CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT 2017

Transcription

1 CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT 2017 The Role of Content in Customer First Marketing Mark Holland, IDG Enterprise Account Director

2 Purpose and Methodology Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 1

3 2

4 Source: 2016 B2B Technology Trends, North America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs 3

5 Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 4

6 Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 5

7 Buyer Education: Not Just During Acquisition Leads Generation Sales Lead Nurturing Engagement Brand Awareness Customer Retention/Loyalty Customer Evangelism/Creating Brand Advocates Upsell/Cross-sell 90% 88% 85% 78% 72% 72% 66% 62% Q. How important will each of these content marketing goals be to your organization in the next 12 months? Source: 2016 B2B Technology Trends, North America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs; The Content Connection to Vendor Selection study, CMO Council 6

8 Education is Essential to Purchase Process Exec. IT 78% IT Mgmt. 79% IT Pro. 68% Biz Mgmt. 84% Exec. IT 72% IT Mgmt. 70% IT Pro. 70% Biz Mgmt. 72% Exec. IT 84% IT Mgmt. 90% IT Pro. 87% Biz Mgmt. 80% Q. Agree/Disagree: End users are playing an increasing role in technology purchase decisions; Educating non-technical functions within my organization requires more educational resources from vendors; I am more likely to consider an IT vendor who educates me through each stage of the decision process. Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 7

9 Lack of Credible Information Continues to be a Challenge Not at all challenging 4% Not very challenging 17% 31% Extremely challenging 6% Very challenging Too much marketing hype/empty buzzwords Lack of truly independent, unbiased information Hesitant to download because I don't want the sales follow-up 56% 46% 38% 42% Somewhat challenging Information is too general 37% Incomplete or inconsistent technical info 30% Too time consuming to figure out if source is reliable, trustworthy 28% Lack of relevant information 22% Q. Generally speaking, how challenging do you feel it is to locate enough high-quality, trusted information on major enterprise IT products and services to make an informed purchase decision with which you are comfortable? AND Q. What makes it challenging to find enough highquality, trusted information on major enterprise IT products and services? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 8

10 Content Challenges Vary by Title EXEC IT IT MGMT. IT PRO BIZ MGMT Too much marketing hype/empty buzzwords 56% 56% 58% 55% 51% Lack of truly independent, unbiased information Hesitant to download because I don t want the sales followup Information is too general Incomplete or inconsistent technical info Too time consuming to figure out if source is reliable, trustworthy Lack of relevant information 46% 38% 37% 30% 28% 22% 46% 34% 43% 58% 38% 38% 46% 31% 39% 42% 32% 26% 32% 30% 27% 22% 28% 28% 28% 28% 23% 19% 18% 28% Q. What makes it challenging to find enough high-quality, trusted information on major enterprise IT products and services? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 9

11 Peers and Familiar Sources Create Most Trust Recommendations by peers 75% Association with a known familiar source Quality design and easy-to-navigate website (overall professionalism of site) Coverage of the news event by a variety of media organizations 43% 57% 66% Services 84% Services 78% Healthcare 70% Listing on the first page of search results Verified and visible social media icons Large number of followers (i.e., Facebook, Twitter) 16% 14% 11% Q. Which of the following factors increase your trust in the information you read online? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 10

12 Valuable Content Encourages Additional Research Visit vendor website or contact vendor for more information Research product on technology content sites 72% 69% % 1 72% Participate in a product demo 55% 4 48% Register to receive related content, if applicable Add vendor to your short list or consideration set Forward the content to friends or colleagues 43% 41% 48% 5 46% 6 45% 3 49% Search the vendor via social sites Comment on the content Link to the content in a blog post or a post on a social network 15% 12% 19% 7 29% 9 21% 8 22% Q. Which of the following actions have you taken in the last three months as a result of finding content from a vendor that is valuable/helpful? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 11

13 Social Content Sharing Not Strong, But Social is Used LinkedIn YouTube Google+ Facebook Twitter Reddit Pinterest Instagram Other 6% 6% 6% 5% 6% 7% 7% 11% 29% 25% 26% 28% 26% 26% 21% 29% 70% 67% 46% 42% 69% Marketers use of social channel 81% 89% 95% 94% Q. Which of the following sites do you use for business purposes? AND Q. Which social media platforms does your organization use to distribute content? Sources: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research; 2016 B2B Technology Trends, North America: Content Marketing Institute/MarketingProfs 12

14 Social Media Use EXEC IT IT MGMT IT PRO BIZ MGMT LinkedIn 70% 75% 67% 52% 62% YouTube 46% 48% 45% 38% 47% Google+ Facebook Twitter 26% 26% 29% 31% 25% 30% 27% 28% 14% 25% 31% 29% 18% 21% 21% Reddit 11% 10% 11% 12% 15% Pinterest Instagram Other 6% 5% 7% 6% 3% 9% 6% 6% 2% 3% 7% 6% 4% 4% 14% Q. Which of the following sites do you use for business purposes? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 13

15 Top Information Shared via Social Channels Q How are you most likely to share the information/assets you view when researching major enterprise IT purchases? (Base: people who share information via these four specific social channels LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and Twitter) Source: 2016 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Study 14

16 Willing to Trade Registration Info for Knowledge Access to content that can help me make more informed buying decisions Access to research-based content Recommendation from a friend or colleague Ability to store or download content Access to content from respected thought leaders or industry experts Access to recent, exclusive content I can t get anywhere else Opportunity to save money Access to virtual events 28% 38% 38% 37% 37% 33% 48% 58% Access to videos Association with a well-known brand or company Opportunity to receive relevant, targeted offers The ability to network with peers Access to infographics Access to personalized information/content Association with a well-known media brand or journalist Opportunity to meet with top executives 11% 11% 19% 18% 27% 25% 24% 23% Q. What generally drives your interest in registering to access information, content, events or tools? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 15

17 What Drives Registration is Changing over Time Access to content that can help me make more informed buying decisions Access to research-based content Recommendation from a friend or colleague Ability to store or download content Access to content from respected thought leaders or industry experts Access to recent, exclusive content I can t get anywhere else Opportunity to save money Access to virtual events Access to videos Association with a well-known brand or company 13% 38% 36% 19% 38% 34% 36% 37% 39% 37% 38% 41% 33% 33% 25% 28% 30% 23% 27% 25% 25% 24% 22% 58% 53% 48% 48% 50% 54% 47% Q. What generally drives your interest in registering to access information, content, events or tools? Source: IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 16

18 Purchase Decision Information is Sought After Q. What generally drives your interest in registering to access information, content, events or tools? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 17

19 Content Fueling the Education/Purchase Process EXEC. IT IT MGMT. IT PRO BIZ MGMT % % 3% 25% 20% 15% 20% % % 23% 33% 35% 32% 25% % 28% 37% 39% 41% 36% Q. Please estimate the total number of informational assets (i.e., white papers, webcasts, case studies) you typically download to aid you in the purchase process for major enterprise IT purchases. Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 18

