B2B marketing: IT loses tech gatekeeper crown

New research from LinkedIn shows that the IT department is no longer the primary decision-maker on B2B tech purchases.

What it means: The crux of the study is that B2B tech buyers are getting harder to target now that more departments have a say in these decisions. B2B marketers will have to think in terms of buying ‘committees’ rather than individuals.

Details:

• Over half of tech decision-makers (56%) now sit outside the IT department, in roles such as sales and marketing, business development, and finance.
• IT is the most influential voice in only a third (39%) of technology buying decisions, down from 75% in 2014.
• 43% say budgets will remain the same in 2021, while 47% say it will decrease.
• Respondents listed price (73%) and the right products and features (67%) as the most important factors when choosing a technology solution. Post-sale support was key for 56% of respondents.

IT remains key, however, and is involved in purchases for 57% of organisations studied. The survey identifies two main camps:

• The facilitators (often IT) who focus on price, integration and adoption.
• The buyers (often sales and marketing-led) who focus on functionality, ease of use and business impact.

Sourced from LinkedIn Marketing Solutions