A Closer Look at How Specific Media Programmes Perform in Converting Prospects to Buyers

Transcription

1 A Closer Look at How Specific Media Programmes Perform in Converting Prospects to Buyers Marilou Barsam SVP of Client & Corporate Marketing, TechTarget

2 Buyers need direction and clarity, now more than ever before Technology is more complex Data growth Resource constraints Recession has impacted the IT Buyer s research and behavior* 48% - I am confused by all the vendor options and need help sorting it out. 30% - I have more internal team members that have to provide input than ever before. 23% - My budget isn t allocated until after ROI is proven. The most precious commodity to any buyer is TIME *Inside The Mind of the New B2B Buyer survey by Genius and DemandGen

3 Research pinpoints IT buyers online consumption trends

4 Report Demographics United Kingdom IT Buyers 400 respondents 6% Sr. IT Management 19% IT Management 31% Admin/Developers 44% Other IT Staff Average Company Size 35% less than 100 employees 27% 100 1,000 employees 38% 1,000+ employees United Kingdom Marketers 70 Respondents 15% C-level 77% Director/Manager 8% Generalist/Agency Lead Gen Focus 54% Demand generation 35% Lead generation 19% Branding Average Company Size 31% less than 100 employees 24% 100 1,000 employees 45% 1,000+ employees

5 The internet is the primary source for research How often do IT buyers use the internet to research information on technology solutions? IT Buyers Marketers Sometimes 4% Sometimes 3% Frequently 30% Frequently 39% Always 66% Always 58% Rarely 0% Never 0% Rarely 0% Never 0% *TechTarget 2009 Media Consumption Report

6 Research is conducted in teams How many people are typically involved in the information technology research and decision-making process? IT Buyers Marketers % % 1 5% % % 1 1% % % % % *TechTarget 2009 Media Consumption Report

7 Responsibilities are role based and vary team-to-team Which of the following best describes the IT buyer s responsibility regarding the purchase of information technology solutions? IT Buyers Marketers Product evaluator 10% Determine need 12% Final decisionmaker 15% Member of decisionmaking team 35% Product evaluator 10% Determine need 11% Final decisionmaker 17% Member of decisionmaking team 42% Strong influencer 28% Strong influencer 20% *TechTarget 2009 Media Consumption Report

8 IT buyers time is precious so looking for proof points faster How has the recession affected IT buyers research efforts? Need more efficient information gathering Want content showcasing proven product success View diverse portfolio of content Share research responsibilites with team members Receptive to hearing sooner from short listed vendors 36% 23% 25% 21% 34% 8% 17% 43% 56% 59% IT Buyers Marketers *TechTarget 2009 Media Consumption Report

9 IT buyers want content showcasing reliability and proven product success In what format do IT buyers prefer to evaluate content that showcases reliability and proven product success? IT Buyers Marketers Industry expert recommendations 16% Other 1% Peers & Colleagues 31% Industry expert recommendations 11% Other 7% Peers & Colleagues 24% Case studies 22% Vendor comparisons 31% Case studies 51% Vendor comparisons 7% *TechTarget 2009 Media Consumption Report

10 Content types used to evaluate technology info Downloads and vendor literature reflect end stage In the past 3, what online content types have IT buyers used to get information on enterprise technology solutions? White papers Product literature Trial software downloads newsletters Customer case studies Vendor comparisons Webcasts Online vendor demos Online videos ebooks Podcasts Virtual trade shows 69% 77% 64% 63% 56% 35% 47% 75% 44% 67% 42% 24% 37% 61% 35% 39% 28% 41% 22% 14% 13% 24% 7% 18% IT Buyers Marketers *TechTarget 2009 Media Consumption Report

11 Proof point Marketer s should seriously consider developing comparison content to capture interest from IT buyers in later stages of their buying cycle! Especially important in our current economy since buyers are looking for content that showcases reliability and proven product success!