20 How to Make Your Customers Your Advocates Q. Which of the following might influence you to share information about an IT vendor with your peers? Source: IDG Enterprise Role & Influence of the Technology Decision-Maker Study,

21 Advice/Content Needs to Be In Sharable Formats In-person 38% 35% 28% Enterprise 23% SMB 31% Phone 8% 41% 52% IT Pro 60% /Online 55% 25% 20% In-person 52% 27% 21% IT Pro 14% Phone 5% 44% 51% IT Pro 62% 43% 30% 28% Most preferred 2nd Most Preferred Least Preferred Q. How do you prefer to receive advice from peers when making a strategic (versus tactical) decision? Source: IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 20

22 ITDMs Register with Work and Personal 68% 19% 10% 3% A work address A personal address created specifically for content registration A personal address used for both content registration and nonwork-related tasks (e.g. ing friends, sending pictures) I never provide an address/do not register for content Q. When registering for content used in the purchase process, do you typically provide Q: How many personal addresses have you created? Source: 2016 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 21

23 Personal Addresses Serve Many Purposes 61% 59% 54% Government 32% Education 40% 47% High Tech 32% Manufacturing 37% 27% Manufacturing 28% Healthcare 29% High Tech 31% 23% Manage work vs personal information For different personal uses (e.g., family vs individual) Manage spam Security To keep track of information/ assets/contacts in case I change jobs File information from external sources Q. For what purposes have you created multiple personal addresses? Source: 2016 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 22

24 Consider What is the Essential Information to Collect Q. What is the maximum number of registration fields you would fill out in a registration form? Q: What do you consider the ideal number of fields on web registration / download forms? Source: 2016 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research; B2B Technology Marketing Community on LinkedIn 2015 Lead Generation Survey 23

25 Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 24

26 Product Information Remains the Most Relied Upon Product testing/reviews/opinions Product demo/product literature Technology news Vendor presentations Analyst research Case studies Feature article about technologies Feature article about trends, strategies, management Peer presentations Interviews with technology experts How-to content/information Discussions in forums/online communities/social media ROI tool, calculator, or other assessment tool Third-party market research Buyer's guides Opinion columns Vendor directories 85% 83% 78% 74% 73% 73% 72% 68% 67% 67% 67% 63% 61% 61% 60% 52% 47% % 1 87% 1 83% 2 83% 3 77% 3 81% 4 73% % 7 73% 6 74% 5 75% 8 69% 4 76% 10 66% 5 75% 9 68% % 9 70% 6 74% 8 71% 12 65% 9 70% 12 65% 13 65% 12 65% 11 68% 15 64% 11 68% 16 57% 14 63% 17 52% 15 56% Q. For each stage of the purchase process for major enterprise IT products and services, which of the following types of information or content do you rely on most? (Net any stage, not involved excluded) Source: IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 25

27 Target Personas with Customized Approach Q. For each stage of the purchase process for major enterprise IT products and services, which of the following types of information or content do you rely on most? (Net any stage, not involved excluded) Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 26

28 Informational Needs Shift During Purchase Process Q. For each stage of the purchase process for major enterprise IT products and services, which of the following types of information or content do you rely on most? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 27

29 Informational Needs Shift During Purchase Process Information Relied on for Each Stage of the Purchase Process Determine the Business Need Determine Technical Requirements Evaluate Products/ Services Recommend & Select Vendors Sell Internally Technology news 48% 1 43% 3 41% 5 29% 5 17% 18% Feature article about trends, strategies, management 44% 2 32% 29% 21% 21% 15% Authorize/ Approve Case studies 40% 3 35% 41% 5 29% 5 29% 2 20% Feature article about technologies 39% 4 41% 4 36% 21% 18% 15% Analyst research 37% 5 31% 39% 35% 26% 23% Vendor presentations 37% 5 36% 45% 3 38% 3 21% 22% Product demo/product literature 37% 5 48% 1 59% 2 40% 2 30% 28% Product testing/reviews/opinions 36% 46% 2 62% 45% 22% 5 31% Peer presentations 33% 32% 42% 4 29% 18% 18% Interviews with technology experts 30% 38% 37% 29% 5 16% 20% Discussions in forums/online communities/social media 29% 29% 37% 24% 12% 14% Third-party market research 28% 28% 34% 25% 17% 15% How-to content/information 28% 40% 5 37% 19% 15% 16% ROI tool, calculator, or other assessment tool 25% 18% 27% 26% 28% 3 30% Opinion columns 24% 19% 28% 19% 12% 10% Buyer's guides 24% 29% 35% 27% 12% 18% Vendor directories 14% 16% 19% 23% 8% 10% Q. For each stage of the purchase process for major enterprise IT/security products and services, which of the following types of information or content do you rely on most? (Overall results, Not involved excluded) Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 28

30 Product Demos Can Take a Variety of Forms Enterprise 60% SMB 70% EXEC IT IT MGMT IT PRO BIZ MGMT Limited time, full function trial of product 65% 66% 70% 64% 53% Video/webinar demonstration of product 58% 55% 62% 66% 62% In-person demonstration of how the product works (public or private) Non-timed use of product with limited functionality 28% 56% Enterprise 62% SMB 51% 58% 54% 52% 44% 28% 31% 28% 20% Screen takeover/screen share product demo 28% 28% 28% 32% 22% Q. When evaluating a new product or service, which of the following have you received the most value from/helped you make a purchase decision? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 29

31 Value of Product Demo Format Differs by Company Size Enterprise SMB Limited time, full function trial of product 65% 60% 70% 1 Video/webinar demonstration of product 58% 60% 57% In-person demonstration of how the product works (public or private) 56% 1 62% 51% Non-timed use of product with limited functionality Screen takeover/screen share product demo 28% 28% 31% 26% 28% 28% Q. When evaluating a new product or service, which of the following have you received the most value from/helped you make a purchase decision? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 30

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33 Platform & Industry Specific Information is Most Valued Based on the technology platform(s) already installed at your organization Based on your industry 55% 48% 52% 56% Biz Mgmt 42% Enterprise 58% SMB 48% Based on company size Based on your responsibilities 29% 29% 26% 42% Enterprise 24% SMB 33% Enterprise 32% SMB 21% Based on where your organization is in the purchase process 25% 24% Biz Mgmt 15% Based on content you previously searched 24% 28% Based on your job title 11% 22% Q. If a company were to provide you with content that is tailored specifically to you, how would you prefer the content to be tailored? Source: IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 32

34 Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 33

35 Video Product Reviews Essential During Many Stages Determine business need Determine technical requirements Evaluate products/ services Recommend and select vendors Sell internally Approve/ Authorize (NET) ANY 72% 77% 84% 68% 45% 41% Tech news reports/live coverage of news events 30% 26% 33% 24% 10% 12% Industry research tech analyst reports 30% 33% 40% 24% 11% 13% Webcasts/Web shows 29% 30% 41% 23% 11% 11% Interviews with industry experts 28% 26% 35% 24% 10% 12% First-look product overviews 25% 22% 36% 17% 8% 8% In-depth product reviews 24% 37% 50% 30% 13% 16% Interactive video 24% 34% 41% 22% 12% 11% How-to videos 22% 38% 47% 22% 12% 12% Q. Which of the following types of technology-related video content are you likely to watch at each stage of the purchase process for major enterprise IT products and services? Source: 2016 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 34

