1. Making Content Relevant To IT Buyers:
Part One: Matching Content to the Buying Cycle
July 2011

2. • Decoupling the Message from the Medium
• Knowing where content works in the Buying Cycle
Sources: July 2011 survey of IT buyers in UK
Enterprises conducted by Vanson Bourne
2

3. • Decoupling the Message from the Medium
• Knowing where content works in the Buying Cycle
3

4. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
“With so many sources and channels of information
available it is now easier to find trustworthy/credible
industry information.”
4

5. Statement: “With so many sources and channels of
Information available it is now easier to find
trustworthy/credible industry information.”
Disagree
18%
Agree
50%
Neutral
32%
2010 result
5

6. Statement: “With so many sources and channels of
Information available it is now easier to find
trustworthy/credible industry information.”
Disagree Disagree
18% 21%
Agree
39%
Agree
50%
Neutral
32%
Neutral
40%
2010 2011 result
6

7. Statement: “With so many sources and channels of
Information available it is now easier to find
trustworthy/credible industry information.”
Disagree Disagree
18% 21%
Agree
39%
Agree
50%
Neutral
32%
Neutral
40%
The percentage of IT
decision makers that
2010
consider it easy to find
2011 result
trustworthy/credible
industry information
has dropped by 20% to
little more than 1 in 3
7

8. The Point?
Disagree Disagree
18% 21%
Agree
39%
Agree
50%
Neutral
32%
Neutral
40%
The percentage of IT
decision makers that
2010
consider it easy to find
2011 result
trustworthy/credible
industry information
has dropped by 20% to
little more than 1 in 3
8

9. Multi-channel communications are vital, but
also irrelevant if the content does not provide
some value and credibility.
Disagree Disagree
18% 21%
Agree
39%
Agree
50%
Neutral
32%
Neutral
40%
The percentage of IT
decision makers that
2010
consider it easy to find
2011 result
trustworthy/credible
industry information
has dropped by 20% to
little more than 1 in 3
9

10. QUESTION: How easy is it to find the information you
need in these stages of your purchase decision
process?
10

11. Question: How easy is it to find the information
you need in these stages of your purchase decision
process?
56%
The Buying Cycle Stages
45% 43%
35%
Keeping up up date with When identifying
Keeping to to date Identifying appropriate Shortlisting vendors Selecting a vendor
industry or vendoror vendors to consider When short-listing When selecting the
with industry news vendors to consider
for a specific business vendors vendor/solution
vendor news
need
11

12. Question: How easy is it to find the information
you need in these stages of your purchase decision
process?
56%
45% 43%
35%
Keeping up up date with When identifying
Keeping to to date Identifying appropriate Shortlisting vendors Selecting a vendor
industry or vendoror vendors to consider When short-listing When selecting the
with industry news vendors to consider
for a specific business vendors vendor/solution
vendor news
need
12

13. Question: How easy is it to find the information
you need in these stages of your purchase decision
process?
% describing it
as “easy” or
“very easy” to
find information
they need at this
stage
56%
45% 43%
35%
Keeping up up date with When identifying
Keeping to to date Identifying appropriate Shortlisting vendors Selecting a vendor
industry or vendoror vendors to consider When short-listing When selecting the
with industry news vendors to consider
for a specific business vendors vendor/solution
vendor news
need
13

14. Question: How easy is it to find the information
you need in these stages of your purchase decision
process?
% describing it
as “easy” or
“very easy” to
find information
they need at this
stage
56%
45% 43%
35%
Keeping up up date with When identifying
Keeping to to date Identifying appropriate Shortlisting vendors Selecting a vendor
industry or vendoror vendors to consider When short-listing When selecting the
with industry news vendors to consider
for a specific business vendors vendor/solution
vendor news
need
14

15. Question: How easy is it to find the information
you need in these stages of your purchase decision
process?
% describing it
as “easy” or
“very easy” to
find information
they need at this
stage
56%
45% 43%
35%
Keeping up up date with When identifying
Keeping to to date Identifying appropriate Shortlisting vendors Selecting a vendor
industry or vendoror vendors to consider When short-listing When selecting the
with industry news vendors to consider
for a specific business vendors vendor/solution
vendor news
need
15

16. Question: How easy is it to find the information
you need in these stages of your purchase decision
process?
% describing it
as “easy” or
“very easy” to
find information
they need at this
stage
56%
45% 43%
35%
Keeping up up date with When identifying
Keeping to to date Identifying appropriate Shortlisting vendors Selecting a vendor
industry or vendoror vendors to consider When short-listing When selecting the
with industry news vendors to consider
for a specific business vendors vendor/solution
vendor news
need
16

