At SimplyDIRECT, our expertise usually flows directly to our clients, as should be the case. However, we recently took an opportunity to step back and reflect upon our wide experience across companies, product solutions, and marketing challenges. We had recognized a trend among our IT clients in particular, and set out to do what we do best – investigate it through rigorous research.
We conducted two surveys to explore the relationship between B2B marketers and CIOs, and their differing assumptions and expectations. Based on the results, we were able to draw compelling conclusions, which we’re now excited to share in our latest white paper. Titled “Security Marketing Disconnect”, this write-up delivers a snapshot of today’s relationship between IT marketers and their target customers. We carefully examined the difference between marketers’ understanding of IT issues and the same issues as described by CIOs at top security companies themselves.
Our results attest to the fact that B2B marketing is a serious and incredibly challenging endeavor, and knowing your audience is critical to competing and closing deals. “Security Marketing Disconnect” is brimming with real testimonials that support this, as well as its ultimate conclusion: Woe to the marketer who makes assumptions about his or her market or 
buyer. Indeed, even overworked and overstressed security/ tech executives will take the time to listen to a good pitch, but it must be calibrated to their very specific needs.
As “Security Marketing Disconnect” illustrates, marketers must be masters of their crafts in order to garner sales. They should arm themselves with data intelligence, not hope. Shaping a pitch or basing targeting decisions on assumptions will leave a marketer vulnerable to being trumped by a more informed competitor, just as an IT security executive can’t leave the digital doors open to a hacker or scam attack.
To read the full white paper “Security Marketing Disconnect”, visit our Resources page: http://simplydirect.wpengine.com/resources/