Ep. 135 Joshua Feinberg, CEO of DCSMI | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast

Episode 135 of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast features Joshua Feinberg, CEO at DCSMI.

Generate leads for a colocation data center on a low budget
Create targeted educational events that attract ideal clients
Develop a demand response program for modernizing power grids
Identify strategies for connecting with data center sales representatives
Design budget-friendly solutions for modular data centers
Improve demand generation for IT physical infrastructure companies
Address budget challenges for edge data center providers
Build an ideal client profile that focuses on precise market segments
Transform sales team approaches from traditional selling to educational consulting
Craft content that positions your company as a trusted industry advisor
Leverage small, targeted events for maximum marketing impact
Understand the changing landscape of B2B technology sales and marketing

Host:
Joshua Feinberg, CEO
DCSMI

Joshua Feinberg discusses effective strategies for generating leads on a low budget for colocation data centers. He emphasizes the importance of hosting owned events, such as breakfast seminars and lunch and learns, to educate and build trust with potential clients. He also highlights the need for a well-defined ideal client profile (ICP) to target specific geographic areas and company sizes.

Additionally, he covers the importance of understanding buyer personas and leveraging educational content to drive demand.

For modular data centers, he advises focusing on budget-friendly solutions and segmenting the market based on company size and geographic location. Joshua Feinberg emphasizes the need for client-facing teams in the data center industry to evolve from traditional sales roles to becoming trusted advisors and subject matter experts. He argues that hosting educational events tailored to specific ideal client profiles can be more effective and cost-efficient than attending large conferences.

Feinberg highlights the importance of understanding the needs of decision-makers, such as CFOs and CTOs, and tailoring events to address their budget constraints. He also discusses the unique challenges and strategies for edge data center providers, focusing on optimizing location and minimizing latency while managing budget constraints effectively.

Action Items

Determine the ideal client profile (ICP) for the colocation data center business, including geographic location and company size.
Develop a series of educational events like breakfast seminars, lunch and learns, and webinars to educate and build trust with the primary and secondary buyer personas.
Identify the key stakeholders (primary, secondary, tertiary buyer personas) for the data center energy storage company and understand their goals and challenges.
Create a target account list and tailor the website, content, and educational events to address the budget-related goals and challenges of the modular data center provider's ideal client profile.
Determine the ideal client profile for the IT physical infrastructure company, including geographic location, company size, and relevant industries. Develop an educational content and event strategy to position the company as trusted advisors.
Identify the ideal client profile for the edge data center provider, including geographic location, company size, and relevant industries. Understand the budget-related goals and challenges of the key stakeholders.

Outline

Generating Leads on a Low Budget

Joshua Feinberg discusses the benefits of hosting owned events for generating leads on a low budget.
Emphasizes the importance of creating awareness and perceived value to attract the right attendees.
Suggests segmenting events for different buyer personas, including channel partners and secondary buyers.
Highlights the potential of hosting multiple events monthly, each tailored to specific audiences.

Introduction to the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast

Joshua Feinberg introduces the podcast, welcoming new and returning viewers.
Encourages viewers to share their location and role in the data center industry.
Outlines the agenda for the week, including topics on lead generation, data center expansion, and energy storage.
Invites viewers to suggest topics for future shows and to subscribe to the data center sales and marketing newsletter.

Generating Leads in Defined Geographies

Joshua Feinberg explains the two playbooks for generating leads: hyper-local and global/virtual.
Advises focusing on successful client segments to define the ideal client profile (ICP).
Emphasizes the importance of a well-defined ICP for both hyper-local and global strategies.
Discusses the need for multiple locations to offer sophisticated client solutions and the benefits of having a variety of facilities.

Educational Events for Lead Generation

Joshua Feinberg outlines the strategy of hosting educational events like breakfast seminars and lunch and learns.
Highlights the importance of providing valuable content to build trust and educate potential clients.
Suggests using email marketing automation to invite attendees and track engagement.
Emphasizes the role of client-facing team members as educators and trusted advisors.

Creating a Data Center Expansion Demand Response Program

Joshua Feinberg discusses the challenges and opportunities in modernizing grids for high-performance computing and AI.
Highlights the significant investment in data center infrastructure and the need for alternative energy sources.
Explains the importance of understanding the business model and target market for grid modernization solutions.
Advises on building a target account list and identifying key stakeholders for effective demand generation.

Connecting with Data Center Reps

Joshua Feinberg explains the role of manufacturers' reps in selling energy storage solutions.
Discusses the challenges of finding reps willing to take on early-stage products in new markets.
Emphasizes the importance of having a track record of successful channel partner programs.
Advises on building strong relationships with reps through education and trust-building.

Providing Budget-Friendly Solutions with Modular Data Centers

Joshua Feinberg outlines the operational and financial considerations for offering budget-friendly modular data centers.
Advises on defining the ideal client profile, including geographic location and company size.
Emphasizes the importance of understanding the goals and challenges of primary and secondary buyer personas.
Suggests using educational content to address budget-related issues and build trust with potential clients.