36 Video Accessed Across Multiple Platforms EXEC IT IT MGMT IT PRO BIZ MGMT Vendor Websites 71% % 76% 69% 58% YouTube/Video Channel 65% % 66% 56% 67% Tech Content Websites 64% % 66% 73% 44% Social Feed (i.e., Twitter, Facebook) 18% % 13% 17% 23% Q. Where are you watching technology-related videos? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 35

37 Video Accessed Across Multiple Platforms Overall High Tech Education Gov/ Non- Profit Financial Services Services Manufacture Health Care Watch technology-related videos 95% 94% 96% 95% 94% 98% 92% 93% Vendor Websites 71% 70% 65% 67% 79% 78% 67% 77% YouTube/Video Channel 65% 63% 61% 65% 56% 64% 67% 58% Tech Content Websites 64% 56% 60% 70% 70% 73% 60% 68% Social Feed (i.e., Twitter, Facebook) 18% 14% 20% 10% 17% 13% 14% 22% Q. Where are you watching technology-related videos? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 36

38 Videos Encourage Executive Product Research EXEC IT IT MGMT. IT PRO BIZ MGMT. Researched a product 67% 70% 67% 61% 66% Visted a vendor website or contacted a vendor for more information 56% 59% 55% 49% 56% Forwarded the video to friends or colleagues 40% 36% 48% 40% 39% Participated in a product demo 31% 35% 29% 18% 32% Added a vendor to your short list or consideration set 30% 33% 35% 24% 23% Purchased a product 20% 24% 17% 14% 15% Linked to the video in a blog post or a post on a social network 14% 15% 11% 13% 18% Commented on the video 12% 15% 9% 9% 4% Q. Which of the following actions have you taken as a result of watching a technology-related video in the last 3 months? Source: 2016 IDG Enterprise Role & Influence of the Technology Decision-Maker Study 37

39 Attention Span Longer Than Expected Webcasts/web shows Interactive video In-depth product reviews How-to videos Interviews with industry experts Industry research/tech analyst reports Technology news reports/ live covereage on news events First-look product overviews IN MINUTES Q. What is the maximum desired length you prefer for the following types of technology-related content? Source: 2016 IDG Enterprise Role & Influence of the Technology Decision-Maker Study 38

40 Expectations of Presentation Quality Differs by Industry 3% Not Sure 10% Not very or not at all important 39% Somewhat important 10% Critical 37% Very important 47% say video production quality is critical/very important BY INDUSTRY Healthcare 55% Education 54% Finance 50% High Tech 45% Government 39% Manufacturing 39% Services 39% Q. How important is the production quality of a technology-related video in helping you to form a favorable opinion of a company or solution? Source: 2015 IDG Enterprise Role & Influence of the Technology Decision-Maker Study 39

41 Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 40

42 Regional Events Seeing a Rise in Interest from Attendees Q. How frequently have you attended the following types of industry or job-related events in the last 12 months? (Regional & National Events) Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 41

43 Vendor Interaction is Sought Out at Events EVENTS WITH OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH VENDORS Never attend this type of event Attendance is decreasing 17% 17% 23% 43% Attendance is increasing Exec. IT 25% IT Mgmt 29% IT Pro 15% Biz Mgmt 11% Attend this type of event but attendance is neither increasing nor decreasing Exec. IT 42% IT Mgmt 45% IT Pro 41% Biz Mgmt 47% Q. How frequently have you attended the following types of industry or job-related events in the last 12 months? (Events where I have the opportunity to interact with vendors) Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 42

44 Event Format Preference by Title How frequently have you attended the following types of industry or job-related events in the last 12 months? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 43

45 Multiple Benefits/Goals for Attending Events EXEC IT IT MGMT. IT PRO BIZ MGMT. Seeing/trying new products 64% 65% 55% 72% 62% Being introduced to new vendors and their offerings Opportunity to meet with/ask questions of your current vendors Meeting with industry experts Networking/connecting with IT colleagues at all levels Networking/connecting with peers at my level Bring value back to your business Ability to share ideas and get immediate feedback Helping to spark innovation for future business projects Connecting with peers who share the same passion which boosts motivation and inspiration 57% 55% 53% 50% 50% 49% 43% 41% 40% 57% 57% 56% 54% 56% 60% 49% 48% 53% 57% 45% 59% 50% 56% 54% 39% 50% 53% 41% 54% 49% 55% 40% 51% 45% 45% 41% 33% 43% 49% 31% 38% 40% 47% 34% 41% Q. In your opinion what are the top benefits of attending industry or job-related events? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 44

46 Regional Differences in Event Value All U.S. Northeast Midwest South West Seeing/trying new products 67% 67% 1 59% 1 68% 1 72% 1 Being introduced to new vendors and their offerings 58% 57% 3 53% 2 63% 2 59% 2 Opportunity to meet with/ask questions of your current vendors 55% 58% 2 53% 2 51% 59% Meeting with industry experts 53% 57% 3 46% 59% 3 49% 2 5 Networking/connecting with peers at my level 52% 57% 3 53% 2 52% 5 46% Networking/connecting with IT colleagues at all levels 51% 55% 47% 5 53% 50% 4 Bring value back to your business 49% 44% 44% 57% 4 49% Ability to share ideas and get immediate feedback 42% 43% 32% 45% 46% Helping to spark innovation for future business projects 41% 40% 35% 48% 39% Connecting with peers who share the same passion which boosts motivation and inspiration 40% 43% 36% 41% 41% Average number of benefits selected Q. In your opinion what are the top benefits of attending industry or job related events? (Base: Attended at least one industry or job related event) Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 45

47 Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 46

48 It s Complicated! Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 47

49 Sales Follow-Up Needs to Mind the (Content Consumption) Gap Exec. IT 6% 28% 16% 24% 10% 16% IT Mgmt. 5% 22% 18% 23% 16% 17% IT Pro 5% 29% 13% 23% 7% 24% Biz Mgmt. 7% 26% 12% 16% 10% 28% That day 1-3 days later 4-6 days later 1-2 weeks later More than 2 weeks later Not sure Q. How soon after consuming the proper amount of content related to a specific enterprise IT/security solution would you typically like to be contacted by a sales representative? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 48

50 Millennials More Receptive to Swift Follow-Up Baby Boomers 4% 22% 14% 26% 14% 19% 7.5 Gen X 4% 30% 17% 23% 10% 16% 6.4 Millennials 20% 26% 18% 16% 3% 18% 4.3 That day 1-3 days later 4-6 days later 1-2 weeks later More than 2 weeks later Not sure Q. How soon after consuming the proper amount of content related to a specific enterprise IT/security solution would you typically like to be contacted by a sales representative? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 49

51 Industry Considerations for Timing of Sales Follow-Up High tech 8% 24% 23% 16% 10% 19% Education 11% 19% 17% 18% 16% 18% Gov/ Non- Profit 2% 19% 14% 40% 10% 15% Financial Services 5% 28% 21% 25% 7% 14% Services 2% 30% 14% 20% 9% 25% Manufacturing 5% 30% 13% 19% 16% 17% Healthcare 5% 37% 12% 35% 2% 10% That day 1-3 days later 4-6 days later 1-2 weeks later More than 2 weeks later Not sure Q. How soon after consuming the proper amount of content related to a specific enterprise IT/security solution would you typically like to be contacted by a sales representative? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 50

52 Familiarity Cuts Purchase Cycle in Half Q. Considering major enterprise IT purchases, what is the average purchase cycle for a vendor with whom you are already familiar or have experience compared to the purchase cycle for an unfamiliar vendor? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 51

53 Purchase Cycle Longer for Enterprises Q. Considering major enterprise IT purchases, what is the average purchase cycle for a vendor with whom you are already familiar or have experience compared to the purchase cycle for an unfamiliar vendor? Source: IDG Enterprise Role & Influence of the Technology Decision-Maker Study,

54 New/Emerging Vendors Need to Prove Viability We will evaluate new/emerging vendors after they have proven their viability Manufacturing 67% Company policy does not allow us to consider new/emerging vendors 3% 55% 21% 21% Exec. IT 24% IT Mgmt 14% IT Pro 16% Biz Mgmt 21% High Tech 27% Govt/Non-profit 27% We re open to being among the first clients of a new/ emerging vendor We will evaluate new/emerging vendors upon recommendati on from our own trusted peers/network Q. Which of the following best describes your company s posture regarding new/emerging vendors? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 53

55 Younger Companies More Nimble Prior to s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000 s 2010 s Familiar Unfamiliar First Wave 11% 15% 11% 28% 24% 22% 30% 39% Peer Recommendation 25% 30% 18% 9% 20% 21% 19% 15% Proven Viability 60% 48% 69% 62% 54% 55% 48% 39% Against Company Policy 4% 8% 2% 2% 2% 1% 3% 6% Q. Considering major enterprise IT purchases, what is the average purchase cycle for a vendor with whom you are already familiar or have experience compared to the purchase cycle for an unfamiliar vendor? AND Q. Which of the following best describes your company s posture regarding new/emerging vendors? Source: IDG Enterprise Role & Influence of the Technology Decision-Maker Study,

56 Incumbents Still Need to Focus on Cost & Quality Enterprise SMB Cost/Price/Terms 78% 75% 82% Quality/Reliability 74% 73% 76% Features/Functionality 69% 72% 68% References/Trust 55% 54% 57% Subject matter expertise 51% 51% 51% Previous working relationship 45% 49% 44% Q. What are the factors that lead you to include a vendor on the short list? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 55

57 Different Industries Sensitive to Different Vendor & Product Attributes Overall High Tech Education Gov/ Non-Profit Financial Services Services Manufacture Health Care 1 1 Cost/Price/Terms 78% 76% 74% 85% 79% 78% 75% 72% 2 Quality/Reliability 74% 65% 77% 80% 77% 83% 73% 62% 3 Features/Functionality 69% 71% 65% 73% 67% 73% 62% 78% References/Trust 55% 48% 57% 45% 62% 66% 49% 67% Subject matter expertise 51% 54% 46% 45% 47% 44% 49% 50% Previous working relationship 45% 39% 45% 48% 47% 39% 46% 48% Q. What are the factors that lead you to include a vendor on the short list? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 56

58 Knowledge Sharing is Valued Exec IT IT Mgmt IT Pros Biz Mgmt Respond quickly to questions or requests for information Offer free trials/test drive of products 67% 64% 66% 68% 65% 66% 64% 63% 67% 51% Offer timely, relevant information Offer advice/best practices Provide case studies Avoid direct sales pitches Keep digital content (videos, whitepapers, etc.) up-to-date Create educational assets I can find easily when researching solutions Provide references 56% 53% 50% 47% 46% 46% 46% 59% 45% 47% 55% 57% 51% 41% 47% 52% 49% 26% 57% 48% 41% 37% 55% 45% 46% 44% 53% 47% 44% 36% 47% 47% 44% 26% 49% Ask questions of me/show an interest in my business Offer ROI or financial calculators 36% 36% 40% 31% 15% 26% 38% 35% 26% 34% Q. What are the most valuable things that an IT vendor can do to engage with you when you are researching solutions for purchase, prior to a decision being made? 57 Source: IDG Enterprise Role & Influence of the Technology Decision-Maker Study, 2016

59 Consistency of Message is Important Yes, notice but don t appreciate Exec. IT 14% IT Mgmt. 8% IT Pro 11% Biz Mgmt. 17% Exec. IT 10% IT Mgmt. 15% IT Pro 19% Biz Mgmt. 17% No, do not notice 13% 13% 74% Yes, notice and appreciate Q. Do you notice when a technology vendor provides a consistent experience/consistent information to you via a variety of channels (for example, using a combination of , social media, video, online product demos, events, etc.)? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 58

60 Lead Nurture is as (If not More) Important as Lead Gen EXEC IT IT MGMT. IT PRO BIZ MGMT Additional information on the specific content topic for which you registered 62% 62% 64% 60% 67% Demonstrated awareness of/ knowledge of your business/industry General Information regarding vendor products/software Information on upcoming vendor events Short introduction to the company 45% 43% 36% 32% 48% 45% 36% 46% 43% 42% 46% 44% 38% 37% 36% 24% 31% 26% 31% 42% Sales representative contact list An invitation to set up an in-person meeting Sales pitch regarding the specific content/topic I registered for 16% 22% 20% 24% 23% 18% 14% 23% 14% 17% 12% 17% 14% 16% 11% Q. After registering for a piece of content you will typically receive a follow-up communication from the sponsoring vendor. In order for that communication to be most useful to you, what information should it include? Source: 2016 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 59

61 Follow-Up Information Should Be Via Phone 49% 39% 6% 5% 2% Text 74% 13% 6% 4% 3% / Online 6% 51% 24% 13% 6% Phone 55% 34% 5% 3% 2% 9% 59% 19% 9% 4% Never Once per month or less often Once every 2 weeks Once per week 2 or more times per week Q. After registering to receive a piece of content, what is an acceptable frequency for receiving follow-up from the sponsoring vendor via or telephone (e.g., will not cause a negative association with the vendor)? Source: IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 60

62 Digital Interactions are the Norm Exec. IT 18% IT Mgmt. 23% IT Pro. 17% Biz Mgmt. 13% Enterprise 21% SMB 16% Exec. IT 22% IT Mgmt. 23% IT Pro. 21% Biz Mgmt. 20% In person 18% Phone 22% /Online 60% Exec. IT 59% IT Mgmt. 54% IT Pro. 62% Biz Mgmt. 67% Enterprise 57% SMB 62% Q. With the total equal to 100%, what percent of your engagement with vendor sales teams takes place via these channels? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 61

63 Vendor Live Chat Use Growing Due to Convenience All of the time/usually 16% 13% Convenience Ability to save entire chat conversation for my records 47% 59% Sometimes 34% 27% Guaranteed, fast response (no longer having to hold on the phone) Less disruption (ability to multi-task) Quicker decision-making/ shortening the sales process 42% 41% 32% Rarely/never 50% 60% None Other 4% 2% Q. When visiting a vendor website to research a major enterprise IT/security solution, how often do you take advantage of the opportunity to connect immediately with a company representative through live chat? AND Q. If you have used live chat in the past, what value have you gotten out of that interaction? Source: IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement, 2012 and

64 Hesitancy to Use Vendor Live Chat Includes Hard Sell All of the time/usually 16% 13% Too invasive/don t want a hard sell I do not believe I would be connected to a knowledgeable representative 44% 39% I prefer so I have a guaranteed copy of their response 35% Sometimes 34% 27% I perceive it as too time consuming I prefer the phone so I can better explain my situation 28% 23% Rarely/never 50% 60% I prefer to contact representatives with whom I have existing relationships Unsatisfactory user experience (user interface, latency, etc.) Other 17% 15% 9% Q. When visiting a vendor website to research a major enterprise IT/security solution, how often do you take advantage of the opportunity to connect immediately with a company representative through live chat? AND Q. Why do you rarely or never connect with company representatives through live chat when visiting major enterprise IT/security vendors websites? Source: IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement, 2012 and

65 Creating Recognizable Value Gets a Response I responded to outreach because the vendor EXEC IT IT MGMT. IT PRO BIZ MGMT shared valuable content or information with me 56% % 61% 56% 56% 2 was knowledgeable about my business/specific challenges 53% % 50% 49% 58% 4 1 showed respect for my time 51% % 49% 51% 41% 2 5 demonstrated honesty/transparency reached out at the right time 51% 50% % 52% 48% 42% % 46% 51% 47% made me feel like we had a one-to-one communication 22% Enterprise 28% SMB 19% % 15% 30% 23% Q. Thinking of a time when you responded to outreach from a potential vendor (e.g., asked a question, requested more information, agreed to a meeting, etc.), what was it that prompted you to respond? The vendor... Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 64

66 Strong Regional Differences in What Drives Sales Follow Up Receptivity All U.S. Northeast Midwest South West shared valuable content or information with me 56% 53% 50% 62% 59% was knowledgeable about my business/specific challenges 53% 55% 44% 57% 53% showed respect for my time 51% 50% 48% 52% 53% reached out at the right time 50% 50% 40% 51% 56% demonstrated honesty/transparency 49% 55% 53% 44% 47% made me feel like we had a one-to-one communication 21% 20% 21% 21% 23% I have not engaged in this manner 6% 7% 7% 7% 3% Q. Thinking of a time when you responded to outreach from a potential vendor (e.g., asked a question, requested more information, agreed to a meeting, etc.), what was it that prompted you to respond? The vendor... Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 65

67 Sales Knowledge Can Help or Hurt Engagement Highly knowledgeable and able to answer questions related to their offerings promptly 60% 29% 6% 5% Familiar with your particular line of business 36% 42% 18% 5% Well suited to speak with someone at your level within the organization 28% 45% 20% 7% Contacts you within your desired timeframe 27% 50% 18% 6% Has researched basic information about you and your organization 24% 43% 26% 7% Information given is specific to where your organization is in the purchase cycle 22% 47% 23% 8% Much more likely to purchase Somewhat more likely to purchase No change in likelihood to purchase Don t know Q. How do the following actions by a vendor impact the likelihood you will purchase a solution about which you have downloaded or consumed information? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 66

68 Sales Enablement Critical to Success 90% 85% 80% 75% 70% 65% 60% 55% 89% 77% 76% 73% 69% 67% Exec. IT 90% IT Mgmt 92% IT Pro 81% Biz Mgmt 89% 50% Highly knowledgeable/ able to answer questions promptly Familiar with your particular line of business Well suited to speak at your level within the organization Contacts you within your desired timeframe Info. given is specific to where you are in the purchase cycle Knows basic info. about you and your organization Q. How do the following actions by a vendor impact the likelihood you will purchase a solution about which you have downloaded or consumed information? Source: IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 67

69 Action Plan 68

70 Action Plan 69

71 RESPONDENT PROFILE 70

72 Industry High Tech 17% Education 12% Government/Nonprofit 11% Financial Services (banking, insurance, brokerage) 10% Services (legal, consulting, real estate) 8% Manufacturing (including automotive, aerospace & defense, construction, engineering, chemical, metals & mining) 8% Healthcare (providers and pharmaceuticals) 8% Telecommunications & Utilities 6% Retail, Wholesale and Distribution 5% Advertising/Marketing/PR/Media (publishing, broadcast, online) 4% Transportation (airlines, trucking, railroads, shipping, logistics) 2% Travel and Leisure (cruise lines, hotels, theme parks, casinos) 2% Q. Which of the following best describes your organization s industry or function? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Study 71

73 Company Information Number of Employees Size of Company by Title 100,000 or more 50,000-99,999 30,000-49,999 20,000-29,999 10,000-19,999 5% 3% 3% 3% 6% AVERAGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES 10,965 Executive IT 8,544 IT Management 15,762 IT Professionals 13,715 Business Management 16,516 7,500-9,999 2% 5,000-7,499 5% 2,500-4,999 7% 1,000-2,499 9% % % Fewer than 100 employees 31% Q. Approximately how many people are employed in your entire organization or enterprise? (Please include all plants, divisions, branches, parents and subsidiaries worldwide.) Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Study 72

74 Company Information Age of Companies Prior to % 1950s 5% 1960s 7% 1970s 6% 1980s 14% 1990s 17% 2000 s 16% 2010 s 9% Size of Companies by Age Prior to , s 18, s 11, s 7, s 10, s 4, s 4, s 1,597 Q. In what year was your company established AND Q. Approximately how many people are employed in your entire organization or enterprise? (Please include all plants, divisions, branches, parents and subsidiaries worldwide.) Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Study 73

75 Job Titles Executive IT (NET) 64% CIO, CTO CSO, CISO Executive VP, Senior VP VP Architect Engineer IT Management (NET) 13% Director Manager Supervisor Technical Consultant IT Professional (NET) 13% Application/Software Developer IT/Networking Staff Security Staff Systems Integrator Business Management (NET) 7% CEO, COO, Chairman, President Executive VP, Senior VP, VP, GM CFO, Controller, Treasurer Director, Manager CMO Consultant (Non-Technical) Other Corporate Business Manager Other (NET) 4% 54% ARE HEADS OF IT AT THEIR ORGANIZATIONS OR BUSINESS UNITS/LOCATIONS Yes, top IT executive in company Yes, top IT executive at business unit/location 39% 15% No 46% Q. What is your primary job title? AND Q. Are you the top IT executive in your company or business unit/location? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Study 74

