Tech Buyer Preferences How Business Technology Buyers Choose and Purchase Question Title * 1. Which best describes your role at work? Customer support/success Marketing Human Resources Sales Manufacturing Supply Chain Finance IT Develpoment Operations None of these Question Title * 2. Which best describes the customers your business sells to? The business I work for sells to individual consumers The business I work for sells to other businesses The business I work for sells to both individuals and other businesses Question Title * 3. Approximately how many employees work at your company? Fewer than 100 100 to 1,000 1,001 to 5,000 5,001 to 15,000 More than 15,000 Question Title * 4. Which describe the industry of your company? Computer hardware Computer software Business services Telecommunications Financial services Energy Healthcare Automotive Education Manufacturing Other (please specify) Question Title * 5. What is the annual revenue of the company you work for? Under $10 million $10 to $50 million $51 to $150 million $151 to $300 million Over $300 million Question Title * 6. Which best describes your seniority where you work? Executive VP Director Manager Associate Individual contributor Question Title * 7. Does your company own or purchase SaaS or on-prem technology? Yes No Question Title * 8. The "buyer journey" is the process with which businesses find, select and buy from vendors. Overall, has the buyer journey changed for your company over the past 12 months? It’s more complex It’s the same It’s easier Other Question Title * 9. Does your team coordinate purchases with other departments? Yes No Question Title * 10. Which departments do you most often coordinate with? HR Legal Sales Marketing IT Finance Procurement Customer support Other (please specify) Question Title * 11. How long do you research before you are ready to speak to sales reps at potential technology vendors/partners? 1-2 months 3-4 months 5-6 months More than 6 months Question Title * 12. Usually how long does it take your company to contact cloud vendors it is interested in? 1-2 months 3-4 months 5-6 months More than 6 months Question Title * 13. Usually how long does it take your company to purchase from cloud vendors it is interested in? 1-2 months 3-4 months 5-6 months More than 6 months Question Title * 14. What are the most important factors when selecting a new technology? Select up to three. Vendor branding Peer review/trust signals (G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, etc.) Past experience with vendor Cost Integrations with existing tech Features Onboarding Flexibility of solution Product roadmap Vendor reputation Participation at industry events Other (please specify) Question Title * 15. Which tend to best make you aware of a solution or vendor? Select up to three. Digital Ads Brand social media Other Emails and newsletters Webinars/virtual events Brand video channels In-person events Brand podcast channels Question Title * 16. What type of content do you like to consume when researching a solution or vendor? Select up to three. Infographics Podcasts Demo videos Webinars White papers Research or Benchmark reports Blogs Informational videos Other (please specify) Question Title * 17. Are you usually interested in reading white papers to learn about solutions and vendors? Very interested Interested I don't know Uninterested Very uninterested Question Title * 18. Are you usually interested in webinars to learn about solutions and vendors? Very interested Interested I don't know Uninterested Very uninterested Question Title * 19. How many providers of B2B data does your company currently use? This may include contact, company info, intent data, technographic installs, mobile phones, etc. None 1 to 3 4 to 6 7 to 9 10 to 12 13 to 15 More than 15 Not sure Question Title * 20. Which best help you become aware of a new vendor or solution? Select up to three G2/Capterra/TrustRadius etc. Newsletters or emails I’ve opted to receive YouTube Analysts’/influencers’ blog posts or reports LinkedIn Company blogs & published content Company ad campaigns Podcasts None of these Google/search engines Company social posts TikTok Twitter Facebook Recommendation from a peer Thought leadership or demo Webinars Question Title * 21. Which do you find most valuable to research possible solutions and vendors? Choose up to three. Webinars or podcasts Recommendations from peers Thought leadership content (whitepapers, videos) Product comparison sites Google/search engines Ratings/reputation Website personalized content (relevant for me/my company) Case studies Analysts’/influencers’ blog posts or reports Other (please specify) Question Title * 22. Which do you find most valuable to decide on the right solutions and vendors? Choose up to three. Case studies Ads Website chat with live answers Sales calls/salespeople ROI info/calculators Video testimonials Webinars or podcasts Recommendations from peers Ratings/reputation Marketing emails or social