12 What all this means for the IT marketer Marketers need to deliver online content that covers the evolving information needs and the different roles and timing needs of the buying team Examples: Financially focused asset Techie discussion for IT tech guys Solution-specific assets for consideration stage Vendor comparisons as shown today for decision -makers

13 Majority of IT buyers spend up to 12 in the IT buying process - More in early and less in late stages than marketers believe they do IT Buyers Marketers 12 to 24 4% More than 24 1% 12 to 24 12% More than 24 1% Up to 2 11% 6 to 12 27% 2 to 6 39% Up to 2 30% 6 to 12 44% 2 to 6 32% How long is the IT buyer s timeframe from identifying a problem to making a purchase decision? *TechTarget 2009 Media Consumption Report

14 IT buyers spend majority of their time in consideration stage Decision 16% Awareness 21% 4 Weeks 2 Months 6-9 Months Consideration 63% *TechTarget 2009 Media Consumption Report

15 Proof point: IT buyers consume online media throughout their buying process, but have preferences based on buying stage Marketers need a portfolio of assets Specific assets are more relevant than others at specific times

16 What this means for the IT marketer Marketers should think in terms of a portfolio of assets Take advantage of the buyer s preferences for different content types based on their stage Consider the time spent by the buyer in each stage as it relates to your content strategy and ratio of resources allocated i.e. Build majority for consideration

17 Content types used during the stages of the IT buying process consideration assets dominate At which stage of the IT buying process are these specific online content types most effective? Identifying an IT problem Gathering technical information Making a vendor short list newsletters 32% 53% 16% ebooks 30% 55% 15% Online videos 29% 53% 18% White papers 29% 51% 20% Podcasts 23% 56% 21% Customer case studies 23% 44% 33% Webcasts 19% 59% 22% Trial software downloads 18% 45% 38% Product literature 18% 50% 32% Virtual trade shows 13% 54% 33% Vendor comparisons 11% 42% 47% IT Buyers Online vendor demos 10% 50% 40% *TechTarget 2009 Media Consumption Report

18 Content types - Marketers view videos, podcasts, webcasts and VTS more towards the early stages At which stage of the IT buying process are these specific online content types most effective at reaching IT buyers? Identifying an IT problem Gathering technical information Making a vendor short list newsletters 59% 32% 9% Podcasts 49% 45% 7% Online videos 48% 43% 9% ebooks 47% 43% 9% Virtual trade shows 46% 44% 11% Webcasts 39% 46% 15% White papers 36% 47% 17% Product literature 33% 47% 20% Customer case studies 23% 46% 31% Online vendor demos 18% 46% 36% Vendor comparisons 12% 43% 45% Trial software downloads Marketers 11% 47% 43% *TechTarget 2009 Media Consumption Report

19 Taking a closer look at media gaps between IT buyers and IT marketers

20 Media Usage Gaps Significant gaps exist in IT buyers usage of certain media types versus how marketers are using them to target those buyers, primarily: Online video Webcasts/Podcasts Virtual events Microsites While marketers mostly view these vehicles as early stage drivers, most IT users are consuming them in later stages

21 Webcasts/Podcasts Drives interest for buyers in all 3 stages Topical focus attracts audience based on stage However webcasts due to time engagement typically skews later stage Both attract shoppers and deliver qualified serious buyers

22 Benchmarks Webcasts Average promotion conversion rate 55% Average leads per webcast Podcasts Average promotion conversion rate 56% Average leads per webcast

23 Build awareness and drive leads with active/planned projects Podcasts Project/Purchase Timeframe Webcasts Project/Purchase Timeframe Don't Know/No Plans 44% 0 to 3 14% 3 to 6 11% Don't Know/No Plans 36% 0 to 3 15% % 6 to 12 12% 37% of buyers have active purchasing interests within a year % 6 to 12 14% 3 to 6 11% 40% of buyers have active purchasing interests within a year *TechTarget Webcast/Podcast custom qualification question analysis last 6

24 Innovation: Mediacast Consists of a Webcast, Podcast, Webcast transcript Gives IT buyers 3 opportunities to interact with content Extends conversation across 3 stages and net new lead delivery

