When you buy something online, a toaster for instance, do you simply find one in your price range and hit “order?” Or do you first look for third-party articles about which toasters are on the market (top rated, or those that include a specific feature you want)? You may also check to see which toasters have the highest customer ratings and read the reviews. From something as simple as a toaster, all the way up to a data center full of hyperconverged infrastructure, customers put trust in the opinions of those who don’t have stakes in the game. Independent third parties deliver the facts about product features and differentiation (why the customer should consider the product), and customer reviews provide raw, personal, and honest feedback about the product. Both are invaluable to customers that are trying to choose between several products in a saturated market.
TechTarget research reveals that prospective buyers consume an average of 5 pieces of content before talking to a sales representative.[1] And 79% of buyers engaged with this content before there was an actual project in the works.[2] Before organizations may know that prospective buyers are interested in their products or solutions, those buyers are doing their own research and deciding whether to reach out to sales teams. Competing in a noisy IT market starts with the quality and credibility of content. With this in mind, your digital marketing content needs to grab the attention of your audience, communicate the value of your solution, and encourage them to learn more.
Solution validation marketing content does just this. Its purpose is to dive into the value proposition of your solution and highlight “why this matters” to the business. Here are 4 ways that this type of solution validation marketing content can help you to close more deals, faster:
- Compelling digital marketing content engages prospects. Prospective buyers are doing independent research months before contacting sales teams, so it is imperative that organizations have high-quality marketing content that compels them to engage and learn more.
- Impactful marketing content Connects IT decision makers to solutions. The more easily that IT decision makers can narrow in on the solution that best meets their criteria, the quicker they can get their jobs done.
- Buyers prefer Credible marketing content from a trusted independent brand. Reading an independent brand’s perspective helps buyers to get down to the “facts” and make better business decisions.
- Captivating digital content from a trusted third party helps you reach your target audience. Third-party marketing content that highlights your differentiation and why it matters to their business increases campaign effectiveness and conversion rates.
The Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG) Validation Practice has published more than 1,100 Technical and Economic Validation reports. Over the last 18 years, the practice has generated leads for customers and helped them to close more deals. Contact ESG for customized solution validation marketing content that is sure to accelerate sales cycles for your organization.
[1] TechTarget Q4 2020 Media Consumption survey to IT buyers
[2] TechTarget 2021 Media Consumption Report: North America n= 393-476
