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This past weekend, my husband and I had the great pleasure of attending the retirement party of a very good friend of ours in Toronto, Canada. The Travel Gods were kind, offering an easy flight to and from Philadelphia. We had an eventful, fun-packed weekend and enjoyed some much-needed downtime. During the party, I, the camera-wielding nightmare of my family, sought to capture the night with some photos. The man of the hour loathes being the center of attention almost as much as he hates “posed” photos. I ignored his protests and began choreographing some group photos to commemorate the momentous occasion. I got some great shots then, including one photo of all 4 generations of the men in their family. As the night continued, and the cocktails flowed, (and people stopped letting me bully them) I gave up on the orderly pics and shifted to candid photos. Stay with me, this is the revelation. Your Brand’s WHY Factor Everyone began their natural interactions in the beautiful way that a group of people who live and play together often do so well. And I began to see the Moments, not the pictures. I noted small but meaningful interactions, charged by the uniqueness of each relationship the lens captured. And it was astounding. When we reviewed the pics over breakfast the next day, while everyone loved the posed photos for “who and what” they showed, it was the Moments that drew the best reactions. Moments are about the WHY.   These images were not perfectly posed. The lighting wasn’t always exactly right. But the genuine feelings, and LIFE, the meaning, screamed from each view. So, what’s the revelation? As we parsed through the pics, the eye behind the camera, and the importance of that perspective, my perspective, became the resounding theme. My friends were ecstatic, and I was reminded that MY unique part in the creative process mattered. I dialed into the WHY story of my target audience with my eye, making it both human and poignantly personal, and it hit home – in a big way. As a content marketer and business owner, even I had to be reminded that I was a driving factor behind the voice of my work. My unique eye and perspective were as important a factor in the result as my audience’s needs were. Break the Canned-Content Cycle, and Find Your Brand Voice When we focus on producing high volumes of content, we often lose sight of our WHY. We lose our unique eye, which resonates less and decreases returns. This goes for small business owners and “lean” marketing teams as well. Bandwidth struggles turn content into a necessary evil instead of a chance for a unique creative expression of your offering. Revelation #1: It is important to check in on your company’s WHY. Put a pause on the content churn to check in on your CEO’s vision, talk to your team about what your potential buyer needs, and shift the focus of your lens to the MOMENTS your audience finds themselves in when they look for offerings like yours, and build your messaging and campaigns around lens. Focus on your EYE, blend that with your “WHY” of starting or joining your company, and what you want to do FOR your prospective clients. Then, apply that unique lens to your content creation across all channels. Your brand voice becomes a unique sound in the space, not more white noise built from buzzwords and jargon. You’ll see the results in the caliber of clients you attract. I guarantee it.

In a changing market where investments into new IT services are challenged, business owners face unique challenges in reaching and engaging IT decision makers. The 2024 Customer Journey Poster from Foundry highlights the intricate process of engaging IT buyers, emphasizing the need for targeted and strategic tech marketing approaches. Two powerful strategies that stand out in this context are Account-Based Marketing (ABM) and LinkedIn marketing. Here’s why these approaches are essential for driving leads and fostering meaningful connections with IT decision makers. Understanding the IT Buyer’s Journey The tech buying process is complex, involving multiple stakeholders and decision-making stages. IT decision makers are looking for solutions that not only meet their technical requirements but also align with their strategic goals. This journey often includes: To effectively navigate this journey, IT service companies must deliver the right content to the right person at the right time. This is where ABM and LinkedIn marketing come into play. The Role of Account-Based Marketing (ABM) ABM is a highly focused business strategy in which a tech marketing team treats an individual prospect or customer like its very own market. This approach is particularly effective in the B2B SaaS sector for several reasons: Leveraging LinkedIn for IT Decision Makers LinkedIn is a powerful platform for reaching IT decision makers, offering several advantages: Integrating ABM and LinkedIn Marketing Combining ABM with LinkedIn marketing can amplify your efforts and drive better results. Here’s how: IT service companies must adopt strategic tech marketing approaches to effectively reach and engage IT decision makers. By leveraging the power of ABM and LinkedIn marketing, you can deliver personalized, targeted campaigns that drive leads and foster meaningful connections. Embrace these strategies to navigate the complex tech buying process and position your company for success in 2024 and beyond.

The Information Technology (IT) industry is poised for significant growth in 2024, with worldwide IT spending expected to total a staggering $5 trillion, marking an increase of 6.8% from 2023. This presents a golden opportunity for IT service companies to expand their reach and capitalize on this growth. One effective way to do this is by investing in digital tech marketing services. The Growing IT Market The IT services sector is projected to grow by 8.7% in 2024, reaching $1.5 trillion. This growth indicates a rising demand for IT services, making it the largest segment of IT spending for the first time. With such a vast market, IT service companies need to ensure they are visible and accessible to potential customers. This is where digital marketing comes into play. The Power of Digital Marketing Digital marketing encompasses a range of strategies designed to engage customers online, where they are increasingly making their purchasing decisions. These strategies include account-based marketing, paid and organic social media marketing, webinars, thought leadership content marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and Search Engine Marketing (SEM). Account-Based Marketing Account-based marketing (ABM) is a targeted approach to business marketing based on account awareness. It involves identifying high-value prospects or customer accounts and creating personalized marketing campaigns to engage those accounts. ABM can help IT service companies focus their resources on the accounts with the highest potential return. Social Media Marketing for Tech Companies Social media platforms are a powerful tool for reaching and engaging with potential customers. Paid social media marketing can help IT service companies target specific demographics, while organic social media tech marketing can help build brand awareness and customer loyalty. Webinars Webinars are a great way to demonstrate expertise and provide value to potential customers. They can be used to showcase the company’s IT services, answer customer questions, and build relationships. Thought Leadership Content Marketing Thought leadership content marketing involves creating and sharing content that positions the company as a leader in its field. This can help build the company’s reputation and attract more customers. SEO and Search Engine Marketing for Tech Companies Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) are strategies designed to increase a website’s visibility in search engine results pages. This can help IT service companies reach more potential customers who are searching for their services online. The Future of IT Services The tech industry is growing much faster than average when compared to all occupations nationwide. While computer occupations will see a 14.2% job growth from 2022 to 2032, all occupations will grow by just 3%. A projected 377,500 computer and IT positions will open each year from 2022 to 2032. The fastest-growing jobs in this industry are: Information security analysts (projected 32% growth from 2022–32), Software developers, quality assurance analysts and testers (projected 25% growth), and Computer and information research scientists (projected 23% growth). These statistics indicate a promising future for IT businesses in 2024. However, it’s important to note that these are just projections and actual growth may vary based on various factors. The projected growth in the IT industry presents a significant opportunity for IT service companies. By investing in tech marketing, these companies can increase their visibility, reach more potential customers, and ultimately capitalize on the growth trends in the IT industry. Now is the time to act and invest in digital marketing services to ensure your IT service company is well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities that lie ahead. Sources:: Worldwide IT Spending Forecast : Digital Marketing Trends : Account-Based Marketing : Tech Industry Job Growth : IT Industry Projections Free Web Audit and Marketing Review is your marketing built to work? INCLUDES: Competitive analysis, market review, web and platform performance, SWOT analysis and strategic recommendations. Let's GO!