practical ways to reach and create meaningful conversations
TRANSCRIPT
Practical ways to reach and create meaningful conversations with CIOsLessons learned from IBM
Teresa GoldenVice President, Program Management, IBM Global Technology Services Marketing
Sherri LeopardCEO, Leopard
Today’s discussion will cover the following:
• CIOs are people, not titles
• Once you understand them, how do you reach them?
• They buy from people, not marketing campaigns
Agenda
CIOs are people, not titles
Who are CIOs?
Impact the business strategy
React to business requests
Partner player
Business strategist, leader and visionary who partners with all constituents
His role has evolved, and he probably reports to the CEO. He is looking for ways to move his company forward.
Trusted adviser
Plays the dual role of a provider and an operator, who seeks to play a new role
She’s in the middle of the change. She might be reporting directly to the CEO, but still she’s not perceived as contributing effectively to the business agenda.
Utility player
A traditional operator who plays the role of mechanic and runs it as a solid utility
His role has not evolved, and he probably reports to the CFO, acting as a business mentor. His work is being driven by a cost/revenue discussion.
Top CIO challenges
CIOs are on the hot seat to deliver
CIO, large enterprise
CIO, small/midsize business
Line-of-business executives
SOURCE: Ongoing market assessment panel that IBM conducts among CIOs and line-of-business executives
27%27%
24%Controlling IT costs
27%20%
12%
Integrating disparate systems
20%9%
18%
Appropriatelyallocating IT resources
17%37%
20%
Addressingsecurity concerns
14%29%
24%
Leveraging IT toincrease efficiencies
14%28%
21%
Improving service toend users/customers
6%11%
29%Managing info/data
Inside the numbers:Not all CIOs are alike. While CIOs in large companies are addressing cost and integration challenges, CIOs in smaller companies are being challenged by security issues.
Once you understand them, how do you reach them?
Take a focused, coordinated approach
CIOs are bombarded with messages and business priorities
OUTSIDE
Vendor A
Vendor B
Vendor C
Vendor D
BUSINESS PRIORITIES
Controlling costs
Enabling business flexibility
Enabling better productivity
Mitigating risk
Leveraging information
Improving efficiency
MEDIA
Advertising
Direct mail
Text messages
Marketing literature
Internet
Content is king
Keep it short, snappy and RELEVANT!
Use their time wisely
Be where they are
Reads press release about IBM security and risk management – managing business risk from the enterprise to the edge
Does Google search on security and risk mitigation; sees IBM link at top of search page
Goes to www.ibm.com/cio and downloads the 2007 CIO Leadership Survey
Watches Flash video on PCI Data Security Standard at CIO Interaction Channel
Realizes his organization needs to be more concerned with risk management; takes IBM business continuity self-assessment
Agrees to attend IBM breakfast session on vulnerability management; wants to understand how IT can lead the corporation in taking the necessary precautions to mitigate risk
Receives additional IBM CIO-relevant content based on selected interests, for example white papers and event invitations
Sees an IBM CIO ad in CIO magazine which points to CIO Interaction Channel; is now curious what IBM has to offer
Address them as business leaders
Ensure that marketing and sales are alignedIntegrated marketing
communications (IMC) tacticsChannel enablement (CE) tactics
One-to-few
Banner ads
ibm.com links
Events
Download white paper and other assets
CIO Leadership Survey and assets
Register for webcasts and
other events
Collaborative workshops/
other consulting
White paper presentation
Videos PodcastsSearch
Mini
CIO Leadership Exchange
www.ibm.com/cio
CIO Program global sales portal
Targeted e-mails
They buy from people, not marketing campaigns
CIOs make buying decisions based on seller interaction
”
“
— Sergio Zyman, author of The End of Marketing as We Know It
In all categories, customers are making more brand decisions closer to the point of sale— ever heightening the value of effective communications in that area.
Your sales channel either adds or subtracts value from your brand or positioning every time they talk to a customer. They are not neutral. Every message they send is either selling or un-selling your solution.
Close the gap between marcom and sales conversations
”“
Customer intimacy
Air cover/advertising/PR
1:1 conversations
with customers
Offering specificvalue propositions/demand generation
0
-1
-2
-3
-4If you don’t control the last few feet of the sales process, you will lose. Channel member effectiveness in closing the sale is what separates great brands from others.
— Scott M. Davis, author of Brand Asset Management
Marketing
Sales
B2Bcustomer
• Don’t forget sales as an audience
• Establish a dialogue and relationship
• Understand sales methodology and customer buying cycle
• Team to win
Engage with sellers—don’t make assumptions
Give sellers what they need to talk with CIOs
CIOs are more convinced by listening to each other than by listening to you.
Let your customers convince your prospects
Come to the presentation to hear the results that IBM has seen from its CIO Program
From Teresa Golden,Vice President, Program Management, Global Technology Services Marketing, IBM
IBM case study
What are the results so far?
Questions?
To receive an electronic copy of:– Marketing to CIOs– Top 10 Practices for Reaching CIOs
Give Sherri your business card or send her an e-mail at [email protected]
Thank you! For more information:
Teresa GoldenVice President, Program Management, IBM Global Technology Services Marketing, [email protected]
Sherri LeopardCEO, [email protected]