New research from LinkedIn shows that IT is no longer the primary decision maker in B2B technology purchases.
What it means: The essence of the study is that it is becoming increasingly difficult to target B2B tech buyers as more departments have a say in these decisions. B2B marketers need to think of buying “committees” rather than individuals.
Details:
- More than half of technical decision makers (56%) now sit outside of the IT department in roles like sales and marketing, business development, and finance.
- IT is the most influential voice in only a third (39%) of technology purchase decisions, compared to 75% in 2014.
- 43% say budgets will stay the same in 2021, while 47% say they will decrease.
- Respondents cited price (73%) and the right products and features (67%) as the most important factors in choosing a technology solution. Post-sale support was key for 56% of respondents.
However, IT remains the key and is involved in purchases for 57% of the organizations surveyed. The survey identified two main camps:
- The moderators (often IT) who focus on price, integration and acceptance.
- The buyers (often sales and marketing oriented) who focus on functionality, usability, and business impact.
Method: The LinkedIn B2B Technology Buying Survey, now in its seventh year, surveyed over 2,000 technology decision-makers across EMEA about their commitment to buying technical hardware and software and their plans for the next 12 months.
Key quote:
“Our research shows that technology buyers are often not who one might expect and in most cases are anonymous to brands because they will never hear from them directly. It is therefore important to ensure that these people have all the information they need during these “invisible stages” of the buying process. – Tom Pepper, Head of Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn UK, Ireland and Israel.
Obtained from LinkedIn Marketing Solutions