How Prepared Are We for Customer 2.0? by Juliann Grant, Telesian Technology

How Prepared Are We ForCustomer 2.0?

September 9, 2011

Juliann Grant Gary WagnerTelesian Technology Ophir-Spiricon

6th Annual ISA Marketing & Sales SummitSlide 2

Today’s Approach• Challenges of Customer 2.0• Explore social media’s affect in how our buyers research

products/services– Discuss survey & results– Survey Insights

• Where are the opportunities?• Conclusions• Case in point: Ophir Spiricon – Open discussion


Challenges in Buy Cycle• Buyers’ Time is Extremely Valuable

– Working avg 46 hrs/week• 24% of buyers’ time is spent on post-purchase IT product or solution-

related activities• Must optimize their time and your value

• Buy teams getting bigger– On average, 4-5 people are involved in influencing short list and

making the purchase decision

• Vendor Information is of High Importance to Tech Buyers• 22% of Tech buyers value product demos and proof of concepts the

most.

• Buyers Wish to Reduce Their Buying Cycle Length by 40%



5

More Challenges

• Buyers’ purchasing budgets smaller too– How do we most efficiently approach shrinking

markets?• Shift from print to electronic media marketing

– How do we leap into relevant, timely brand messages using new approaches without faltering?

• Evaluating the effectiveness of marketing programs– How can we measure effectiveness? – Are we giving buyers what they want?


6

What are Buyers Doing Now?• Are they using social media for research? • What do they prefer?• Buyer Survey in July 2011:

– 8 multiple choice questions– Option to add comments– Survey emails sent to over 300 end-users of Automation

equipment, instrumentation, devices, hardware, and software

– >70 completed surveys

• Non-commercial, positively framed survey• Results are consistent and useful

Survey Results


What social media network do you use the most (for any reason)?

Facebook 36%

Twitter 3%

LinkedIn 54%

Google+ 1%

Other 4%Business Networking 1%


If you use Facebook, do you use primarily for:

Personal 61%

Both 3%

Skipped 36%


Insights

• LinkedIn still strongest social network for engineers– How are you using it? Are you leveraging that opportunity?

• Facebook mostly used for personal – no surprise• Twitter adoption still slow

– Requires more time to develop a network and techniques to participate

– More brands participating than ever before• 31 percent of consumers follow between one and five brands on Twitter• 47 percent follow a company on Twitter because it has interesting tweets. • Other reasons: getting discounts, participating in contests and speaking

with customer service (http://blog.lab42.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/twitterinfo-final.jpg)

• Google+ a network to watch – Not clear how business/brands will be accepted

http://blog.lab42.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/twitterinfo-final.jpg


Which avenues do you pursue for product research?

GoogleYah

ooBing

Personal

Contact

Industry B

logs

Trade Sh

ows

Other S

earch Engin

e

Other S

ocial M

edia

Twitter

Face

book

Linke

dIn0

1020304050607080

INSIGHTS:

• Customer 2.0 still approaching research business as usual

• With Google leading the way• Personal contact still leading

ahead of social media• Trade shows holding strong• Blogs growing as a resource


Rank your biggest challenges with using social media for product research (Rank from 1 to 6, 1 biggest, 6 least)

Informa-tion Over-

load

Find Best Info

Trusted Sources

Perceived Value

Networks blocked

Don't Use SM

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

654321


Information Overload

1 2 3 4 5 60

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Big challenge Not so big a challenge


1 2 3 4 5 60

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Best Source of Information


Are we making it easy for our buyers to find OUR information?


Trusted Sources

1 2 3 4 5 60

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20


Whoa…What’s happening here?


Perceived Value

1 2 3 4 5 60

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18


Is it because they don’t know who to trust or

where to find us?


Social Sites Blocked at Work

1 2 3 4 5 60

2

4

6

8

10

12


Or because they cannot access the info? Likely not


Don’t Use Social Media for Research?

1 2 3 4 5 60

5

10

15

20

25

30

35


Why? Because of the other challenges?

Or die hard Googler’s?


But Whose Fault Is It?


Insights

• It’s them, right? They don’t use social media for research…. – Maybe because:

• We’re not making it easy to find us in social media circles – even the ones they do participate in - LinkedIn

• We’re not building trust through our content• We are not helping build value or providing the best source

of information to help them…


When you are looking for a specific product, how often do you sign up/opt-in?

Most of the time (75%+); 9%

Some of the time (50%); 33%

Not so much (25%); 41%

Never (0%); 17%


If you do opt-in, what are the decision factors for doing so?

