Do you market to IT pros? If you sell a technology product or service, chances are, your audience includes IT pros—a breed all their own.
Compelling Cases recently watched a Webinar from TechTarget titled “IT Pros are Different: Learn How to Reach them Online and Off.” The key messages: reach IT pros in their own circles and build dialogue with them over time. Here are some of the important points we took away from the presentation:
- IT pros “flock” around their specific areas of expertise: online communities; shows and conferences; regional meetings; chat rooms; bulletin boards; news and discussion groups; and blogs.
- How do you speak to them specifically and maximize your marketing efforts?
- Foster and penetrate communities
- Build affinity networks
- Syndicate technical content online
- Relate to, and address, their pain
- Promulgate word-of-mouth
- Champion their role and function
- Co-innovate on products
- Gain product validation and review
- Reward and recognize
- Host and toast
- Build relationships with this skeptical group over time through advisory councils, focus groups, blog monitoring, channels partners, panels, questionnaires, Web feedback and secondary research.
- Oracle and HP, both featured in the Webinar, use highly customized and relevant content to develop relationships with their IT audiences.
As with any marketing, understanding and communicating with your audience is paramount.
