Research insight into UK Enterprise IT buyers's attitudes to vendor content and how they use it (and other sources) in the buying cycle. Part Two focuses on how to make content more useful and how to improve access for enterprise IT buyers.

1. Making Content Relevant To IT Buyers Part Two: Making content easier to find and more useful: Feedback from Senior IT Buyers in UK Enterprises July 2011

3. The rise of Social Media in the Buying Cycle

4. How to make content more useful to IT Buyers Sources: July 2011 and April 2010 surveys of IT buyers in UK Enterprises conducted by Vanson Bourne 2

6. The rise of Social Media in the Buying Cycle

7. How to make content more useful to IT Buyers 3

8. Figure 3:Types of information typically sought at these stages of the buying cycles 4 QUESTION: Thinking about the many different ways a technology vendor could make its content available to you, how convenient/easy to use do you find each of the following communication vehicles?

9. Question: How convenient/easy to use do you find each of the following communication vehicles? 5 The Communication vehicles

10. Question: How convenient/easy to use do you find each of the following communication vehicles? 6 % describing communication vehicle “easy/convenient” or “very easy/convenient” to use

11. Question: How convenient/easy to use do you find each of the following communication vehicles? 7

12. Question: How convenient/easy to use do you find each of the following communication vehicles? 8 It’s not exclusively about digital platforms

13. Question: How convenient/easy to use do you find each of the following communication vehicles? 9 Over half regard “in-person events” as being convenient ways of accessing vendor content. Print magazines still have a strong residual approval rating.

14. Question: How convenient/easy to use do you find each of the following communication vehicles? 10 The Point?

15. Question: How convenient/easy to use do you find each of the following communication vehicles? 11 Clearly the website, as the gateway to all forms of digital content, needs to be very easy to navigate. Vendors need to re-purpose all content across as many platforms as possible and use social media as the guide to content, not the delivery vehicle. Clearly the website, as the gateway to all forms of digital content, needs to be very easy to navigate. Vendors need to re-purpose all content across as many platforms as possible and use social media as the guide to content, not the delivery vehicle.

17. The rise of Social Media in the Buying Cycle

18. How to make content more useful to IT Buyers 12

19. 13 QUESTION: Which social media channels do you use for work purposes?

20. 14 Question: Which social media channels do you use for work purposes?

21. 15 Question: Which social media channels do you use for work purposes? 83% of our sample uses social media in a business context....

22. 16 Question: Which social media channels do you use for work purposes? ....with two-thirds using Linked In 83% of our sample uses social media in a business context....

23. 17 Question: Which social media channels do you use for work purposes? The Point?

24. 18 Question: Which social media channels do you use for work purposes? The Point? An earlier slide showed that social media be used as the guide to content, not the platform. This one makes it clear where the return on investment is to be found. 83% of our sample uses social media in a business context, with two-thirds using Linked In

26. The rise of Social Media in the Buying Cycle

27. How to make content more useful to IT Buyers 19

28. 20 QUESTION: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you?

29. Question: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you? 21

30. Question: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you? 22 % that selected this answer

31. Question: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you? 23

32. Question: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you? 24

33. Question: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you? 25

34. Question: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you? 26

35. Question: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you? 27

36. Question: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you? 28

37. Question: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you? 29 In essence buyers want more independent material, that is relevant to their industry. Ideally it should provide a wider perspective on new technology ideas and provide information that allows them to benchmark themselves and vendors against the wider market

38. Question: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you? 30 The Point? In essence buyers want more independent material, that is relevant to their industry. Ideally it should provide a wider perspective on new technology ideas and provide information that allows them to benchmark themselves and vendors against the wider market

39. Question: What should vendors do to make their content as useful as possible for you? 31 The Point? Vendors cannot rely solely on generic “in-house” content or talk the technology without applying a meaningful overlay of market information, evidence and validation.

40. About Vanson Bourne 32

41. About Us We create and deliver compelling, relevant content for technology brands to own and use in high value media relations, demand generation and thought leadership marketing campaigns. We couple our specialist technology research expertise with our years of experience in helping tech brands communicate with their markets. The result is well-crafted, independent and robust content for B2B and B2C marketing programmes. We adapt the delivery of our content to fit all your marketing communications and direct sales efforts. This makes it easier than ever to leverage our high-value content across both traditional and new social media channels, creating news coverage, market buzz and customer action. 33

42. We create relevant, compelling content for... Credible media and influencer relations Press releases & FAQs Briefing packs for executive spokespeople Presentation material for analyst house tours Effective demand generation campaigns Integrated email, direct & telephone marketing communications Presentation materials & conversation starters for sales teams Online and offline event presentations for prospects Differentiating thought leadership initiatives Whitepapers, data books, articles, blog posts, interactive tools… Executive & subject matter speaker materials Social media campaigns 34

43. Contact Us Vanson Bourne Construction House Winchester Road Burghclere, Newbury Berkshire, RG20 9EQ Tel: 01635 550449 Email:enquiries@vansonbourne.com Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn