masstlc mobilizing your customer advocates, siriusdecisions keynote presentation

©2012 MASSTLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Sales and Marketing Roundtable: Mobilizing Your

Company’s Advocates

OCTOBER 10, 2013 TWEET IT OUT

@MASSTLC #ADVOCATES WIFI:

LOGIN - 10102013 PASSWORD - M87VEx34

Trends in Customer Advocacy

© Copyright SiriusDecisions. All Rights Protected and Reserved.

Who Participated in the Study? •  100+ marketers in the U.S., Canada, EMEA, Asia-Pacific

•  Data collected up to late February 2013

•  Company size: –  Half under $500 million

–  10 percent $500 million to $1 billion

–  40 percent more than $1 billion

•  Industry mix: –  70 percent software

–  10 percent hardware

–  8 percent professional/information services

–  4 percent healthcare and financial services

–  9 percent other industries 3


Executive Summary •  Key issues

–  There’s nothing more valuable than a loyal customer who is willing to advocate on a company’s behalf

–  It remains challenging for b-to-b companies to find and engage advocates in a range of traditional and social outlets

–  Mindful planning and investment will help make customer advocacy and reference work play a more vital role

•  What you will walk away with

–  An understanding of the role of customer advocacy in b-to-b

–  A view into how companies are organizing this function and what’s different about best-in-class programs

–  Effective practices for finding and rewarding advocates

–  A view into where companies are planning to invest next

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The Critical Role of Advocacy


It’s All About People Connecting SiriusPerspective: Approximately 75 percent of CXOs’ research is done via personal interactions and viral communication networks.

Access a Social Media Community,

12%

Call an Industry Analyst, 20%

As My Team or Colleagues For Options, 22%

Call an Industry Peer, 22%

Search on the Internet, 25%

Ask my Team or Colleagues for Options 22%

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Advocacy Support at Different Buying Stages SiriusPerspective: Referrals (as content assets) tend to be more influential at the beginning and end of the buying process.

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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Early Middle Late

White papers

Peer referrals

Webinars

Email

User Events

Analyst reports

Case Studies

Most often selected

Reference and Advocacy Resourcing


How Does Advocacy Investment Compare?

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0.5% to 5%: Marketing Investment as % of Total Revenue

Approx. 40% to 50% Field Marketing’s

Share of Program and Personnel Spend

Less than 10% Average Share of

Program Dollars for Advocacy and

References


What’s the Biggest Challenge This Year?

•  The Bad News –  20% say “Lengthy

approval process for customer reference content”

–  14% say “Buy-in and cooperation from sales”

–  13% say “Lack of sufficient budget”

•  The Good News –  Just 3% say “Gaining

executive support” –  Just 3% say “Difficulty

establishing the value of our program”

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2013 Opportunity: Turning Executive Support Into Adequate Budget and Sales Cooperation


Where Do References Come From Today?

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Three Areas That Should Be Tapped Into Immediately

1 2

3


How Much Does Sales Help Find Advocates?

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A critical need shouldn’t be resourced with volunteer support

Advocacy Content


What Forms Does Advocacy Content Take Now?

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Advocacy Investment Plans


Reference Technology Investment Going up in 2013

13% getting 30% more $

18% getting 10-30% more $

17% getting up to 10% more $

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