Convenience of immediate download

Pick and choose the information you receive

Can obtain the information anonymously (no login)

Have option to have a sales rep call

Ease of information in electronic form

0 10 20 30 40 50

Why Do Opt-in?Other comments:

• Enjoy receiving new information as it becomes available, but like to be able to make categorical/frequency selections of what I receive.

• Vendor does not allow any other choice

• Never: SPAM SPAM SPAM!

• If there is a possibility the information could be useful in other circumstances

• Don't use social media for searches


What type of medium have you used to research product or service information:

White paper

Video

Podcast

Webinar

Attend Vendor-hosted event

Attend topical event

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Medium UsedOther comments:

• Used all six listed at some time or another, but prefer either Vendor-specific or general events

• Call sales rep• Find operating manuals

on line• Online Manuals and

Drawings• Manufacturers

catalogs, manuals, specifications


When was the last time you unsubscribed to something product/service related?

A month ago +

2-3 weeks ago

A week ago

Last couple of days

Today

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35


Why did you unsubscribe?

Too many emails from source

Information not targeted to my needs

Evaluation is over

Just not interested anymore

I get too many emails in general

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50


Key Insights

• Buyers are very fickle, they want what they want• Need to a better job developing targeted content• Find a way to let buyers self-select what they want• Need to find ways to engage without overselling• They still want contact with sales• Changes in behavior are slow, and will depend on

how you deliver valuable information


Survey Participants

Executives 11%

Engineers 53%

Engineering Management 22%

Marketing 5% Sales 7% Customer Support 2%


Opportunities

• Listening! – Tune into what is being discussed– By showing buyers that you are paying attention will

go a long way to building trust, perceived value and becoming a trusted source

• What areas can Listening affect in marketing and sales?



So, what’s the problem then?



Opportunities


How to Listen

• Google RSS Feeds and Alerts


How to Listen• Twitter Searches


LinkedIn

KeySocial Media

Components Widgets

Chat

Events

Microblog

Blogs

PhotoShare

MessageBoards

Podcasts

Video Share

RSS

It’s not just aboutwriting any more


What to Content Create?

• What do we know that’s of real value to prospects and customers?

• What are our areas of distinctive expertise?• How can we show/demonstrate/illustrate our

best ideas?• What lasting impression do we want to make on

readers? What action do we want them to take?• Can we speak the right language?


Map Current Content to Buy Cycle


Blogging

• Most promising social vehicle we have• Bridge the gap between building trust and value

for your buyers• Serves as a foundation for other social media

efforts• Ideal for search engines – buyers will find you• Blogging can convert into sales


Blogging: Frame the Debate

• Blatant self-promotion is a no-no, but you don’t need to be 100% neutral

• Define the subject matter such that it’s favorable to your strengths

• Arguments are not won by logic and evidence, they are won by the side that sets the context for the debate.

• Don’t name your product or your competitor. Refer to product/service categories/applications.

• As you compose your content, always lead the reader to conclusions…features and benefits that play to your strengths


Blogging Style Tips• Keep It Short and Sweet.• Write a good headline.• Tell a story.• People love lists “5 ways….” “10 Things” – it has clear takeaways.• Let your personality shine through writing style.• Write about your personal life experiences.• Don’t publish your first draft. Cut it down, and then cut it down again.

– Ask yourself Who/Why Care

• Share links from outside of Intranet.• Be funny or share funny things, cartoons, videos, lighten it up.• Be provocative. If something riles you up, write about it and why it did.• Include an image or other media if possible to make it more interesting.• Break up long text paragraphs with headlines and bullets.


To cross the finish line…• Help buyers adapt to the shift in how information is

distributed• Be where they are• Begin to integrate social media more tightly with

marketing and sales efforts– Plan resources, budget– Implement listening tools

• Be the “go-to” brand for your area of expertise– Build content to serve all stages of the buy cycle

• Be willing to experiment • Adapt your message and tone for various needs


Exercise

• Write a first paragraph for a blog post on a new product/project you are working on

• Then write a 140 character Twitter lead in

Case in Point:Ophir-Spiricon

Gary Wagner,

President


Questions to Explore

• What shifts have you noticed in buying patterns in last two years?

• How do you use social media in your overall business strategy?

• How do you measure success in social media?• Has it affected marketing and sales strategies/tactics? If

yes, how?• What are the most successful marketing content tactics

that you use?• What content produces the best conversions digitally?• What social media tactic has been the most effective?


Q&A

Thank you for your time

Contact: Contact:

Juliann Grant Gary Wagner

[email protected]@ophir-spiricon.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/julianng http://www.ophir-spiricon.com

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/julianngrant

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.ophir-spiricon.com/

http://www.linkedin.com/in/julianngrant