If technology marketers want to remain ahead of the curve, they need to consider the advantages of cross-border marketing.
Approximately 69 percent of tech-involved LOB view IT as a source for solutions, and 57 percent of tech-involved LOB view IT as a strategic partner, according to a report entitled “Influencing the Influencers: Understanding the Tech-Involved Line of Business Decision-Makers” by IDG.
“The integration of technology solutions across the enterprise has increased the number of stakeholders involved in the buyer’s journey,” said Josh London, CMO of IDG. “Bridging the gap between IT and tech-involved LOB decision-makers through smart, strategic marketing and determining a tailored content marketing approach across regions, enables marketers to improve the effectiveness of their campaigns by including both audiences.”
Tech marketers, as a result, should target both LOB and IT for incremental effect, with data that enables them to develop messaging for the unique needs of both audiences in order to increase sales.
This cross-border marketing approach, which requires creating and delivering compelling content aligned to tech-involved LOBs’ emotional drivers, can be a huge opportunity for technology marketers, keeping in mind, as the report highlights, some important differences across borders:
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Tech-Involved LOB in the U.S. are more evidence-driven and leverage research much more than those in EMEA or APAC.
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Tech-Involved LOB in APAC have the most direct influence over how the budget is spent, and they are most likely to characterize their IT organization as being on the “bleeding edge,” so content should be forward-looking.
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Technology marketers in EMEA need to influence LOBs much earlier in the process, since 68% are involved in determining the business needs for their organization.
With the meteoric acceleration of all things digital, LOBs, per the report, were forced to evolve from simple creativity to full engagement with data, science and technology.
In fact, among tech-involved LOBs visiting IDG’s hundreds of B2B websites, 68 percent have personal responsibility for vetting solutions and vendors for two or more technology areas.
Additionally, an estimated 40 percent of tech-involved LOB leaders are engaged in helping determine technology requirements for their organizations
Tech-Involved LOB influence extends throughout the IT purchase process, from determining the business need (65 percent) to recommending or selecting vendors (57 percent).