posts Pricing Product comparison sites Overall brand including “vibe” Other (please specify) Question Title * 23. What types of information do you find most valuable after you have purchased from a vendor? Select up to three. Social media product user communities In-product update notifications How-to videos we can watch on our own Customer experience rep help (scheduled) Anything! Most vendors are nowhere to be seen after initial sale Automated optimization recommendations after initial implementation Best practices/tips provided by support team Product roadmaps or other solutions for our tech stack Product onboarding with company expert Customer support on demand Social media product updates (including direct messaging for support or product info) Emails with how-to tips Anything that is truly help instead of constant up-selling None of the above Question Title * 24. When do you expected a response after submitting a request for contact? An hour or less A few hours Same day In a few days Same week Later than same week Question Title * 25. Which best help you learn about a new vendor or solution? Social media as a point of product updates/notices (including direct messaging for support or product info) Website chat preferences G2/Capterra/TrustRadius etc. as a point of information or company contact Newsletter signups Social media product user communities Website personalization Website content segmentation None of these Other (please specify) Question Title * 26. How do you prefer for a sales rep to contact you? Email Social media Phone Text Virtual Meeting scheduled by vendor Availability of sales rep calendar link to choose a time that works for me Other (please specify) Question Title * 27. How much time are you most willing to read or watch “content” when choosing new technology? 1-5 minutes 5-15 minutes 15-30 minutes 30-60 minutes More than 60 minutes Question Title * 28. How often is content on social channels relevant to your technology needs? 0 100 Clear i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale. Question Title * 29. Are you more willing to buy from companies you perceive to be “thought leaders”? Always Most of the time About half the time Once in a while Never Question Title * 30. Which reflect your opinion about online chat to learn about new products and vendors? I expect to engage with a bot to get to a relevant live person to answer my questions I expect to schedule a meeting if a live person isn’t available real-time I'm OK with getting relevant content to download if a live person isn’t available I have had great experiences with tech company chat bots to get quick questions answered I believe companies shouldn’t use chat if there isn’t access to a live chat rep I appreciate humor or other “human” messaging in chat bots None Question Title * 31. Which things matter in email that keep you engaged with a company? Select up to three. Personalization in subject line, copy make me pay attention (uses my first name) Includes surveys and trends that give me insight to what other customers are experiencing compared to my needs Messages that seem to be 1:1 from a rep Company gives me relevant content based on prior engagement with the company Offers consistently high value in emails Invites to relevant company webinars, events or podcasts Other (please specify) Question Title * 32. What are your biggest email "turn offs"? Personalization that isn’t at all personal Too many emails Overuse of emojis Bad jokes Bad videos from sales Too much text Trying to show they are smart “I saw you opened my email, but you haven’t replied yet?” Other (please specify) Question Title * 33. At a live event, which best would engage you? Giveaways Games in booth Food/beverage Self-service demo None Other (please specify) Question Title * 34. Are you moving away from attending live events? Yes Yes, realizing big cost savings Yes, unfortunately lost the budget Yes, time savings (events are too time consuming for the payoff) Yes, filling the leads with other sources Question Title * 35. Which, if any, of the following have motivated you to take a meeting with a new vendor in the past 12 months? Select up to three. Email with compelling content with calendar invite Strong cold call pitch Acknowledging they “know” I opened their last email; they understand email marketing Personal video from rep in emails Personal 1:1 outreach in LinkedIn Content that made me fill in form Gift in the mail/cool swag Great/clever subject line in email None Question Title * 36. Which, if any, are your content marketing "pet peeves"? Lack of unique insights, actionable ideas “Top 10” content that doesn’t pay off the promise, a bunch of basics with no new insights Too much copy in content Lack of time to consume all the content that’s there; no simple way to select providers Lack of an objective comparison among vendors (everyone on the lists pays for the position) Content not available in the format I prefer Other (please specify) Done