1

2

3 4 5

6

1. Needs Analysis2. Specs and Funding3. Vendor Selection

4. Implementation5. Management6. Renewal

PLAYING A “MATCH” GAME WITHBUYING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

The tech decision maker is no singleton.Stakeholders in Marketing, Finance,

Sales and Operations each havea say in which tech product or

vendor should win their devotion.

BUT ONCE A DECISION IS MADE, IT’S UNLIKELY TOCHANGE WHEN IT COMES TO RENEWAL...

Yes, winning business and becoming the tech partner ofchoice is hard. Once you’re “in,” however, the odds are stacked

in your favor to hold that special place in tech buyers’ hearts:

Only 19%–36% of buying committee members are considering new vendors.

Only 17% of companies with budgets over $2 million

will consider bringingin a new vendor.

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE PURCHASE.BE SURE TO CONNECT ACROSS ALL6 STAGES OF THE BUYING CYCLE.

MATCH CONTENT TO TECH BUYERS’ THOUGHTSAND FEELINGS AT EACH STAGE

1. Needs AnalysisFocus: Identifying needsFeeling: Overwhelmed,yet open, ready to learn

2. Defining Specs/Determining FundingFocus: Price, performance, practicalityFeeling: Pressed to beat multiple challenges withone product

3. Vendor SelectionFocus: Reliability,product supportFeeling: Anxiousand risk-averse

4. ImplementationFocus: End-userproduct delivery

Feeling: Concernedabout reactions

5. ManagementFocus: Ease of use

Feeling: Need for thevendor to make their

jobs easier

6. RenewalFocus: Price, value/worthand customer experience

Feeling: Need for cost justification and having

expectations met

BEYOND THE TECH COMMITTEE:MARKETERS MUST INFLUENCE THE INFLUENCERS

Before you go off crafting the perfect marketing proposal, there’s one more thing to point out. 86% of tech buyers look

outside the tech committee when making a decision. So, who are they looking to?

RIGHT CONTENT, RIGHT STAGE,RIGHT AUDIENCE, RIGHT CONNECTION

Tech marketers have a lot of peopleto reach, so it’s important to note that

the three stages that includethe most stakeholders are:

A

A

A

A

The headline says it all. Today’s tech marketers mustbe mind readers and hand-holders. They must

connect with tech buyers at every opportunity, and with messages that make an impact. It’s no longer

“just the IT guy” tech marketers must affect.

CONNECTING TO THEHEARTS AND MINDS

of Today’s Tech Buying Committee

70%Professional peers

51%Technology users

45%Colleagues not directly involved in the process

22%Thought leaders

13%Friends and family

1%Others

For tech marketers, being able to craft content that connectswith the hearts and minds of the buying committee at every

stage is like holding the key to a lasting relationship.

Specs/Funding

Needs

Implementation

The buying cycle is a cycle with six stages that repeat,as shown here. The great news for tech marketers is that

this affords many opportunities to cement a relationship:1

Do you have what it takes to win tech buyers’ hearts and minds? LinkedIn can help tech marketers reach tech buying decision makers and their influencers with targeted messages for the greatest impact with our in-depth research e-book, “Beneaththe Surface: Taking a Deeper Look at Today’s Empowered Tech Buying Process.”

1Andy Bartels, “Understanding Shifting Technology Acquisition Patterns,” Forrester, February 2014.LinkedIn Tech Research, “Beneath the Surface: Taking a Deeper Look at Today’s Empowered Tech Buying Process,” September 2015.