25 Innovation: Mediacast Top performer: Dell Windows Server 2008 R2: Top 10 Changes You ll Actually Care About Generated more than 1,000 targeted leads across mediums Less than 10% duplication!! TechTarget average 15-30% across 3 mediums

26 Video

27 Video Can be very effective in driving both purchase and brand consideration Recall of information is higher than in audio/slide mediums Using local talent (IN-country speakers) with appropriate accent should really bolster engagement and your company s local presence

28 Video: 72% use online video to research tech solutions Preferred viewing sites are mixed Of those that use video websites - top video sites are *The Google/TechTarget Research Report

29 Benchmarks Retention Average viewing time minutes-expert Retention -90% Average viewing time minutes-vendor Retention-70% Demand Generation Average leads per online video

30 Title Analysis Videos viewed by job function - IT managers fans of this media 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% C-Level IT Management Technical Title IT Staff Consultant Other 0% 1 Video 2 Videos 3 Videos

31 IT buyers find value in many downstream video formats - another case for same content in multiple formats Percent Who Indicated These Video Types Are Useful 89% 84% 84% 82% 73% 3:00-5:00 6:00-9:00 10:00-19:00 10:00-19:00 < 3:00 Preferred length (minutes) *The Google/TechTarget Research Report

32 Video - Driving leads with active / planned projects Project/Purchase Timeframe 0 to 3 14% Don't Know/No Plans 45% 3 to 6 11% % 6 to 12 15% 40% of buyers have active purchasing interests within a year *TechTarget Video custom qualification question analysis last 6

33 Video Innovation: Citrix Virtual Desktop Challenge Off-beat examplecorporately driven Video-based Virtual Desktop Challenge Game Allowed users to test their knowledge about Desktop Virtualization then view Citrix technical and video content

34 Video Innovation: Citrix Virtual Desktop Challenge Drove 66,000+ page views over 3 month period Generated more than 220 highly targeted leads for the game More than 85% have direct involvement in the IT decision-making process

35 Virtual Events

36 Virtual Events Virtual events give buyers in-depth understanding of a vendor s solution Give marketers access to large audience larger regional coverage and broad/hot topics Allows buyers real-time opportunity to speak directly with vendors and peers through booth visits and chats - marketers real-time access to hot leads Virtual events often help buyers who are in the midst of evaluating a short list accelerate their decisions

37 Benchmarks Average time in show 3 hr 6 min Average time in booths 11 minutes Attend at least 1 presentation 73% Attend an average of 2 presentations-55% Average documents viewed 5-7 Average booth chats 12 to 15 per booth Average number of leads per virtual event - 700

38 Medium provides very high value for attendees and their buying teams 97% are likely to attend an upcoming VTS 96% would recommend VTS to colleague 92% were satisfied or extremely satisfied 90% of attendees watched a webcast 80% said their awareness of sponsoring vendors increased *Survey of 500 recent Virtual Event Attendees

39 Virtual events drive the highest percentage of buyers with immediate needs Project/Purchase Timeframe Don't Know/No Plans 27% 0 to 3 13% 3 to 6 5% % 6 to 12 44% 62% of buyers have active purchasing interests within a year *TechTarget Virtual Event custom qualification question analysis last 6

40 The Gold in Chat Mining: Transcript from a chat at a recent virtual event Matthew, BMC: How about the rest of the group. What's been the highlight of the conference for you so far? Rachel: a lot of these items we haven't added to our environment... but very good data Adrian, MetOffice: Same here Rachel Rachel: but plan to in the near future Fatima, Zain: I can really relate to the phrase "ERP for IT" I can feel that we are there, and how BSM is needed Adrian: Seeing this has certainly made me realize the wide range of tools and software BMC provides Matthew, BMC: Rachel/Adrian - what items specifically caught your attention? Adrian: Next project for me is moving to Remedy 7.5 Rachel: We are looking to implement the ITSM products in the near future and want to get some type of idea what we are looking at Fatima, Zain: about moving to 7.5, what if we have customizations over our helpdesk app can we migrate with these customizations? Matthew, BMC: Fatima, they can help answer your question in the Service Desk booth

