What Drives IT Buyers? 3 Essential Takeaways for Marketers

The success of any technology solution provider is heavily dependent on trust and reputation, and marketers must tailor their strategies accordingly.

While marketing tends to be first in line for budget cuts during difficult economic periods, those that invest more in marketing routinely outperform those that don’t. However, it’s not just about spending – it’s also about how well marketers understand buyer behavior. The spray-and-pray tactics, while sometimes effective in consumer-facing industries, simply don’t work in the world of B2B technology and cybersecurity.

With that in mind, here are the things every tech marketer needs to know about buyer behavior:

#1. Shift towards self-service buying

There’s a growing trust deficit in the B2B marketplace. Buying committees are getting warier as hype cycles come and go and vendors the world over jump on the latest tech trends with little regard for what their customers actually need.

Because of this, almost all B2B technology professionals want to have control over their buying journey. To do that, they conduct extensive research by gathering information from third-party reviews, forums, and peer recommendations before they even engage with vendors. This shift has reduced their reliance on traditional sales reps, increasing the importance of accessible online resources, such as demos, reviews, and free trials.

B2B buyers also place more trust in third-party validation, hence the growing importance of partnerships in marketing. That’s why marketing teams must leverage third-party reviews by responding to them where possible and showcasing them on their sites. Industry certifications and endorsements are similarly important, since they help build a trustworthy brand reputation.

#2. Role of security in decision-making

Cybersecurity, along with its adjacent domains like data governance, privacy, and regulatory compliance, are now top of mind for B2B technology buyers. Even if you’re not explicitly in the cybersecurity space, if you’re selling a tech product, you can be fairly sure that the CISO (chief information security officer) will be involved in the purchase decision as well. Others, such as systems integrators or CIOs (chief information officers) might also be involved. If you’re selling a tech product, then chances are these titles will be among your target audience.

The implementation of security features and functionalities of course falls to the development team, but that doesn’t mean marketers don’t also have a role to play. They must understand the basics of cybersecurity too in order to effectively communicate its value and highlight it as a key feature of their value proposition – rather than just an add-on.

#3. Demand for rapid ROI and scalability

Recent years have seen many layoffs and budget cuts in the tech sector, leading to growing uncertainty throughout the buyer’s market too. With buyers increasingly pressured to justify their investments to upper management, they expect to see measurable returns in less time. They’re looking for rapid return on investment and seamless scalability, and they want to avoid drawn-out implementation phases.

While scalability and integrability primarily depend on your development teams, marketers too must be ready to communicate those values. This includes tailored messaging to address ROI concerns. For example, you might craft a message specific to a certain context, industry, and use case to demonstrate the value your product can deliver. Other things to focus on are total cost of ownership (TCO), integration complexity, and scalability.

Getting started

The B2B customer journey is complex and multifaceted, and buyer behavior reflects this. This is why marketers must take the time to correctly profile their target personas and deliver highly personalized communications that speak to their unique pain points. In what remains a deeply competitive sector, that’s the only way to drive long-term success.

Discover how we empower B2B tech marketers to target and engage high-growth accounts, driving measurable success. With a 92% customer retention rate, we’re confident in the value we deliver. Connect with us to learn what sets us apart.