76 Respondent Age & Tenure in Role Age of Respondents Millennials (18-34) 11% Generation X (35-54) 53% Baby Boomers (55+) 32% Prefer not to answer 3% Tenure in Role Entry Level (1-3 years) 15% Novice (3-5 years) 12% Intermediate (5-10 years) 22% Experienced (10+ years) 46% AVERAGE AGE OF RESPONDENTS 48 BEEN EMPLOYED IN CURRENT ROLE 7 YEARS Q. What is your age? AND Q. How long have you been employed in your current role? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Study 75

77 Geographic Location United States 77% Other 9% India 4% Australia 1% United Kingdom 1% Brazil 1% Canada 1% South Africa 1% Singapore 1% Belgium 1% Israel 1% Nigeria 1% Peru 1% Regions North America 80.00% EMEA 9.13% Asia - Pacific 8.13% European Union 4.88% LATAM 2.75% Africa 2.00% South America 2.00% Middle East 1.50% Europe 0.75% The Carribbean 0.50% Central America 0.25% Q. In what country or territory do you currently reside? 76 Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Study

78 SMB Respondents More Involved At Each Stage ENT SMB Determine the business need 76% 71% 80% Determine technical requirements Evaluate products/services 78% 82% 76% 80% 80% 86% Recommend and select vendors for purchase 73% 69% 76% Sell internally (e.g., outside of the IT team) 35% 34% 37% Approve/authorize the purchase of products and services 44% 35% 52% Q. In which of the following ways are you involved in the purchase process for IT products and services? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 77

79 Some Spikes in Activity Levels by Industry High tech Edu ov/non- Profit Fin Serv Serv Manu fact Health Care Determine the business need 76% 73% 71% 74% 68% 83% 83% 72% Determine technical requirements 78% 66% 85% 83% 78% 70% 86% 78% Evaluate products/services 82% 74% 81% 91% 77% 88% 94% 85% Recommend and select vendors for purchase 73% 63% 77% 76% 72% 80% 79% 75% Sell internally (e.g. outside of the IT team) Approve/authorize the purchase of products and services 35% 44% 28% 37% 31% 35% 44% 38% 35% 40% 42% 41% 38% 59% 43% 52% Q. In which of the following ways are you involved in the purchase process for IT products and services? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 78

80 Purchase Process Involvement by Title 83% 82% 84% 85% 85% 79% 75% 66% 68% 68% 76% 75% 66% 54% 51% 54% 57% 40% 40% 31% 26% 20% 15% 14% Determine the business need Determine technical requirements Evaluate products/services Recommend and select vendors for purchase Exec. IT IT Mgmt IT Pro Biz Mgmt Sell internally (e.g., outside of the IT team) Approve/authorize the purchase of products and services Q. In which of the following ways are you involved in the purchase process for IT products and services? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 79

81 APPENDIX 80

82 Content Distribution Among Top Content Marketing Challenges Lack of time / bandwidth to create content Producing enough content variety / volume Producing truly engaging content Measuring content effectiveness Developing consistent content strategy Lack of budget to produce content Talent to produce content Getting content delivered to the right audiences Creating buyer and segment-specific content Integrating content marketing into our current workflows and technologies Lack of process and integration across marketing Finding right balance between free and gated content Localizing content for international markets Getting executive buy-in Inability to deliver the right content at the right moment on any device Poor content quality Finding domain experts Other 4% 42% 38% 34% 31% 28% 27% 26% 22% 19% 18% 16% 15% 12% 11% 10% Q. What are your biggest content marketing challenges? Q. Which of the following information sources do you use to keep up-to-date with new technologies and to enhance the knowledge you need to be effective in your role? Q. Which of the following factors increase your trust in the information you read online? 51% 50% Source: Sources: IDG Enterprise Role & Influence of the Technology Decision-Maker Study, 2016; B2B Tech Marketing Community on LinkedIn, Content Marketing Survey,

83 Is Sales Follow-up Becoming Less of a Deterrent? Too much marketing hype/empty buzzwords 56% 1 51% 2 51% 1 64% Lack of truly independent, unbiased information Hesitant to download because I don t want the sales follow-up Information is too general Incomplete or inconsistent technical info Too time consuming to figure out if source is reliable, trustworthy Lack of relevant information 46% 38% 37% 30% 28% 22% 2 50% 1 54% 2 63% 4 36% 3 42% 4 48% 3 37% 4 33% 3 50% 6 31% 5 31% 6 46% 5 33% 6 29% 5 46% 7 20% 7 20% 7 40% Q. What makes it challenging to find enough high-quality, trusted information on major enterprise IT products and services? Source: IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 82

84 Valuable Content Encourages Additional Research EXEC IT IT MGMT IT PRO BIZ MGMT Visit vendor web site or contact vendor for more information Research product on technology content sites 72% 69% 73% 75% 71% 58% 71% 74% 68% 56% Participate in a product demo Register to receive related content, if applicable Add vendor to your short list or consideration set Forward the content to friends or colleagues 55% 48% 43% 41% 58% 56% 57% 36% 47% 52% 48% 46% 45% 42% 33% 42% 39% 49% 40% 43% Search the vendor via social sites Comment on the content Link to the content in a blog post or a post on a social network 15% 12% 19% 19% 22% 17% 20% 15% 12% 15% 19% 13% 11% 8% 14% Q. Which of the following actions have you taken in the last three months as a result of finding content from a vendor that is valuable/helpful? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 83

85 Social Media Use LinkedIn YouTube Google+ Facebook Twitter Reddit Pinterest Instagram 46% 42% 29% 25% 26% 28% 26% 26% 11% 6% 6% 6% 5% 6% Other 7% 7% % 67% Q. Which of the following sites do you use for business purposes? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 84

86 Knowledge in the Purchase Process Access to content that can help me make more informed buying decisions Access to research-based content Recommendation from a friend or colleague Ability to store or download content Access to content from respected thought leaders or industry experts Access to recent, exclusive content I can t get anywhere else Opportunity to save money Access to virtual events Access to videos Association with a well-known brand or company Opportunity to receive relevant, targeted offers The ability to network with peers Access to infographics Access to personalized information/content Association with a well-known media brand or journalist Opportunity to meet with top executives 11% 11% 19% 18% 28% 27% 25% 24% 23% 38% 38% 37% 37% 33% 48% 58% Q. What generally drives your interest in registering to access information, content, events or tools? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 85

