B2B Cloud Buyers’ Top Marketing Influences
Once again, this resource is part evergreen and part of the work portfolio. It’s part of the work portfolio because we’re proud of how we captured changing marketing in the changing IT to uncover B2B cloud buyers’ top marketing influences.
It’s evergreen because of two reasons.
First, another application of the market framework of buyer segments in early markets. To learn top marketing influences on B2B Cloud buyers, we collected more data. The second round was 18 or so months after the first. Obviously, the market has changed in its march toward maturity. Every very new market has Pioneers, Planners, and Stragglers.
When a market matures from its very early stages, Pros appear. This means the market is moving from NEW. Yay. It’s becoming established. Now it’s time to understand B2B cloud buyers’ top marketing influences.
Second, the marketing mix findings still apply today. Word of mouth remains the top marketing channel, even in today’s digitally dominated world. Trade press come next, but it’s mind-bogglingly fragmented and tends to cater to later-adopting buyers.
Next come the vendors themselves. Strong vendor-customer relationships are key. In fact, as buyers become customers and then very loyal customers, the key influence? It’s vendor sales people, as well as vendor customer events.
The 5th influence in the marketing mix? It’s IT analysts, but it’s way down there with only 13% of buyers saying they actually listen to them. Gartner is the heavyweight, by far.
Social networks made the list at the 8th spot… but this was a few years ago.
Today’s influence mix is very different. No doubt at this point in time, as we’re closing in on another decade’s end, social media is much more influential. Other mechanisms – communities and review sites. We think both of these marketing influences are very powerful today, too.
You need to market using the channels your buyers use, so if you’re interested in knowing about your buyers and how to reach them, we’re only an email away.
Duration = 5 minutes
