The 2017 Customer Engagement research delves into the content consumption habits of tech buyers, and takes it a step further to look at why sales and marketing alignment is so essential to success by looking at how marketing impacts the purchase cycle, optimal timing for lead nurture and sales follow up, methods and means of follow up, and the focus for sales education.

1. The Role of Content in Customer First Marketing
2017
CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT

2. 2
Source: 2017 IDG Customer Engagement Research
Purpose and Methodology

3. 3

4. 4
Source: 2017 IDG Customer Engagement Research

5. 5
Informational Needs Shift During Purchase Process
Source: 2017 IDG Customer Engagement Research
Q. For each stage of the purchase process for major enterprise IT products and services, which of the following types of information or content
do you rely on most?

6. 6
Familiarity Cuts Purchase Cycle in Half
Q. Considering major enterprise IT purchases, what is the average purchase cycle for a vendor with whom you are already familiar or have
experience compared to the purchase cycle for an unfamiliar vendor?
Source: 2017 IDG Customer Engagement Research

7. Sales Enablement Critical to Success
Source: 2013-2017 IDG Customer Engagement Research
50%
55%
60%
65%
70%
75%
80%
85%
90%
2013 2014 2016 2017
Highly
knowledgeable/
able to answer
questions
promptly
Familiar with
your particular
line of business
Well suited
to speak at your
level within the
organization
Contacts
you within
your desired
timeframe
Info. given
is specific to
where you
are in the
purchase cycle
Knows basic
info. about
you and your
organization
77%
89%
76%
73%
69%
67%
Exec. IT 90%
IT Mgmt 92%
IT Pro 81%
Biz Mgmt 89%
Q. How do the following actions by a vendor impact the likelihood you will purchase a solution about which you have downloaded or consumed
information?
7

8. Continue the Conversation
8
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For more information on content marketing and lead nurture, explore our resources on this site under
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