Episode 153 of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast features Joshua Feinberg, CEO at DCSMI.
- Understand how to conduct effective buyer persona research within the data center sector
- Identify practical techniques for business development leaders to contact new customers
- Define and target ideal client profiles for consulting firms in facilities, technology, and infrastructure
- Pinpoint strategies to generate and qualify leads for professional service businesses
- Develop compelling and evergreen content as a data center analytics provider
- Accelerate sales cycles for modular data centers with both digital and hyper-local marketing approaches
- Host and leverage educational events to build trust with potential clients
- Close sales for advanced data center simulations and immersive experiences by building buyer consensus
- Differentiate your team as trusted advisors rather than transactional vendors
- Build and nurture relationships with investors for data center development projects in the energy sector
Host:
Joshua Feinberg, CEO
DCSMI
Joshua Feinberg discusses various sales and marketing challenges in the data center industry. He emphasizes the importance of understanding buyer personas, particularly for business development leaders, who need to engage early and often with potential customers. He advises on identifying leads for data center facilities consulting firms by defining ideal client profiles and target accounts.
For data center analytics providers, he suggests creating evergreen content that addresses key goals and challenges of stakeholders. He also outlines strategies for modular data center sales, including hyper-local and digital marketing, and for closing sales of advanced data center simulations by building trust and demonstrating value.
Lastly, he addresses how oil and gas companies can raise capital for data center projects by targeting relevant investors. Joshua Feinberg discusses strategies for raising capital for data center development projects, emphasizing the importance of building relationships with investors through multiple touchpoints and proactive communication.
He advises identifying target investors, understanding their interests, and educating them about the industry and company. Feinberg highlights the significance of hosting events like investor days and roadshows to foster trust and professional branding. He also encourages Subscribing to the Data Center Sales and Marketing Newsletter for updates and connecting on LinkedIn for further engagement. The podcast is sponsored by DCSMI, aiming to support sales and marketing professionals in the data center industry.
Action Items
- Understand the difference between contacting new potential customers versus new actual customers for a data center infrastructure business development leader.
- Identify the ideal client profile, including geographic location, company size, and industry, for a data center facilities technology and infrastructure consulting firm.
- Develop content that appeals to the prioritized buyer personas, such as technologists or facilities professionals, for a data center analytics provider.
- Implement a hybrid approach of in-person events and virtual/digital engagement to accelerate modular data center sales cycles.
- Position the sales team as consultants, teachers, and trusted advisors to close sales for advanced data center simulations and immersive experiences.
- Build a target investor profile and nurture relationships with potential investors, both in the data center and oil and gas sectors, to raise capital for data center development projects.
Outline
Understanding Buyer Personas in Data Center Sales
- Joshua Feinberg introduces the concept of buyer persona research, emphasizing the importance of understanding the world of technology and infrastructure professionals.
- He welcomes listeners to the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast, encouraging them to leave comments about their roles and locations in the data center industry.
- Joshua outlines the agenda for the episode, covering topics such as business development leaders finding time to contact new customers, identifying leads for data center facilities consulting firms, and developing fresh content for data center analytics providers.
- He highlights the importance of understanding the needs and challenges of different stakeholders in the data center ecosystem, including technologists, facilities managers, and construction professionals.
Challenges for Business Development Leaders
- Joshua discusses the challenges faced by business development leaders in contacting new customers, differentiating between potential and actual customers, and the importance of pre-sales versus post-sales activities.
- He explains the nuances of defining ideal client profiles, target account lists, and buyer personas based on the nature of the business model and the size and industry of the target clients.
- Joshua emphasizes the need for business development teams to shift from traditional outbound prospecting to becoming trusted advisors and subject matter experts.
- He highlights the importance of understanding the goals and challenges of potential customers to create empathetic and effective outbound marketing strategies.
Identifying Leads for Data Center Facilities Consulting Firms
- Joshua explains the process of identifying leads for data center facilities consulting firms, starting with defining ideal client profiles based on geography, company size, and industry.
- He discusses the importance of having a clear understanding of unit economics, sales cycles, and profit margins to ensure product/market fit and go-to-market fit.
- Joshua emphasizes the need for consulting firms to specialize in specific industries and company sizes, and to build targeted account lists and buyer personas.
- He highlights the importance of using filters and lists in CRM systems to segment and personalize lead generation and nurturing efforts.
Developing Fresh Content for Data Center Analytics Providers
- Joshua discusses the challenges of developing fresh content for data center analytics providers, emphasizing the need for evergreen content that focuses on the goals and challenges of prioritized buyer personas.
