From AI, to cybersecurity, to quantum computing, a global surge in new tech adoption is predicted to fuel double digit growth in the industry over the next few years, generating millions of dollars in revenue.
The global market in AI alone is expected to surpass US $826 billion by the end of the decade.
But such a large pie means fierce competition from other independent tech firms, all wanting to grab a slice of the action. How can you make sure your IT company is among the winners?
The answer is to Think Big: aim to land contracts with larger corporations that will fuel strong growth for your company, making you a fixture in the emerging technological landscape.
Larger corporations – those with revenue over AU$10 million a year – come with larger budgets which means the potential for much more money for you.
However, increased revenue isn’t the only benefit to be gained from larger corporate clients. Securing even one corporate contract, if it’s the right brand for your niche, will give your firm a reputational boost which can fuel further growth – success begets success.
The right client can also offer access to resources previously unavailable to you, such as additional marketing support, market research, insights, or technologies that can help fuel your company’s growth even further.
But before you start dreaming of your new Lambo, there is one challenge: landing a corporate whale takes more than a good service and a few Instagram posts.
In this blog, we’ll look at five proven marketing strategies for securing larger corporate clients:
1. Use Your Website to Showcase Your Brand
Today, digital marketing should be the foundation of any marketing campaign. If that’s true for architectural firms to zoos and everyone in between, it’s doubly true for IT companies where a certain level of tech-mastery is assumed.
Your online presence starts with your website. 38.5 percent of users judge a business by how its website looks at first glance, so make sure it sets the right tone from the get-go.
Be leading edge by including generative AI features such as chatbots, but don’t forget the basics like really good design and a sleek, intuitive user experience.
Studies have found that 70 percent of a website users’ time is taken up looking at the left side of the screen, so place your most important information there.
2. Content is King
Content has revolutionised the marketing game: the number of organisations reporting that they had a content strategy in place jumped an astonishing twenty points in just two years, from 77 percent in 2019 to 97 percent in 2021. Although that’s fallen back a little, still nine out of ten companies employ a content strategy as part of their marketing mix.
Google loves genuine – i.e. non ChatGPT generated – content, so an SEO-optimised blog on your website is a must.
But a good content campaign isn’t only about including SEO-friendly keywords. When building your content campaign, don’t forget the human element. A blog that your target audience finds useful and engaging will attract visitors to your site, on your pages for longer, and position you and your brand as a thought leader in your field.
The next step in a deftly crafted content campaign is to broaden its reach. Repurpose blog posts into multiple social media posts that will capture the imaginations of your target audience. However, don’t fall into the trap of pumping out social content just to keep the algorithm happy. Make social media work for you. Consider turning your most engaging core team members into thought leaders who can act as ambassadors for your brand on the platforms most likely to work for you – for IT, that’s LinkedIn and X – helping your target audience build a personal connection to your brand.
Finally, be social! Interact with industry influencers and potential clients (that doesn’t mean just a simple follow!)
3. Leverage the Power of Tech Influencers
IT firms face a particular challenge in their marketing: their target audience is likely to be digital-savvy and highly educated.
Given this, your potential customers tend to be put off by anything that sounds salesy and insincere, preferring instead to look for industry-trusted brands. That’s why influencer marketing has emerged as a pivotal strategy for many tech firms looking to expand.
Just one mention from the right influencer with a strong following among your target audience can be a huge boost for a tech firm looking to land that first corporate whale, but don’t think that you have to partner with a macro-influencer – that’s one with over 100,000 followers to gain success. Micro-influencers – those with a following of 1,000 to 100,000 people – generate up to 60% more engagement than macro influencers. So choosing the right person to work with is not just a matter of picking the person with the largest following. Look for someone whose opinion is trusted by the people you’re looking to win over.
The key to forging a great relationship with an influencer is to set clear expectations, and to make sure the partnership is mutually beneficial. Consider offering exclusive access to new products, collaboration on a new innovation, or a behind the scenes look at your company.
Ensure that your influencer is granted creative freedom, but don’t forget that the content also needs to meet your goals too.
4. Offer Free Trials, or Stage Demos at Industry Events
Humans like experiences, so don’t merely tell your target audience how great your product is, show them. Consider offering corporate clients a trial period in which they can take your product for a test run, and make sure your staff are on hand to show them how to get the best out of it.
Industry events and trade shows are also ideal opportunities to showcase what your company can do. Rather than parking your team behind a desk with a handful of brochures, encourage them to use their imaginations to create an immersive experience for delegates. Getting people excited about your product and what it can do for their business is vital.
5. Get Ranked on Peer-to-Peer Review Sites
Trust is a major commodity in the tech industry, and particularly so when large budgets are at stake. Consequently, getting your company ranked on a peer-to-peer review site like Clutch, G2, or Capterra is a must for any marketer in the tech sector.
Research the platforms most likely to be effective for you, then (nicely) ask previous satisfied clients to write a review to get started. Include links to your profile in your feedback process going forward, to help build your brand’s profile and rise up the rankings.
It’s also worth considering paying for advertising slots on the platforms most likely to be of benefit. Only one in six tech companies report that they are not currently spending any money on review sites; one in five are spending between US$ 11,000 and US$ 25,000 a year. It’s not cheap, but it can put you in front of the right people.
Conclusion
Landing larger corporate clients can be time consuming as they require a more thoughtful, polished campaign and a higher level of trust before signing, but the rewards that come with corporate clients are worth it.
If you would like some ideas as to what you can do now to land those big-budget corporate whales, book a time to chat. We’ve helped many independent IT companies do exactly that.