87 Content Used by Executive IT Information Relied on for Each Stage of the Purchase Process Determine the Business Need Determine Technical Requirements Evaluate Products/ Services Recommend & Select Vendors Sell Internally Authorize/ Approve Technology news 49% 1 44% 3 42% 5 30% 5 18% 19% Feature article about trends, strategies, management 44% 2 33% 30% 20% 20% 5 16% Case studies 41% 3 34% 41% 29% 27% 3 21% Feature article about technologies 40% 4 44% 3 39% 23% 17% 18% Analyst research 37% 30% 40% 34% 4 26% 4 25% Vendor presentations 38% 5 35% 47% 3 37% 3 20% 5 24% Product demo/product literature 37% 49% 1 58% 2 40% 2 30% 1 30% Product testing/reviews/opinions 37% 48% 2 63% 1 42% 1 22% 33% Peer presentations 35% 33% 43% 4 29% 17% 19% Interviews with technology experts 29% 40% 37% 30% 5 16% 22% Discussions in forums/online communities/social media 28% 34% 40% 26% 14% 16% Third-party market research 29% 30% 35% 25% 17% 16% How-to content/information 28% 41% 5 40% 20% 16% 17% ROI tool, calculator, or other assessment tool 26% 20% 28% 25% 30% 1 33% Opinion columns 25% 21% 29% 19% 13% 11% Buyer's guides 25% 31% 38% 28% 13% 19% Vendor directories 15% 18% 21% 23% 8% 12% Q. For each stage of the purchase process for major enterprise IT/security products and services, which of the following types of information or content do you rely on most? (Executive IT results, Not involved excluded) Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Study 86

88 Content Used by IT Management Information Relied on for Each Stage of the Purchase Process Determine the Business Need Determine Technical Requirements Evaluate Products/ Services Recommend & Select Vendors Sell Internally Authorize/ Approve Technology news 44% 1 41% 5 35% 29% 14% 11% Feature article about trends, strategies, management 43% 2 27% 21% 18% 25% 11% Case studies 41% 3 35% 48% 4 27% 36% 1 20% Feature article about technologies 38% 5 32% 28% 16% 21% 9% Analyst research 42% 4 29% 44% 45% 2 33% 2 22% Vendor presentations 33% 45% 3 50% 3 40% 4 19% 11% Product demo/product literature 44% 52% 1 65% 2 44% 3 30% 3 20% Product testing/reviews/opinions 30% 41% 2 67% 1 47% 1 26% 25% Peer presentations 31% 35% 44% 32% 22% 15% Interviews with technology experts 35% 38% 47% 5 34% 5 17% 18% Discussions in forums/online communities/social media 24% 19% 34% 18% 10% 11% Third-party market research 28% 26% 34% 25% 27% 5 15% How-to content/information 26% 43% 4 31% 19% 17% 12% ROI tool, calculator, or other assessment tool 24% 13% 26% 30% 30% 3 31% Opinion columns 18% 8% 30% 22% 10% 8% Buyer's guides 18% 24% 30% 23% 10% 11% Vendor directories 14% 10% 18% 21% 7% 6% Q. For each stage of the purchase process for major enterprise IT/security products and services, which of the following types of information or content do you rely on most? (IT Management results, Not involved excluded) 87 Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Study

89 Content Used by IT Pros Information Relied on for Each Stage of the Purchase Process Determine the Business Need Determine Technical Requirements Evaluate Products/ Services Recommend & Select Vendors Sell Internally Authorize/ Approve Technology news 41% 1 46% 2 48% 3 24% 12% 14% Feature article about trends, strategies, management 38% 2 34% 30% 26% 12% 7% Case studies 30% 34% 34% 29% 21% 2 14% Feature article about technologies 32% 42% 5 39% 4 19% 16% 5% Analyst research 35% 4 35% 29% 34% 4 18% 12% Vendor presentations 36% 3 32% 39% 4 35% 3 21% 2 17% Product demo/product literature 34% 5 47% 1 65% 1 36% 2 32% 1 24% Product testing/reviews/opinions 33% 45% 3 64% 2 50% 1 21% 2 26% Peer presentations 25% 27% 38% 27% 21% 2 10% Interviews with technology experts 27% 31% 28% 20% 11% 12% Discussions in forums/online communities/social media 31% 24% 28% 22% 4% 2% Third-party market research 30% 25% 34% 24% 11% 7% How-to content/information 27% 43% 4 39% 4 19% 12% 17% ROI tool, calculator, or other assessment tool 19% 18% 22% 24% 12% 12% Opinion columns 19% 27% 24% 16% 7% 7% Buyer's guides 19% 28% 27% 28% 9% 14% Vendor directories 14% 14% 18% 30% 5 7% 2% Q. For each stage of the purchase process for major enterprise IT/security products and services, which of the following types of information or content do you rely on most? (IT Pros results, Not involved excluded) 88 Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Study

90 Content Used by Business Management Information Relied on for Each Stage of the Purchase Process Determine the Business Need Determine Technical Requirements Evaluate Products/ Services Recommend & Select Vendors Sell Internally Authorize/ Approve Technology news 50% 2 36% 3 38% 5 28% 18% 21% Feature article about trends, strategies, management 54% 1 27% 32% 25% 31% 3 19% Case studies 40% 4 41% 1 39% 4 29% 5 39% 1 24% Feature article about technologies 42% 3 36% 3 27% 20% 24% 12% Analyst research 38% 5 33% 41% 3 32% 4 27% 21% Vendor presentations 36% 36% 3 36% 42% 2 37% 2 19% Product demo/product literature 33% 33% 57% 1 38% 3 29% 4 29% Product testing/reviews/opinions 38% 5 37% 2 53% 2 49% 1 20% 26% Peer presentations 29% 26% 34% 25% 16% 17% Interviews with technology experts 35% 34% 32% 26% 22% 21% Discussions in forums/online communities/social media 36% 21% 35% 26% 14% 7% Third-party market research 21% 14% 28% 20% 10% 10% How-to content/information 25% 21% 30% 14% 10% 12% ROI tool, calculator, or other assessment tool 24% 13% 27% 29% 29% 4 21% Opinion columns 26% 13% 22% 12% 14% 7% Buyer's guides 26% 21% 31% 26% 12% 17% Vendor directories 14% 10% 12% 15% 8% 2% Q. For each stage of the purchase process for major enterprise IT/security products and services, which of the following types of information or content do you rely on most? (Business Management results, Not involved excluded) 89 Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Study

