Joshua Feinberg and Viggy Hegde discuss the evolving nature of data center marketing, emphasizing the need for marketers to understand and adapt to end-customer needs.
They highlight smaller companies' challenges in maintaining a strong marketing presence throughout the customer journey, especially in the awareness and consideration stages.
Hegde points out that resource allocation in marketing teams varies based on the target audience, with hyperscale customers requiring fewer marketers due to the limited number of buyers.
Feinberg adds that unit economics significantly impact resource allocation. Retail colocation models require different strategies and investments than hyperscale deals.
Both agree on the importance of a well-strategized, customer-focused approach over a one-size-fits-all strategy.
This video is excerpted from the podcast Ep. #44 Viggy Hegde, Vice President of Marketing at Compu Dynamics | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast.
Action Items
- Constantly engage with the limited number of target customers and stay in front of them to understand their requirements and growth plans.
- Ensure the marketing and sales strategy is tailored to the specific solutions and target customer base, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
- Analyze the unit economics and resource constraints to determine the appropriate level of investment in the go-to-market approach, rather than simply emulating others in the market.
- Develop and implement content marketing, buyer personas, lead nurturing, and thought leadership strategies to address the increased importance of the self-propelled buyer journey.
Outline
Challenges in Marketing to End Customers
- Joshua Feinberg discusses the importance of marketers getting closer to their end customers to understand their needs and preferences.
- He highlights the challenges of smaller companies in being present throughout the customer journey, especially in the awareness and consideration stages.
- Joshua notes that larger, more established companies with more resources tend to do a better job in marketing compared to smaller companies.
- He emphasizes the significant gap between companies bridging the full customer journey and those that cannot.
Resource Allocation in Marketing Teams
- Viggy Hegde agrees with Joshua and adds that the number of resources needed on a marketing team depends on the target audience.
- He explains that a smaller marketing team might suffice for hyperscale customers due to the limited number of buyers.
- Viggy stresses the importance of having a strategy to engage with these limited targets constantly.
- He contrasts this with colocation models, which require a different strategy and potentially a larger marketing team.
Strategies for Different Market Models
- Viggy Hegde elaborates on the need for different strategies based on the market model, whether hyperscale or colocation.
- He mentions that a one-size-fits-all approach is ineffective and that companies should apply the right model for their specific needs.
- Viggy shares examples of companies in the hyperscale and colocation spaces that have successfully implemented these strategies with varying team sizes.
- He highlights the importance of staying in touch with end users and buyers, regardless of the market model.
Unit Economics and Resource Constraints
- Joshua Feinberg brings up the impact of unit economics on resource allocation for marketing teams.
- He explains the difference in staffing needs between selling retail colocation and large hyperscale deals.
- Joshua notes that many companies emulate successful models without considering the contextual fit for their own business.
- He emphasizes the importance of determining the right unit economics to determine what a resource-constrained company can afford to invest in.
The Role of Content Marketing and Buyer Journey
- Joshua Feinberg discusses the significance of content marketing, buyer personas, lead nurturing, and thought leadership in the modern buyer journey.
- He mentions a statistic about the number of touchpoints between a stranger and a purchase decision, highlighting the extensive coverage required.
- Joshua points out that companies that have not traditionally focused on these concepts now find them more important than ever.
- He underscores the need for companies to adapt to these new marketing strategies to stay competitive.
Resources
Watch the full podcast Ep. #44 Viggy Hegde, Vice President of Marketing at Compu Dynamics | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast
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