- He explains the importance of understanding the needs of technologists and facilities professionals, and the different types of content that appeal to each group.
- Joshua highlights the need for content to be client-driven, addressing the specific goals and challenges of potential customers in their own words.
- He emphasizes the importance of creating a content calendar and editorial calendar that aligns with the needs and interests of the target audience, and the role of empathy in developing effective content.
Accelerating Modular Data Center Sales Cycles
- Joshua explains the two main playbooks for accelerating modular data center sales cycles: long-distance digital marketing and hyper-local offline marketing.
- He discusses the importance of understanding the geographic and logistical constraints of modular data centers, and the need for hyper-local marketing to be tied to manufacturing capabilities.
- Joshua highlights the importance of hosting educational events and tours to build awareness and trust with potential customers.
- He emphasizes the need for modular data center providers to create compelling content and experiences that motivate potential customers to spend time learning from the company's experts.
Closing Sales for Advanced Data Center Simulations
- Joshua discusses the challenges of closing sales for advanced data center simulations and immersive experiences, emphasizing the need to demonstrate value and earn the trust of potential customers.
- He explains the importance of understanding the business model, ideal buyers, and unit economics to create a targeted sales strategy.
- Joshua highlights the need for sales teams to act as consultants, teachers, and trusted advisors, and to build relationships with potential customers over time.
- He emphasizes the importance of creating a buyer's journey roadmap that addresses the leading indicators of potential customers being in the market for simulation software.
Raising Capital for Data Center Development Projects
- Joshua explains the challenges faced by oil and gas companies in raising capital for data center development projects, and the importance of understanding the needs and interests of potential investors.
- He discusses the different types of investors, including those specializing in digital infrastructure and those specializing in oil and gas, and the importance of building a targeted investor profile.
- Joshua highlights the need for companies to start building relationships with potential investors months or weeks before a capital raise is needed.
- He emphasizes the importance of educating and building trust with key stakeholders in investment companies, including limited partners and equity research analysts.
Stakeholder Management and Investor Engagement
- Joshua Feinberg discusses the importance of identifying key stakeholders in a company, particularly the CTO, CEO, Chief Investment Officer, and Chief Financial Officer, in the process of capital raising.
- He emphasizes the need to keep track of potential investors and stakeholders using a CRM system and to send outbound messages to initiate meetings.
- Joshua advises on the importance of sharing updates with investors over multiple touchpoints to build trust and educate them about the company's progress.
- He highlights the significance of proactively adding insights about the macro level in the industry and category that would be of interest to investors, through various content formats like blogs, videos, LinkedIn content, and emails.
Building Professional Branding and Trust
- Joshua Feinberg explains the strategy of hosting investor days and roadshow events to ensure investors are well-informed about the company before the pitch meeting.
- He stresses the importance of building a strong professional branding for the company to attract investors and gain their trust.
- Joshua advises on identifying target investors who would be a good fit for having a board seat and bringing expertise to the company.
- He suggests involving multiple investors, including a lead investor and secondary investors, each bringing different expertise to the table.
Strategic Approach to Investor Relations
- Joshua Feinberg outlines the mechanics and strategy for engaging with target investors, including understanding their company and individual levels, and what they care about.
- He emphasizes the importance of getting early access to educate and build trust with investors before the pitch meeting or negotiating the term sheet.
- Joshua advises on the need to be clear about the target investors and their expertise to make informed decisions.
- He highlights the importance of educating and building trust with investors over a period of multiple months to ensure a successful capital raise.
Engagement with the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast
- Joshua Feinberg invites listeners to submit ideas, topics, questions, or challenges for the upcoming Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast episodes.
- He encourages listeners to subscribe to the Data Center Sales and Marketing newsletter to stay informed about upcoming educational events and resources.
- Joshua provides information on how to sign up for the newsletter and connect with him on LinkedIn.
- He expresses his willingness to connect with listeners on LinkedIn and become an extended part of their network.
Sponsorship and Future Episodes
- Joshua Feinberg mentions that the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast is sponsored by DCSMI, which aims to elevate the role of sales, marketing, and go-to-market professionals in the growth of the data center industry.
- He encourages listeners to stay informed about upcoming episodes by Subscribing to the Data Center Sales and Marketing Newsletter on the DCSMI website.
- Joshua provides the URL for the DCSMI website for easy access to subscription and other resources.
- He expresses his excitement for future episodes and the challenges they will tackle to help data center professionals capitalize on growth opportunities.
Resources
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