One of the reasons I enjoy working at Forrester is the unique opportunity to turn data into actionable insights that tech marketers can use to drive more revenue for their companies by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of their marketing.  

Based on this data and our work with clients, five simple but powerful guiding principles have emerged around targeting, marketing vehicles, content strategy, and messaging that all tech marketers can apply. Over the next five weeks, I’ll be sharing them with you via this blog, one per week on Tuesday mornings, starting today.

Guiding Principle Number One: Targeting

 

We all know that high-consideration technology purchases at medium and large enterprises involve multiple stakeholders. However, all too often, marketers and/or sales associate a disproportionate amount of influence to one or two particular influencers; for example, the CIO or line of business (LOB) professional. The reality is that no one influencer has more than 30% of the total power through the purchase process. You must ensure that you are allocating your marketing programs proportionally across all of the appropriate influencers and that you don’t get fixated on simply engaging one or two influencers, thinking that they control all of the necessary power.

So, the next time you are deciding whom to target, remember the 30% rule — it will serve you well.

About the data: These data points come from the Forrester Tech Marketing Navigator database and decision tool that helps tech marketers reach and influence their buyers. Forrester Tech Marketing Navigator measures how tech buyers and influencers consume marketing across awareness, consideration, and purchase. The data is collected through more than 20,000 interviews per year, covering 20-plus technology categories, across 11 geographies, and annually influences more than $4 billion in marketing program spend.