The influence factor

Introduction

It’s fair to say that 2020 was the year of digital, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. It increased our reliance on business technology on a monumental scale, making collaboration tools our communication lifelines.

Although the pandemic brought disruption to the IT purchasing process and saw many projects held up, technology decision makers are still determined to make tech investments in 2021. As recent IDG research highlights, more than half (52%) of tech purchases made in the next six-12 months will be additional expenditure, often driven specifically by recent events.

But who does the tech decision maker turn to for information, and what is influencing them?

To find out, we partnered with Arlington Research to ask the question: who do IT decision makers (ITDMs) rely on to provide them with the information and support to find the right solutions for their business? We interviewed 1,000 ITDMs worldwide to discover their opinions on where they look for information, trends and inspiration when they are looking to make a purchase – from IT infrastructure to SaaS.

The findings in this report outline where brands need to be seen in order to reach the key decision makers looking to make a tech buying decision in their workplace and the best practices to follow.

Rhiannon Richardson
Director, Client Experience, Berkeley Communications

How to reach those crucial decision makers when they are looking for their next tech upgrade: Key findings

• A roaring trade: business publications are a key destination for IT decision makers looking for ideas and information. Almost four in ten (39%) are most likely to refer to trade media. That’s over national press at just 29%
• People connect with people: over a third of global ITDMS (35%) see LinkedIn as their go-to source for information
• The US stands apart: Twitter is the key destination for the majority of US decision makers (51%), compared to just 16% in the UK, 21% in Germany and 25% in Australia

Almost four in ten are most likely to refer to trade media. That’s over national press at just 29%

Trade media is the place to be seen by IT decision makers

No longer is the cover of the Financial Times the default place to position your brand to reach decision makers. Instead, specialist, industry-focused trade media should be central to your plans. When looking for information and advice on new technology, just under four in ten international IT decision makers (39%) declare trade press as their preferred method of media compared to only 29% who look to the nationals for advice. While national press has a large audience reach, our research shows it may not always be the place to reach the audience you want.

We see a similar pattern in most of the countries we studied. In Germany, trade media stands out as the number one source for ITDMs, with 53% naming it number one, more than double those that would refer to national media (26%) to gain information or inspiration before making a technology purchase.

In the UK and Australia, over a third of ITDMs also noted their preference for trade publications at 35% and 32%, showing high regard for professional and trusted publications within the industry. The USA, however, buck the trend with just 37% relying on trade media compared to 46% who are more likely to use national media as a ‘go to’.

When considering generational differences, we found that Baby Boomers and Generation X, the generations most prevalent in senior ITDM roles, in particular, are far more likely to refer to trade media when it comes to making buying decisions. Almost half (49%) of Baby Boomers and 44% of Generation X across all countries consider trade media as their ‘go-to’ source.

Over a third of ITDMs see LinkedIn as a ‘go to’ source

With over 720 million global users, LinkedIn has solidified itself as the social network for professional development. Fast-tracked by the pandemic, online networking offers ITDMs new opportunities to connect with like-minded professionals and create a meaningful network.

The premise of LinkedIn encourages endorsements and recommendations to build trust and credibility. Our research shows that it’s also an ideal source of ideas and information within the business community. Over a third (35%) of IDTMs surveyed said that they turn to LinkedIn before making a purchase.

In particular, LinkedIn is used most prevalently by those ITDMs in organisations with 1,000- 4,999 employees (43%) or sole decision makers (43%), which, in communication terms, makes it a particularly vital tool for reaching those that are most influential in their IT departments.

In Europe, 26% of Britons and 29% of Germans name the social media platform as a key source when looking for relevant information. This rises to 39% of Australian and 45% of American respondents who are influenced by the power of LinkedIn as a recommendation tool.

LinkedIn should be a central communication tool for technology brands. The best way to engage audiences on the platform is through a high-quality content marketing strategy and amplifying this through employee advocacy, social content marketing and influencer programmes where appropriate.

The premise of LinkedIn encourages endorsements and recommendations to build trust and credibility. Our research shows that it’s also an ideal source of ideas and information within the business community.

