Putting the Right Foot on the Path

Purchasing.

For many IT professionals, this journey is a growing challenge as they try to keep up with emerging technologies, but also keep within shrinking budgets. The IT purchase path can hold unique opportunities, with ways to further business initiatives with new innovative measures. But to find these new avenues, IT professionals look for guidance and support.

And that’s where you, tech marketer, come in. Your knowledge of products and services makes you the foremost expert guide IT professionals need. The market is growing for IT purchasing – last year, an estimated $2.9 trillion dollars was spent on technology buying. This means IT departments are invested in growing their purchasing acumen.

However, as any guide will tell you, the path can sometimes be challenging, teeming with obstacles and dangers that seemingly only someone like Indiana Jones can charter.

But fear not! For every path on the IT purchasing hike, there are easily identifiable markers to help you – and your IT buyer – find your way.

The Purchase Path Field Guide

Every guided tour starts with the guide knowing what their group is there for – from museum tours to home tours, the guide knows that their audience is looking to further their knowledge or their curiosity. This isn’t so different when it comes to IT purchasing – from the start, IT professionals are trying to decide if this journey is even worth it.

Guide Marker 1 – Discover the Business Need

With constraining budgets, many solution varieties, and growing tech innovations, IT professionals begin the purchasing path by confirming if this trek is something they need to be on; for you, tech marketer, this is the perfect opportunity to show how your service or solution can help address and solve challenging pain points.

Guide Marker 2 – Supply the Research

As we discussed in a previous blog, content is a big feature when it comes to IT pros finding out information concerning your products or services. From whitepapers to blogs to infographics, content has been a big contributor when it comes to providing insightful information and guidance.

As their field guide, your duty is to provide that light for them; in this case, relevant content that delivers insights and engages the IT buyer can help them navigate the purchase terrain.

Passing the first and second markers, IT pros are ready to go head first into the wilderness of purchasing. This is where the hike starts to pick up, either with a gradual climb or when the really interesting scenery comes into view. For you, tech marketer, this is where you should start to get into the nitty-gritty of your product or as IT pros call it, the technical specs.

Guide Marker 3 – Provide the Technical Insight

At the first guide marker, you found out what their business need was and at the second guide marker, you explained what your offering does and why it will help them. Here, you’ll tell them HOW all of that gets done – the microprocessor, the multithreads, hyperthreads, cores as far as the eye can see, storage that goes on for miles and miles - this is the stuff that IT personnel have been waiting for.

This is an extremely important milestone – 90% of IT professionals rely on peer reviews, with 82% trusting IT forums. That same 90% find detailed specs very helpful, but only 51% of marketers provide them. This is your time to shine – just like Van Gogh and Monet highlight museums, your marketing efforts should highlight your solution. Giving out your technical specs goes a long way in showing the power behind your offering, but that your business is giving what IT professionals need – information.

Guide Marker 4 – Get on that Shortlist

As IT professionals navigate their purchasing path, they start to narrow down their solution choices. Think of this as the steeper climb – the first part of the purchase path is about research, like choosing the designated path and then obtaining a map of the different trails and markers. Here, the path begins to narrow as your IT troop begins to go upward on their journey.

At this stage, the pack of viable solutions dwindles; this is where you need to separate yourself from the others. We’ve mentioned several times the need for products to meet a business’ specific needs and criteria. This can’t be understated – the value of your offering is based on how it can solve the challenges of your audience.

Guide Marker 5 – Give Out Some (Free) Swag

Now, dear tech marketer, we’ve come to the exciting part; the reason most people go on hikes – no, not the exercise (though yes, that is an important reason). We’re talking about the scenery!

Beginning hikers, to the more experienced, know that it isn’t just about the climb when hiking; it’s about seeing the wonders of nature, the scenic views from the highest points, or even something as simple as the sunrise or sunset. For IT professionals, their scenic view of a potential product or solution is getting to test it, trying it out to see if it works for their infrastructure.

This is the perfect time to present your solution to IT professionals by providing easy access to any demos or free trials. Be sure to make any sign-up process simple and easy – the last thing a potential IT buyer wants is to perform varying tricks in order to get a sample product.

Guide Marker 6 – Disclose Those Dollars and Deets!

Once the IT pro has seen your scenic view – ie, your demo or free trial – you might think the journey is over, right? Not at all! This is just the halfway point – potential IT buyers are still evaluating your offering, but what would really put your solution on their ultimate shortlist?

Pricing.

And not just how it compares against the competition, but whether or not you actually disclose the price. 88% of IT professionals find that knowing the exact pricing is helpful, however, only 23% of marketers actually provide it. The purchasing path is nothing like going out to dinner – IT directors and staff don’t want to wait until the end of the meal to know what the bill is; so don’t surprise them with sticker shock and provide the pricing upfront.

There’s always time to discuss finer points or any discounts that you want to give, but giving IT professionals all the information they need will not only further their journey, but will give your offering a better chance to close the deal.

Guide Marker 7 – Be Their Guiding Light

You’ve helped to identify a business need, you’ve provided IT leaders with valuable information in the form of your whitepapers or blogs, gotten on their shortlist with a free demo or trial, and provided them with detailed pricing for your solution.

You, tech marketer, have led them this far and as they reach for the finish line, only one last marker remains – getting to the big decision makers. While technology has changed the role for many top IT decision makers, like CIOs and CISOs, they may not be the top decision makers within the company. For this last stretch, it’s crucial that you don’t abandon your IT hikers; as their path guide, you should continue to lead them to the top, even if they’ve decided on your solution.

IT pros care about the technical specs, but boardroom execs want the ROI and business value, so be sure to help your IT buyer make their case when the time comes. Be the team player your IT buyer needs so you can hit the ball out of the park.

Guide Marker 8 – The Finish Line

The end of the hike is in sight. For many trails, this is the ultimate scenic view – not just because the path overlooks a wondrous sight, but because you’ve reached the end of your journey.

For IT professionals, the long road to finding the solution they needed is over for now, but eventually – as with many hikers – they may find their way back on the path for something else; for you, tech marketer, your role as guide doesn’t ever really end. As a marketer, your role is to continuously guide IT professionals along their purchasing journey, making sure they don’t stumble and fall, and supporting them as they reach the top.

As a tech marketer, you might find it hard or challenging to truly get the word out about your solutions and services. Why not get your own journey guide by letting the delightful staff at Change3 help on your path to awesomeness? Happiness is always served daily as we help businesses define or redefine how they speak to their target market. Get started and see how we can bring a smile to your face by contacting us today.