41 Microsites

42 Microsites Provide the best possible intersection of all the media discussed today in a focused contextual environment Microsites provide a unique environment Influence new prospects in a branded community outside vendor s own website Marketers typically look to microsites as tools for driving branding and awareness and sourcing for their own websites Brand engagement helps fuel purchase intent

43 Metrics suggest high engagement and conversion Average page views 199,277 Average unique visitors 162,665 Average monthly page views to goal 150% Average time spent in portal 3:57 Banner CTR 0.72% 2x higher than ROS banner averages

44 Driving consideration for brands Dell.com Microsoft.com Intel.com Never 35% < 30 days 27% Never 28% < 30 days 32% Never 37% < 30 days 32% days 5% days 6% days 9% > 90 days 28% days 5% > 90 days 24% days 10% > 90 days 14% days 8% When was the last time you visited *Pulse survey results from recent Microsites

45 Attracting serious buyers Don't Know/No Plans 40% Project/Purchase Timeframe* 12+ 5% 6 to 12 31% 0 to 3 20% 3 to 6 4% 55% of buyers have active purchasing interests within a year Don't Know 35% No Change 19% Budget** How will your virtualization budget change this year? Decrease 8% Increase 38% 38% of visitors say their budgets will be increasing this year *Custom question analysis across all registration-protected microsites/custom display environments last 6 * *Example from one campaign pulse survey

46 Moving the needle both ways Vendor saw significant lift in both brand favorability and purchase intent within microsite Overall Respondents: Brand Metrics Control (n=178) Exposed (n=124) Δ=6.6 Δ= % 60% 54% 60% 53% 65% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Brand Favorability Purchase Intent * Example from one campaign using Dynamic Logic Survey Methodology

47 The value in nurturing leads We ve established you can reach buyers through the use of media such as Webcasts, Virtual events, Video, Podcast, Microsites Don t waste your initial investment of time or resources! Strong nurturing and deeper analysis of prospect pool can uncover hidden opportunities and bring prospects further along their cycle

48 The importance of nurturing and remessaging to drive engagement In today s competitive market, there are many companies fighting over your prospect pool i.e. Activity Intelligence It is crucial to cement your mindshare with prospects by driving multiple touch-points with them Executing an intelligent nurturing and re-messaging strategy will aid in delivering against this goal

49 Implementing simple re-messaging helps with conversion 120% 100% TechTarget Average Re-messaging Campaign Response 10% response rate over 8-week flight 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Next Day 1 Week 3 Week 5 Week 8 Week

50 Custom nurturing helps even more to move prospects through the buying cycle The use of custom follow-up messaging and assets helps guide users through the buying cycle by providing them offers based on their profile and/or what they have already downloaded There are increased response rates compared to more broad-based re-messaging efforts Key Factor-scoring methodology and using a platform - in our case Marketo

51 Custom re-messaging example: Dell EMEA 3 flights of re-messaging for each stage in buying cycle 200 unique recipients-47 responded 23% vs. 10% overall response rate After Downloading Awareness Asset, Prospects were Re-Messaged with Below Assets to Move from Awareness to Consideration Top 10 Reasons to Upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2 Getting Ready for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V Technology Introduction Top 10 IT Pro Tasks Made Easier by Windows Server 2008 R2 Windows Server 2008 R2 FAQ Windows Server 2008 R2: Top 10 Changes You'll Actually Care About Dell High Availability Solutions Guide for Microsoft Hyper-V Datacenter Management Optimization with Microsoft System Center Intelligent Server Consolidation with System Center 89% of those 47 actually downloaded documents Prospects moved from awareness to consideration stage

52 Closing thoughts Use 3 part series to cover all 3 stages of the buying cycle by leveraging associated topics and different media Remember that the media you assume works well in only awareness stages can pull in later stages too - it s all about the topic and timing If you want to continue the digital conversation use nurturing and topically focused re-messaging for best results