91 Content Differences by Company Size Colors indicate top 5 responses Determine the business need Determine technical requirements Evaluate products/ services Recommend or select vendors Sell internally Authorize/ approve <1,000 1,000+ <1,000 1,000+ <1,000 1,000+ <1,000 1,000+ <1,000 1,000+ <1,000 1,000+ Technology news 50% 44% 44% 41% 44% 39% 32% 25% 18% 16% 18% 16% Feature article about trends, strategies, management 47% 41% 30% 33% 28% 30% 19% 24% 22% 20% 16% 14% Case studies 39% 41% 33% 37% 39% 44% 28% 31% 27% 31% 21% 20% Feature article about technologies 43% 34% 41% 42% 37% 36% 22% 21% 19% 17% 17% 13% Analyst research 37% 39% 29% 33% 38% 41% 33% 41% 25% 29% 23% 24% Vendor presentations 37% 39% 31% 43% 42% 51% 35% 43% 21% 22% 21% 23% Product demo/product literature 37% 38% 48% 49% 60% 61% 40% 42% 32% 28% 30% 25% Product testing/reviews/opinions 38% 33% 47% 45% 65% 61% 46% 43% 23% 21% 34% 28% Peer presentations 31% 36% 29% 36% 39% 47% 27% 32% 15% 23% 16% 21% Interviews with technology experts 29% 31% 36% 40% 36% 39% 30% 29% 19% 14% 21% 21% Discussions in forums/online communities/social media 30% 28% 31% 26% 39% 36% 26% 22% 12% 14% 15% 12% Third-party market research 26% 32% 27% 28% 33% 38% 22% 29% 16% 19% 14% 16% How-to content/information 29% 27% 41% 39% 40% 35% 19% 19% 17% 13% 16% 15% ROI tool, calculator, or other assessment tool 25% 25% 15% 22% 28% 26% 24% 30% 29% 28% 33% 28% Opinion columns 24% 23% 21% 16% 29% 27% 19% 18% 13% 10% 9% 11% Buyer's guides 25% 22% 29% 28% 35% 34% 29% 26% 12% 12% 20% 13% Vendor directories 14% 15% 16% 15% 18% 22% 23% 25% 9% 6% 10% 9% Q. For each stage of the purchase process for major enterprise IT/security products and services, which of the following types of information or content do you rely on most? ( Not involved excluded) Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Study 90

92 What Drives Registration is Changing over Time Access to content that can help me make more informed buying decisions Access to research-based content 38% Recommendation from a friend or colleague 36% 19% 38% Ability to store or download content 34% 36% 37% Access to content from respected thought leaders or industry experts 39% 37% Access to recent, exclusive content I can t get anywhere else 38% 41% 33% Opportunity to save money 33% 25% 28% Access to virtual events 30% 23% Access to videos 25% 27% 13% 25% Association with a well-known brand or company 22% 24% 24% Opportunity to receive relevant, targeted offers 25% 14% 23% The ability to network with peers 19% 26% 19% Access to infographics 19% 20% 18% Access to personalized information/content 20% 16% 11% Association with a well-known media brand or journalist 14% 15% 11% Opportunity to meet with top executives Opportunity to win giveaways 39% 28% Q. What generally drives your interest in registering to access information, content, events or tools? 53% 58% 48% 48% 50% 54% 47% Source: IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 91

93 Take a Strategic Approach to Creating Lots of Content and Make Sure if Can be Found Exec. IT 8 IT Mgmt. 7 IT Pro. 6 Biz Mgmt. 7 Average number of informational assets downloaded during the purchase process 7 (up from 6 in 2016) Exec. IT 41% IT Mgmt. 37% IT Pro. 33% Biz Mgmt. 26% Strongly agree 38% Agree somewhat 42% Not sure 5% Strongly disagree 3% Diasagree somewhat 13% Exec. IT 15% IT Mgmt. 8% IT Pro. 9% Biz Mgmt. 12% Q. Please estimate the total number of informational assets (i.e., white papers, webcasts, case studies) you typically download to aid you in the purchase process for major enterprise IT purchases. AND Q. Agree/Disagree: If a vendor does not supply (or I am not able to find) educational content during my research, it negatively impacts my impress. Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 92

94 Regional Events Seeing a Rise in Event Interest Regional events 18% 42% 13% 26% National events 13% 34% 19% 35% Roundtable style events 15% 30% 11% 44% Trade shows 16% 43% 19% 22% Events where I have the opportunity to interact with vendors 23% 43% 17% 17% Vendor-run roadshows/events 19% 40% 16% 26% Vendor user group conferences Events produced by an independent third-party (publishers, event producers, etc.) Events hosted by venture capitalists 15% 17% 7% 15% 37% 41% 8% 17% 13% 70% 32% 29% Exec. IT 10% IT Mgmt. 2% IT Pro. 5% Biz Mgmt. 4% Attendance is increasing Attend this type of event but neither increasing nor decreasing Attendance is decreasing Never attend this type of event Q. How frequently do you attend the following types of industry or job related events? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 93

95 Regional Events Seeing Most Lift in Event Interest Regional Events Roundtable-style Events 61% Exec IT 18% 43% 16% 24% 48% Exec IT 16% 32% 12% 40% 67% IT Mgmt. 24% 43% 8% 25% 45% IT Mgmt. 11% 34% 9% 45% 57% IT Pro 18% 39% 8% 35% 38% IT Pro 14% 24% 12% 50% 58% Biz Mgmt. 16% 42% 12% 30% 32% Biz Mgmt. 11% 21% 6% 62% National Events Tradeshows 50% Exec IT 13% 37% 19% 31% 62% Exec IT 17% 45% 19% 19% 47% IT Mgmt. 12% 35% 19% 34% 57% IT Mgmt. 19% 38% 17% 26% 36% IT Pro 11% 25% 20% 44% 52% IT Pro 10% 42% 17% 30% 40% Biz Mgmt. 9% 31% 15% 46% 55% Biz Mgmt. 12% 43% 19% 26% Attendance is increasing Attend this type of event but neither increasing nor decreasing Attendance is decreasing Never attend this type of event Q. How frequently do you attend the following types of industry or job related events? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 94

96 Seeking Opportunities to Interact with Vendors Opportunity to interact with vendors Vendor user group conferences 67% Exec IT 25% 42% 19% 14% 52% Exec IT 16% 36% 18% 29% 74% IT Mgmt. 29% 45% 11% 14% 58% IT Mgmt. 16% 42% 16% 26% 56% IT Pro 15% 41% 17% 27% 50% IT Pro 13% 37% 10% 39% 58% Biz Mgmt. 11% 47% 17% 25% 41% Biz Mgmt. 11% 30% 16% 43% 60% Exec IT Vendor run roadshows/events 19% 41% 17% 23% 62% Exec IT Produced by independent 3rd-party 19% 43% 14% 25% 61% IT Mgmt. 24% 37% 15% 25% 58% IT Mgmt. 19% 39% 13% 29% 56% IT Pro 17% 39% 12% 31% 46% IT Pro 10% 36% 9% 45% 47% Biz Mgmt. 12% 35% 16% 37% 52% Biz Mgmt. 14% 38% 12% 36% Attendance is increasing Attend this type of event but neither increasing nor decreasing Attendance is decreasing Never attend this type of event Q. How frequently do you attend the following types of industry or job related events? Source: 2017 IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement Research 95

97 Vendor Live Chat Used More by Exec. IT than Other Titles All of the time/usually 18% 10% 14% 14% All of the time/usually 18% 11% 8% Sometimes 35% 26% 36% 36% Sometimes 31% 21% 23% Rarely/never 47% 63% 50% 51% Rarely/never 51% 68% 69% Exec IT IT Mgmt IT Pro Biz Mgmt Q. When visiting a vendor website to research a major enterprise IT/security solution, how often do you take advantage of the opportunity to connect immediately with a company representative through live chat? AND Q. If you have used live chat in the past, what value have you gotten out of that interaction? Source: IDG Enterprise Customer Engagement, 2012 and