Conference cancellation has created a void for information sharing

It may seem like a lifetime ago since we were attending conferences to network in person instead of sitting on hours of Zoom calls, but events still hold a lot of value for IT leaders. Our research found more than four-inten respondents (43%) use industry events as their number one source for ideas and information about new technology.

This is strongest in the UK, where 49% of British ITDMs consider conferences their first stop for information about their sector. Similarly, 46% of Australian respondents agree events are their ‘go-to’ when making decisions. Conversely, this is lowest in Germany, at just 38%.

While many events may have moved online, it’s clear that they will remain influential, and it is worth considering virtual roundtables or webinars in your budget and communications planning for the year ahead. Similarly, in the absence of these conferences, it’s likely that ITDMs will turn more to the other most popular sources, such as trade media and LinkedIn.

Clearly, for those looking to reach a north American IT decision-making audience, it’s not enough to simply follow the same strategy as your European PR operations and trust it will work.

The US stands apart

Across the board, we see IT decision makers in the US acting in a completely different way to their peers in Europe and Australia when seeking information about their industry. One of the most noticeable differences is the prominence of social media. Unlike the UK, Germany and Australia – where trade media is king, US ITDMs love to turn to social networks to keep up with the latest knowledge and industry trends.

Twitter is chief among these, taking the top slot, with over half (51%) of US ITDMs referring to Tweets for information. Meanwhile, over four in 10 (45%) go to LinkedIn for ideas or information to inform an IT purchase decision – notably rising to 50% of Generation X in the US. These figures are in stark difference to those in the UK (16% Twitter and 26% LinkedIn), Germany (21% Twitter and 29% LinkedIn) and Australia (25% Twitter and 39% LinkedIn).

Also standing out in the US market is the importance still placed on national media. In Europe it is the specialised, trade-focused publications that draw the attention of decision makers as a source for ideas and information over options such as social media or industry blogs. While in the US, 46% of ITDMs rely on national media when considering a purchase, compared to 37% who first refer to trade media.

Clearly, for those looking to reach a north American IT decision-making audience, it’s not enough to simply follow the same strategy as your European PR operations and trust it will work. Breaking through in the US IT market requires a dedicated PR approach, experts that reach up to the nationals, and a solid social media programme to drive your message in front of the decision makers that matter.

Conclusion

While a Financial Times placement is much coveted by tech and B2B brands and still has its place, other avenues of outreach should be considered by brands looking to reach decision makers today. Our research shows that for B2B businesses looking to reach the CTO or CIO, trade media is the standout format, and a strong thought leadership programme will help get your thoughts out in front of ITDMs.

We can see that among ITDMs, there is a strong preference for events and conferences – while these aren’t likely to happen in person for a while, alternative online events are a great backup option. A silver lining is not having to try and find a seat in a crowded exhibition centre to watch a keynote address – you can quite easily do it with a cup of tea and your slippers on.

The changes we’ve seen to the decision-making process as a result of the pandemic present an opportunity for communications teams to rethink how you connect with your target market. Following a year often spent hitting the pause button, now is the time to explore new campaign opportunities and get in front of the customers that matter to you.

The changes we’ve seen to the decision-making process as a result of the pandemic present an opportunity for communications teams to rethink how you connect with your target market

Top tips to influence ITDMs

• Build strong relationships with trade journalists and industry focused publications.
• Trade publications welcome contributed articles to elevate the expertise and opinion shared in their magazines and websites. Build your share of voice in the media that matters to your industry with a strong thought leadership programme. Thought leadership gives you the scope to delve into a topic or trend and show your target customer how to overcome their key challenges by bringing them to life and making them relatable through the power of brand storytelling.
• With the absence of events and conferences this year, decision makers are turning to virtual versions. Embrace online events such as roundtables and webinars to get your message into the home office of your target customer.
• Build up the profile of your executives and your business on social media, particularly LinkedIn. Develop a profile that stands out and influences decision makers. Don’t have time to run LinkedIn yourself? We have a social media strategy team that can help.
• If you want to reach an audience in the USA, have a dedicated US PR team who can get you in front of the media that matters and reach specific trends as they arise.

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