CLASH OF THE TECHHEADS MAY 2019

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AGENDA

INTRODUCTION

HEADLINE RESEARCH

GOOD PERSONA HABITS

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Twitter Handles

@octopusgrp

@brandtosales

#TechHeads2019

#IgniteB2B

HOUSE RULES

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SAMPLE OVERVIEW

600 online interviews across both the UK and US – covering 5 departments; IT,

Marketing, HR, Finance and Operations.

Country Job Function

Profession Company Size Employment Level

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Top 3 tech heads stats since 2014:

But this year

INTRODUCTION

Business Buyers spend 4-5 hours a

week looking at B2B content

The buying decision making

process is getting longer

The average age of an

IT Director is 41

38% of IT professionals enjoy researching tech products more

than they enjoy researching holidays

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YES PLEASE!

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NO THANKS!

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This dispels the myth that

businesses are rational.

People think differently, have

different values and

interests…EVEN when

pursuing the same goals.

SO WHAT?

SO WHAT?

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Our research shows that the average buying

group for tech is

Businesses buy in rational groups made up of irrational people.

3.7 people

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The average number of musicians in

Grand Master Flash & the Sugar Hill

Mob, Simon & Garfunkel and The

Jam…is 3.7

TO PUT THAT IN CONTEXT

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LET’S MEET THE TECHHEADS

Ian: Head of IT

Liz: Head of HR

Seb: Head of Marketing

Jan: Head of Finance

Pete: Operations Manager

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HOW DO THEY FEEL ABOUT EACH OTHER?

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Everyone likes to like IT

Tech plays the role or arbitrator amongst other functions

Finance and HR really clash

Marketing is autonomous and distinct

IT is in love with Finance

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE ARE CLEAR DYNAMICS AT PLAY:

Positive / Negative / Neutral

WHAT DO WE KNOW

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IT Leaders are more

likely to trust any

information source

than ANY of the

other roles.

Knowledge

builds trust

WHERE WE GO AND WHAT WE TRUST

Whilst many resort

to online searches,

Google is not held

in high regard. And

social media has

low credibility as

a source of

information about

new suppliers

and products.

Low Trust High Trust Source % Used

Sources used for learning about new tech products and suppliers

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Business buying

involves values

and beliefs

More credible

choice exists to

divide opinion

Brand plays an

influential role in

buying

BRAND VALUE

76% 74% 31% of businesses, it’s

important that they buy

into the brand and vision

of the supplier

are more likely to

consider niche brands

than they were two years

ago.

of respondents cited ‘brand

preference’ as a reason for

conflict amongst groups when

making a buying decision.

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THE MULTIPLIER EFFECT

IT IS A BROKER, NOT

AN AUTOCRAT

WE TRUST WHAT WE

KNOW

BRAND VALUE IS

INCREASING

IT is not the boss, but it is the unifier in the buying process. The role has

the deepest IT knowledge and the widest connections.

You have to work harder to engage functions and roles away from IT and speak to them

about things they understand to build engagement and trust.

IN SUMMARY

Awareness, values, belief and preference are an important part of

engaging with multiple decision maker.

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STAG & HEN MARK WARNER DISNEYLAND

Appealing to common

wants for shared needs

Satisfying different needs

with a package of features

The sacrifice of ones

needs over another

ENDING ON THE HOLIDAY THEME

MODELS FOR MARKETING

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IDENTIFICATION CREATION FAMILIARITY FAME WORSHIP

What personas

and why?

Let’s call him

Jeremy

How is Jeremy

doing?

JEZZA,

JEZZA!

What would

Jezza do?!

THE SUCCESSFUL PERSONA LIFECYCLE

THANK YOU