17. Question: How easy is it to find the information
you need in these stages of your purchase decision
process?
Even at the initial stage in the buying
cycle, when buyers absorb technology
ideas and start to form viewpoints of
their own, almost half struggle to get the
56% information they need.
45% 43%
35%
Keeping up up date with When identifying
Keeping to to date Identifying appropriate Shortlisting vendors Selecting a vendor
industry or vendoror vendors to consider When short-listing When selecting the
with industry news vendors to consider
for a specific business vendors vendor/solution
vendor news
need
17

18. The Point?
Even at the initial stage in the buying
cycle, when buyers absorb technology
ideas and start to form viewpoints of
their own, almost half struggle to get the
56% information they need.
45% 43%
35%
Keeping up up date with When identifying
Keeping to to date Identifying appropriate Shortlisting vendors Selecting a vendor
industry or vendoror vendors to consider When short-listing When selecting the
with industry news vendors to consider
for a specific business vendors vendor/solution
vendor news
need
18

19. If vendors are to attract buyers into their
orbit of influence at the earliest
opportunity, with a view to engaging and
nurturing later in the buying cycle, they need
to make sure relevant, accessible content is
at the buyers’ disposal.
56%
45% 43%
35%
Keeping up up date with When identifying
Keeping to to date Identifying appropriate Shortlisting vendors Selecting a vendor
industry or vendoror vendors to consider When short-listing When selecting the
with industry news vendors to consider
for a specific business vendors vendor/solution
vendor news
need
19

20. • Decoupling the Message from the Medium
• Knowing where content works in the Buying Cycle
20

21. QUESTION: What types of information do you typically
search for at these stages of the buying cycle?
Figure 3: Types of information typically
sought at these stages of the buying cycles 21

22. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle?
The Buying Cycle Stages
When selecting the
When short-listing vendors
vendor/solution
22

23. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle?
The Buying Cycle Stages
When identifying vendors
When selecting the
to consider for a specific When short-listing vendors
vendor/solution
business need
23

24. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle?
The Buying Cycle Stages
When identifying vendors
When selecting the
to consider for a specific When short-listing vendors
vendor/solution
business need
24

25. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle?
The Buying Cycle Stages
When identifying vendors
When selecting the
to consider for a specific When short-listing vendors
vendor/solution
business need
25

26. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle?
When identifying vendors
When selecting the
to consider for a specific When short-listing vendors
vendor/solution
business need
53 %
Analyst research/opinions
The Buying Cycle Stages 39 %
Independent research 37 %
28 %
Internal peer opinion
46 %
50 %
ROI/business case
33 %
34 %
Direct customer
references 35 %
27 %
IT Press opinion pieces
The Information Types
20 %
External peer opinions The Information Types19 %
46 %
46 %
Independent consultant
opinions
35 %
Customer stories/case
31 %
studies
49 %
Product/solution offer 43 %
updates
13 %
Thought leader / opinion 12 %
pieces
17 %
Business press opinion 18 %
pieces
14 %
13 %
26

27. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle?
When identifying vendors
When selecting the
to consider for a specific When short-listing vendors
vendor/solution
business need
Analyst research/opinions 57 % 53% 39%
Independent research 49 % 37% 28%
Internal peer opinion
48 % 46% 50%
ROI/business case 33% 34%
47 %
Direct customer
45 % 35% 27%
references
IT Press opinion pieces 43 % 20% 19%
External peer opinions 36 % 46% 46%
Independent consultant 35% 31%
34 %
opinions
Customer stories/case 34 % 49% 43%
studies
Product/solution offer 26 % 13% 12%
updates
Thought leader / opinion 19 % 17% 18%
pieces
17 % 14% 13%
Business press opinion
pieces
27

28. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle?
When identifying vendors
% that search for this
When selecting the
to consider for a specific When short-listing vendors information
kind of vendor/solution
business need
at this stage in the
buying cycle
Analyst research/opinions 57 % 53% 39%
Independent research 49 % 37% 28%
Internal peer opinion
48 % 46% 50%
ROI/business case 33% 34%
47 %
Direct customer
45 % 35% 27%
references
IT Press opinion pieces 43 % 20% 19%
External peer opinions 36 % 46% 46%
Independent consultant 35% 31%
34 %
opinions
Customer stories/case 34 % 49% 43%
studies
Product/solution offer 26 % 13% 12%
updates
Thought leader / opinion 19 % 17% 18%
pieces
17 % 14% 13%
Business press opinion
pieces
28

29. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle?
When identifying vendors
When selecting the
to consider for a specific When short-listing vendors
vendor/solution
business need
Analyst research/opinions 57 % 53% 39%
Independent research 49 % 37% 28%
Internal peer opinion
48 % 46% 50%
ROI/business case 33% 34%
47 %
Direct customer
45 % 35% 27%
references
IT Press opinion pieces 43 % 20% 19%
External peer opinions 36 % 46% 46%
Independent consultant 35% 31%
34 %
opinions
Customer stories/case 34 % 49% 43%
studies
Product/solution offer 26 % 13% 12%
updates
Thought leader / opinion 19 % 17% 18%
pieces
17 % 14% 13%
Business press opinion
pieces
29

30. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle?
When identifying vendors
When selecting the
to consider for a specific When short-listing vendors
vendor/solution
business need
Analyst research/opinions 57 % 53% 39%
Independent research 49 % 37% 28%
Internal peer opinion
48 % 46% 50%
ROI/business case 33% 34%
47 %
Direct customer
45 % 35% 27%
references
IT Press opinion pieces 43 % 20% 19%
External peer opinions 36 % 46% 46%
Independent consultant 35% 31%
34 %
opinions
Customer stories/case 34 % 49% 43%
studies
Product/solution offer 26 % 13% 12%
updates
Thought leader / opinion 19 % 17% 18%
pieces
17 % 14% 13%
Business press opinion
pieces
30

31. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle?
When identifying vendors
When selecting the
to consider for a specific When short-listing vendors
vendor/solution
business need
Analyst research/opinions 57 % 53% 39%
Independent research 49 % 37% 28%
Certain content types are
Internal peer opinion
48 % used far more than others
46% 50%
and more uniformly
ROI/business case
47 % throughout 33% buying
the 34%
cycle.
Direct customer
45 % 35% 27%
references
IT Press opinion pieces 43 % 20% 19%
External peer opinions 36 % 46% 46%
Independent consultant 35% 31%
34 %
opinions
Customer stories/case 34 % 49% 43%
studies
Product/solution offer 26 % 13% 12%
updates
Thought leader / opinion 19 % 17% 18%
pieces
17 % 14% 13%
Business press opinion
pieces
31

32. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle?
When identifying vendors
When selecting the
to consider for a specific When short-listing vendors
vendor/solution
business need
Analyst research/opinions 57 % 53% 39%
Independent research 49 % 37% 28%
Internal peer opinion
48 % 46% 50%
ROI/business case 33% 34%
47 %
Direct customer
45 % 35% 27%
references
IT Press opinion pieces 43 % 20% 19%
External peer opinions 36 % 46% 46%
Independent consultant 35% 31%
34 %
opinions
Customer stories/case 34 % 49% 43%
studies
Product/solution offer 26 % 13% 12%
updates
Thought leader / opinion 19 % 17% 18%
pieces The use of some content
17 % 14%
types tends to wax or 13%
Business press opinion
pieces wane as buyers moving
from “scanning the
horizon” mode to “training
on a target”.
32

33. The Point?
When identifying vendors
When selecting the
to consider for a specific When short-listing vendors
vendor/solution
business need
Analyst research/opinions 57 % 53% 39%
Independent research 49 % 37% 28%
Certain content types are
Internal peer opinion
48 % used far more than others
46% 50%
and more uniformly
ROI/business case
47 % throughout 33% buying
the 34%
cycle.
Direct customer
45 % 35% 27%
references
IT Press opinion pieces 43 % 20% 19%
External peer opinions 36 % 46% 46%
Independent consultant 35% 31%
34 %
opinions
Customer stories/case 34 % 49% 43%
studies
Product/solution offer 26 % 13% 12%
updates
Thought leader / opinion 19 % 17% 18%
pieces The importance of content
17 % 14%
types tends to wax or 13%
Business press opinion
pieces wane as buyers moving
from “scanning the
horizon” mode to “training
on a target”.
33

34. IT buyers are at each of these stages all the time, so vendors have
to do two things: firstly make sure they are strong in the key content
areas and secondly, recognise which types of content to offer once
initial engagement has occurred.
When identifying vendors
When selecting the
to consider for a specific When short-listing vendors
vendor/solution
business need
Analyst research/opinions 57 % 53% 39%
Independent research 49 % 37% 28%
Internal peer opinion
48 % 46% 50%
ROI/business case 33% 34%
47 %
Direct customer
45 % 35% 27%
references
IT Press opinion pieces 43 % 20% 19%
External peer opinions 36 % 46% 46%
Independent consultant 35% 31%
34 %
opinions
Customer stories/case 34 % 49% 43%
studies
Product/solution offer 26 % 13% 12%
updates
Thought leader / opinion 19 % 17% 18%
pieces
17 % 14% 13%
Business press opinion
pieces
34

35. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle? HOW IMPORTANCE CHANGES THROUGH
THE CYCLE
Analyst research & Analyst research &
Most Used Internal peer opinion Most Used
opinion opinion
Customer stories/case
Independent research External peer opinions
studies
Customer stories/case
Internal peer opinion Internal peer opinion
studies
Analyst research &
ROI/Business case External peer opinions
opinion
Direct customer
Independent research ROI/Business case
reference
IT press opinions Direct customer Independent
pieces reference consultant opinions
Independent Independent research
External peer opinions
consultant opinions
Customer stories/case Direct customer
ROI/Business case
studies reference
Independent IT press opinions IT press opinions
consultant opinions pieces pieces
Product solution/ offer Thought leader/ Thought leader/
updates opinion pieces opinion pieces
Thought leader/ Business press Business press
opinion pieces opinion pieces opinion pieces
Least Used Business press Product solution/ offer Product solution/ offer Least Used
opinion pieces updates updates
When identifying
vendors to consider When short-listing When selecting the
for a specific vendors vendor/solution
business need
35

36. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle? WITH MAJOR CHANGES IN IMPORTANCE
HIGHLIGHTED
Analyst research & Analyst research &
Most Used Internal peer opinion Most Used
opinion opinion
Customer stories
Independent research External peer opinions
/case studies
Customer stories/case
Internal peer opinion Internal peer opinion
studies
External peer Analyst research &
ROI/Business case
opinions opinion
Direct customer Independent
ROI/Business case
reference research
IT press opinions Direct customer Independent
pieces reference consultant opinions
Independent Independent research
External peer opinions
consultant opinions
Customer stories/case Direct customer
ROI/Business case
studies reference
Independent IT press opinions IT press opinions
consultant opinions pieces pieces
Product solution/ offer Thought leader/ Thought leader/
updates opinion pieces opinion pieces
Thought leader/ Business press Business press
opinion pieces opinion pieces opinion pieces
Least Used Business press Product solution/ Product solution/ offer Least Used
opinion pieces offer updates updates
When identifying
When short-listing When selecting the
vendors to consider for a
specific business need
vendors vendor/solution
36

37. Question: What types of information do you
typically search for at these stages of the buying
cycle? HOW IMPORTANCE CHANGES THROUGH
THE CYCLE
Analyst research & Analyst research & Internal peer
Most Used opinion opinion opinion Most Used
Customer stories/case External peer
Independent research
studies opinions
Customer stories/case
Internal peer opinion Internal peer opinion
studies
Analyst research &
ROI/Business case External peer opinions
opinion
Direct customer
Independent research ROI/Business case
reference
IT press opinions Direct customer Independent
pieces reference consultant opinions
Independent Independent
External peer opinions research
consultant opinions
Customer stories/case Direct customer
ROI/Business case
studies reference
Independent IT press opinions IT press opinions
consultant opinions pieces pieces
Product solution/ offer Thought leader/ Thought leader/
updates opinion pieces opinion pieces
Thought leader/ Business press Business press
opinion pieces opinion pieces opinion pieces
Least Used Business press Product solution/ offer Product solution/ offer Least Used
opinion pieces updates updates
When identifying
When short-listing When selecting the
vendors to consider for a
vendors vendor/solution
specific business need
37

38. About Vanson Bourne
38

39. About Us
We create and deliver compelling, relevant content for
technology brands to own and use in high value media relations, demand
generation and thought leadership marketing campaigns.
specialist technology research expertise with our years
We couple our
of experience in helping tech brands communicate with their markets. The result is well-
crafted, independent and robust content for B2B and B2C marketing programmes.
to fit all your marketing communications
We adapt the delivery of our content
and direct sales efforts. This makes it easier than ever to leverage our high-value content
across both traditional and new social media channels, creating news coverage, market buzz and customer
action.
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40. We create
relevant, compelling
content for...
Credible media and influencer relations
Press releases & FAQs
Briefing packs for executive spokespeople
Presentation material for analyst house tours
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Integrated email, direct & telephone marketing communications
Presentation materials & conversation starters for sales teams
Online and offline event presentations for prospects
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Whitepapers, data books, articles, blog
posts, interactive tools…
Executive & subject matter speaker materials
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