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 One focuses on Decoupling the Message from the Medium and Knowing where content works in the Buying Cycle

1. Making Content Relevant To IT Buyers:Part One: Matching Content to the Buying Cycle July 2011

3. Knowing where content works in the Buying CycleSources: July 2011 survey of IT buyers in UK Enterprises conducted by Vanson Bourne 2

5. Knowing where content works in the Buying Cycle3

6. 4 To what extent do you agree with this statement? “With so many sources and channels of information available it is now easier to find trustworthy/credible industry information.”

7. 5 Statement: “With so many sources and channels of Information available it is now easier to find trustworthy/credible industry information.”

8. 6 Statement: “With so many sources and channels of Information available it is now easier to find trustworthy/credible industry information.”

9. 7 Statement: “With so many sources and channels of Information available it is now easier to find trustworthy/credible industry information.” The percentage of IT decision makers that consider it easy to find trustworthy/credible industry information has dropped by 20% to little more than 1 in 3

10. 8 The Point? “With so many sources and channels of information available it is now easier to find trustworthy/credible industry information.” The percentage of IT decision makers that consider it easy to find trustworthy/credible industry information has dropped by 20% to little more than 1 in 3

11. 9 Multi-channel communications are vital, but also irrelevant if the content does not provide some value and credibility. “With so many sources and channels of information available it is now easier to find trustworthy/credible industry information.” The percentage of IT decision makers that consider it easy to find trustworthy/credible industry information has dropped by 20% to little more than 1 in 3

12. 10 QUESTION: How easy is it to find the information you need in these stages of your purchase decision process?

13. Question:How easy is it to find the information you need in these stages of your purchase decision process? 11 The Buying Cycle Stages When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors Keeping up to date with industry or vendor news

14. Question:How easy is it to find the information you need in these stages of your purchase decision process? 12 When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors Keeping up to date with industry or vendor news

15. Question:How easy is it to find the information you need in these stages of your purchase decision process? 13 % describing it as “easy” or “very easy” to find information they need at this stage When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors Keeping up to date with industry or vendor news

16. Question:How easy is it to find the information you need in these stages of your purchase decision process? 14 % describing it as “easy” or “very easy” to find information they need at this stage When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors Keeping up to date with industry or vendor news

17. Question:How easy is it to find the information you need in these stages of your purchase decision process? 15 % describing it as “easy” or “very easy” to find information they need at this stage When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors Keeping up to date with industry or vendor news

18. Question:How easy is it to find the information you need in these stages of your purchase decision process? 16 % describing it as “easy” or “very easy” to find information they need at this stage When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors Keeping up to date with industry or vendor news

19. Question:How easy is it to find the information you need in these stages of your purchase decision process? 17 Even at the initial stage in the buying cycle, when buyers absorb technology ideas and start to form viewpoints of their own, almost half struggle to get the information they need. When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors Keeping up to date with industry or vendor news

20. Question:How easy is it to find the information you need in each of the following stages of your purchase decision process? 18 The Point? Even at the initial stage in the buying cycle, when buyers absorb technology ideas and start to form viewpoints of their own, almost half struggle to get the information they need. When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors Keeping up to date with industry or vendor news

21. Question:How easy is it to find the information you need in each of the following stages of your purchase decision process? 19 If vendors are to attract buyers into their orbit of influence at the earliest opportunity, with a view to engaging and nurturing later in the buying cycle, they need to make sure relevant, accessible content is at the buyers’ disposal. When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors Keeping up to date with industry or vendor news

23. Knowing where content works in the Buying Cycle20

24. Figure 3:Types of information typically sought at these stages of the buying cycles 21 QUESTION: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle?

25. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 22 The Buying Cycle Stages When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors

26. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 23 The Buying Cycle Stages When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors

27. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 24 The Buying Cycle Stages When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors

28. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 25 The Buying Cycle Stages When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors

29. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 26 When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors The Buying Cycle Stages The Information Types The Information Types

30. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 27 When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors

31. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 28 % that search for this kind of information at this stage in the buying cycle When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors

32. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 29 When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors

33. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 30 When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors

34. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 31 When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors Certain content types are used far more than others and more uniformly throughout the buying cycle.

35. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 32 When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors The use of some content types tends to wax or wane as buyers moving from “scanning the horizon” mode to “training on a target”.

36. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 33 The Point? When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors Certain content types are used far more than others and more uniformly throughout the buying cycle. The importance of content types tends to wax or wane as buyers moving from “scanning the horizon” mode to “training on a target”.

37. Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? 34 IT buyers are at each of these stages all the time, so vendors have to do two things: firstly make sure they are strong in the key content areas and secondly, recognise which types of content to offer once initial engagement has occurred. When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors

38. 35 Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? HOW IMPORTANCE CHANGES THROUGH THE CYCLE Analyst research & opinion Customer stories/case studies Most Used Most Used Analyst research & opinion Internal peer opinion Internal peer opinion Independent research External peer opinions External peer opinions Internal peer opinion Independent research Customer stories/case studies ROI/Business case Direct customer reference Analyst research & opinion Direct customer reference ROI/Business case Independent consultant opinions IT press opinions pieces Independent consultant opinions ROI/Business case External peer opinions Independent research IT press opinions pieces Customer stories/case studies Thought leader/ opinion pieces Direct customer reference Independent consultant opinions Business press opinion pieces IT press opinions pieces Product solution/ offer updates Product solution/ offer updates Thought leader/ opinion pieces Thought leader/ opinion pieces Business press opinion pieces Business press opinion pieces Least Used Least Used Product solution/ offer updates When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors

39. 36 Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? WITH MAJOR CHANGES IN IMPORTANCE HIGHLIGHTED Analyst research & opinion Customer stories /case studies Most Used Most Used Analyst research & opinion Internal peer opinion Internal peer opinion Independent research External peer opinions External peer opinions Internal peer opinion Independent research Customer stories/case studies ROI/Business case Direct customer reference Analyst research & opinion Direct customer reference ROI/Business case Independent consultant opinions IT press opinions pieces Independent consultant opinions ROI/Business case External peer opinions Independent research IT press opinions pieces Customer stories/case studies Thought leader/ opinion pieces Direct customer reference Independent consultant opinions Business press opinion pieces IT press opinions pieces Product solution/ offer updates Product solution/ offer updates Thought leader/ opinion pieces Thought leader/ opinion pieces Business press opinion pieces Business press opinion pieces Least Used Least Used Product solution/ offer updates When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors

40. 37 Question: What types of information do you typically search for at these stages of the buying cycle? HOW IMPORTANCE CHANGES THROUGH THE CYCLE Analyst research & opinion Customer stories/case studies Most Used Most Used Analyst research & opinion Internal peer opinion Internal peer opinion Independent research External peer opinions External peer opinions Internal peer opinion Independent research Customer stories/case studies ROI/Business case Direct customer reference Analyst research & opinion Direct customer reference ROI/Business case Independent consultant opinions IT press opinions pieces Independent consultant opinions ROI/Business case External peer opinions Independent research IT press opinions pieces Customer stories/case studies Thought leader/ opinion pieces Direct customer reference Independent consultant opinions Business press opinion pieces IT press opinions pieces Product solution/ offer updates Product solution/ offer updates Thought leader/ opinion pieces Thought leader/ opinion pieces Business press opinion pieces Business press opinion pieces Least Used Least Used Product solution/ offer updates When identifying vendors to consider for a specific business need When selecting the vendor/solution When short-listing vendors

41. About Vanson Bourne 38

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