Harnessing B2B Buyer Intent Signals In ABM

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B2B marketing teams strive to derive actionable insights from the vast amounts of data they collect to generate viable sales opportunities through buyer intent signals. They must have a strong definition of their ideal customer profiles (ICP), their target market segments, brand identity, buyer’s journey, and more. However, the volume of data is too much for marketers to identify buyer intent signals without the proper methods in place.

In this episode, John Steinert, CMO of TechTarget explains the power of intent data and how marketers can harness it in account-based marketing (ABM). Be sure to listen all the way to the end, as John provides an in-depth view of the process through which TechTarget garners information supporting their buyer intent signals.

How To Glean Buyer Intent From Buyer Behavior

For the past 15 years, consumers and businesses have built patterns of buyer interest and intent in purchasing by consuming content on the Internet. Signals describe what businesses know about user behavior and how those interactions can provide insights into buyer intent.

However, the number of interactions marketers can analyze on the Internet is intensely voluminous. Determining what information is pertinent to the buyer’s journey and what information is not is the goal of all sales and marketing teams. Using the information provided by buyer intent data to better distinguish interest signals versus purchase signals strengthens account-based marketing planning.

Which Roles In Sales And Marketing Make Use of Buyer Intent Signals?

Many roles in the marketing and sales groups can make use of buyer intent data, but demand generation marketers, inside sales and product marketers can use the data for maximum impact. The data identifies people at accounts that are in-market searching for solutions to a business problem, as well as who is responsible for purchasing that solution, and which direction from which that person intends to approach the solution.

Product marketers use this information to understand customer requirements, which guides their sales enablement content and activities. Inside sales reps use the data provided to structure their outbound calls and identify and solve a prospect’s business problem. Demand generation marketers use the information to emphasize messaging that promotes the ability of their company to solve the specific business problem. The marketing team creates targeted messaging appealing to the ICP by addressing the problem from their point of view.

Any Special Technology Requirements Needed To Harness Behavioral Data?

Companies are getting much smarter at understanding their historical data and identifying the accounts they should be able to sell to. TechTarget focuses on the ideal customer profile and qualified accounts to provide relevant data to salespeople, allowing them to find the ideal starting place for sales outreach.

Armed with the qualified accounts, outbound sales reps only need a computer and a phone to reach out to their identified warm leads. With the buyer intent data in hand, sales professionals make warm calls versus cold calls. Each account they contact will have already made their intent to purchase known. Even the smallest tech companies taking an ABM approach see huge returns when they enable their sales teams the ability to reach out to qualified versus cold accounts.

How Does Buyer Intent Data Impact Sales And Marketing Team Structures?

The beauty of buyer intent data is the broad use across many roles in marketing and sales. Almost all levels of sales including field sales, inside sales, and business development roles can benefit from the data provided by intent and purchase signals. Demand generation, advertising, and most marketing roles can use the information to better attract accounts that are looking to purchase a technology solution. The data allows both small and large teams to plan their ABM activities more cost effectively.

TechTarget has generated massive amounts of gated content specifically developed to attract people who are searching for enterprise technology solutions. Buyers opt-in to consume relevant content that’s useful to their purchase journey. The gated content helps buyers learn about available solutions while making the seller and buyer interaction more efficient for both parties. This process has made TechTarget the global leader in purchase intent marketing.

Featured on This Episode TechTarget - where John Steinert serves as CMO John Steinert on LinkedIn John on Twitter: @TechTargetCMO Outline of This Episode [1:03] John Steinert, CMO of TechTarget shares insights on B2B buyer intent signals. [2:33] What is TechTarget and who do they serve? [3:13] What are buyer intent signals and where do they fit in the marketer’s role? [5:24] The trick for marketers and sellers is learning how to prioritize high-value signals. [8:19] Purchase intent is a specific signal within a group of behavioral signals. [8:37] What is the difference between an interest signal and a purchase intent signal? [10:15] Who makes use of real purchase intent signals and what are their roles? [11:28] How does each role use the signal data? [12:35] What is in the data and what does it signify? How does it help the sales and marketing teams? [17:50] Where are clients in the adoption curve as related to the B2B buyer intent signal? [19:10] TechTarget allows salespeople to contact only sales qualified accounts. [22:48] Priority Engine allows sales teams to prioritize the accounts where people are showing purchase intent. [23:23] How does this technology impact marketing and sales team structure? [25:58] Bernie provides his summary of the conversation. Resources & People Mentioned Get the Vengreso State of Digital Selling with LinkedIn 2019 report, to learn how sales professionals stack up on basic digital selling skills. To get the report go to stateofdigitalselling.com. www.techtarget.com The Selling With Social Podcast with Vengreso CEO, Mario Martinez, Jr Connect With Bernie and Modern Marketing Engine https://www.Facebook.com/modernmarketingengine/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernieborges/ https://twitter.com/bernieborges https://instagram.com/bernieborges https://Twitter.com/MMEnginePodcast

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