS

INTEREST

CONFIDENCE

LOYALTY

Keeping up with
industry/
technology news
and events

Learning more
about potential
solutions and
solution providers

Identifying a
shortlist of solution
providers

Evaluating and
selecting a
solution provider/
making the final
decision

Building ongoing
relationship with
solution provider
post-purchase

Source: ITSMA, How B2B Buyers Consume Information Study, 2012


Page 5


Sales people are not obsolete; they are much more than
order takers

76% satisfaction

of B2B buyers report

with their most
recent sales
experiences

One of the top

drivers of satisfaction
during the sales experience is a

knowledgeable
and experienced
sales team


Buyers recognize that sales people provide significant
value during the purchase process

Seller

• Provide product or service information
• Help navigate among alternative solutions
• Help build the business case

Conduit

• Put buyer in touch with SMEs
• Provide references

Thought
Leader

•
•
•
•

Provide insights on technology trends
Provide insights on business trends
Challenge thinking
Educate on opportunities in changing the status quo



Page 6


We have a disconnect between what buyers and marketers
think sales should be doing
Buyer Priorities for Sales

Marketer Priorities for Sales

1. Provide product or service
information

1. Help build the business case

2. Put buyer in touch with SMEs

2. Provide insights on business
trends

3. Help navigate among alternative
solutions

3. Challenge thinking

4. Educate on opportunities in
changing the status quo

5. Educate on opportunities in
changing the status quo

5. Provide insights on business
trends

6. Provide references

6. Provide references
7. Provide insights on technology trends
8. Challenge thinking

4. Provide insights on technology trends

7. Put buyer in touch with SMEs
8. Help navigate among alternative
solutions

9. Help build the business case

9. Provide product or service
information


Source: ITSMA Survey: Thought Leadership Selling,
September 2013


Expanding Role of
Subject Matter Experts
(SMEs)



Page 7


SMEs play a critical role in the purchase process,
no matter who you are or where you’re from
Top People-based
Sources of
Information
 SMEs

IT

 Industry analysts

Finance

 SMEs
 Own staff
 Own staff
 SMEs

Business

Top People-based
Sources of
Information
 SMEs
North
 Own staff
America
 Other peers
Europe
Asia/LA

 SMEs
 Own staff
 SMEs

 Management
consultants
 Industry analysts


Most buyers feel they have adequate access to SMEs,
but there is room for improvement
During the sales process, how would you describe your organization’s access to the
solution provider’s subject matter experts? % of Respondents (N=427)

1
16

Poor—We have extremely limited access to subject matter
experts

Fair—We have access to the subject matter experts
sporadically
55
Good—The subject matter experts are available and
responsive, but it would be better if we could spend more time
with them

29

Excellent—We have as much access to the subject matter
experts as we need—they are available and responsive



Page 8


The most credible SMEs are those who demonstrate
knowledge of the buyer’s business
What criteria do you use to evaluate solution provider subject matter expert credibility?
% of Respondents (N=438)
Understanding of my business issues

46

Real world experience working in the industry/vertical I am interested in

44

Knowledge of my industry trends

40

Number of years of experience

28

New or innovative ideas

28

References

27

Thought leadership/white papers

19

Education/certifications

19

Resume: job title, current and prior employers

19

Content of blog posts

13

Published book(s)
Number of Twitter followers

10
8
% Rank 1st

% Rank 2nd

% Rank 3rd

Note: Respondents were asked to rank order top three.

Implications for B2B
Marketers



Page 9


Implication for B2B Marketers:
Online, offline, and people-based interactions need to be
seamlessly integrated
 Complement digital
marketing with high-touch,
person-to-person initiatives
 Lay the groundwork for
omnichannel marketing

How do you tend to distribute your
time among the various sources of
information? Mean % of Time (N=427)
Offline
21%

Solution
providers/
outside
experts

34%

Online

22%
23%

Peers


CSC is building the infrastructure to support omnichannel
marketing



Page 10


Implication for B2B Marketers:
The role of marketing and sales is education;
SMEs have to be part of the process

The sales and marketing partnership
is really a triumvirate
Marketing

Sales

SMEs


Marketers need to work more closely with SMEs,
grooming and enabling them
 Cultivate, manage, and
train SMEs
 Tap into their expertise
and facilitate content
creation
 Provide account
intelligence, additional
content, and tools
 Make SMEs more
accessible
 Proactively promote
SMEs and help them
build their brands



Page 11


Marketing also needs to enable sales to do thought
leadership selling
Understands the business model
Uses thought leadership to engage audience
Uncovers needs that audience doesn’t yet know
Can discuss challenges and opportunities
without talking about products/services
But don’t neglect the importance of
delivering product and service
information through the sales force!

KPMG Market Ready Express Packs give sales easy
access, training, and tools



Page 12


Infosys uses SMEs to “sell” to the sales force

http://www.infosys.com/IT-services/infrastructure-management-services/Pages/index.aspx

Six key buyer trends to guide your marketing strategies
and tactics
Rise of thought leadership and content
Increasing solution provider credibility
Need for person-to-person marketing
Value of sales in the early stages
Expanding role of subject matter experts (SMEs)
Importance of omnichannel marketing



Page 13



Thank You!
David C. Munn
President & CEO
ITSMA
www.itsma.com
dmunn@itsma.com
+1-781-862-8500, Ext. 117



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How Buyers Consume

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