Improving Demand Generation for IT Physical Infrastructure Companies

Joshua Feinberg discusses the importance of segmenting the market to focus on the most relevant segments.
Advises on defining the ideal client profile, including geographic location, company size, and industry fit.
Emphasizes the need for a well-defined target account list and understanding the goals and challenges of key stakeholders.
Suggests using educational content and events to build trust and educate potential clients.

Addressing Edge Data Center Budget Challenges

Joshua Feinberg discusses the challenges of addressing budget constraints in edge data centers.
Advises on understanding the specific needs and constraints of edge data center clients.
Emphasizes the importance of providing cost-effective solutions that meet the needs of edge data center operators.
Suggests using educational content and events to build trust and educate potential clients.

Evolving Client-Facing Roles in Physical Infrastructure

Joshua Feinberg emphasizes the need for client-facing team members to transition from traditional sales roles to becoming teachers, consultants, subject matter experts, and trusted advisors.
The importance of showing up as thought leaders in physical infrastructure is highlighted, aiming to be part of clients' learning and professional development.
Resisting this shift results in being seen as a commodity broker, competing solely on price.
By providing valuable insights, client-facing teams can motivate clients to bring in colleagues and decision-makers, enhancing educational content and events.

The Impact of Educational Events

Joshua Feinberg discusses the limitations of large global and national events, where only a few companies get to educate attendees.
Hosting one's own educational events allows for better control over who attends and who teaches, providing more targeted value.
Small educational events with the right attendees can yield significant returns on investment, even with fewer participants.
The cost of virtual events is much lower compared to traditional conferences, making them more accessible and cost-effective.

Effective Event Strategies for Small Audiences

Joshua Feinberg explains that small educational events can be highly effective, especially when attended by the right people from target accounts.
The focus should be on quality rather than quantity, ensuring that the attendees fit the ideal client profile.
Virtual events can be cost-efficient, requiring minimal investment in travel, accommodations, and logistics.
In-person events can be held in existing facilities, such as classrooms or conference rooms, with minimal additional costs.

Optimizing Event Budgets

Joshua Feinberg advises companies to identify and prioritize events that align with their ideal client profile, eliminating those that are not relevant.
The cost of small educational events is significantly lower than large conferences, making them more budget-friendly.
Mistakes in small events are less costly, allowing for more flexibility and experimentation.
The goal is to build trust and educate key stakeholders from target accounts, enhancing the company's perceived value and demand generation.

Addressing Budget Challenges in Edge Data Centers

Joshua Feinberg introduces the topic of budget challenges for edge data center providers, emphasizing the need for efficient operations.
Edge data centers primarily serve technologists and operators, requiring a different approach to real estate and investment decisions.
The focus is on minimizing latency and optimizing location, rather than maximizing square footage or power capacity.
Budget challenges are addressed by involving key stakeholders, such as the CFO and CTO, in decision-making processes.

Understanding Ideal Client Profiles

Joshua Feinberg stresses the importance of understanding the ideal client profile for edge data centers, including location, size, and industry.
Edge data centers can serve a wide range of clients, from startups to large enterprises, requiring a flexible approach to minimum entry levels.
The goal is to identify the most profitable and strategic clients, tailoring marketing and sales strategies accordingly.
Knowing the ideal client profile helps in building a targeted account list and prioritizing outbound prospecting efforts.

Segmentation and Targeting Strategies

Joshua Feinberg explains the need for segmentation strategies to address the specific needs of different client profiles.
The focus should be on understanding the goals and challenges of each account, tailoring educational content and events accordingly.
Proactive budget challenges can be addressed by understanding the decision-making processes of key stakeholders, such as CEOs and CFOs.
The goal is to build a comprehensive go-to-market playbook that aligns with the ideal client profile and addresses budget constraints effectively.

Leveraging Industry-Specific Insights

Joshua Feinberg highlights the importance of industry-specific insights in addressing budget challenges for edge data centers.
Different industries have unique compliance, accreditation, and certification requirements that impact budget decisions.
Understanding these industry-specific needs helps in tailoring marketing and sales strategies to meet the specific requirements of each client.
The goal is to build a strong value proposition that addresses the unique needs of each industry, enhancing the company's perceived value.

Building Trust and Value

Joshua Feinberg emphasizes the need to build trust and provide value to clients, positioning the company as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert.
Educational events and content should be tailored to address the specific needs and challenges of each client profile.
The goal is to enhance the company's perceived value, improving demand generation and deal positioning.
By providing valuable insights and educational content, the company can differentiate itself from competitors and build long-term client relationships.

Final Thoughts and Call to Action

Joshua Feinberg concludes the episode by encouraging listeners to engage with the content and share their ideas and challenges.
Listeners are invited to leave comments with topics, challenges, or questions they would like to see addressed in future episodes.
The importance of subscribing to the data center sales and marketing newsletter is highlighted, providing valuable resources and updates.
Joshua Feinberg thanks the listeners for their time and encourages them to connect on LinkedIn and stay informed about upcoming educational events and resources.

Resources

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