How to Create a Hyperscale Data Center Go-to-Market Strategy

Joshua Feinberg discusses the creation of a go-to-market strategy for hyper-scale data center operators, emphasizing the need to understand where a company excels.

He highlights the importance of defining an ideal client profile (ICP) based on historical successes and industry-specific regulations.

Feinberg advises building a target account list and identifying key buyer personas, stressing that these should be based on external research rather than internal feedback.

He also underscores the shift in the buyer's journey, where 83% of it is completed before vendor contact, necessitating early engagement and positioning sales teams as trusted advisors and subject matter experts.

This video is excerpted from the podcast Ep. #55 Joshua Feinberg, CEO of DCSMI | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast.

Action Items

Conduct research to identify the company's best hyperscale clients and their common characteristics.
Define the ideal client profile based on the research findings.
Build a target account list of potential hyperscale clients.
Determine the key buyer personas within the target accounts.
Develop a content and event strategy tailored to educate and build trust with the identified buyer personas.
Reposition the client-facing teams to act as trusted advisors and subject matter experts.

Outline

Creating a Go-to-Market Strategy for Hyperscale Data Center Operators

Joshua Feinberg discusses the importance of creating a go-to-market strategy for hyperscale data center operators, highlighting recent conversations with industry executives.
He mentions the "Big Three" hyperscalers: Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and Amazon Web Services, and notes the increasing interest in hyperscale projects.
Joshua emphasizes the need to analyze case studies and historical successes to understand where a company excels with hyperscale solutions.
He explains the importance of defining an ideal client profile (ICP) based on industry, location, and company size to target the most suitable clients.

Defining the Ideal Client Profile (ICP)

Joshua outlines the process of identifying the best clients for hyperscale solutions by analyzing case studies and solutions pages.
He stresses the importance of understanding the regions, company sizes, and industries where the company has had the most success.
The ICP should include specific business models and regulatory qualifications, especially for regions like the European Union (EU) and the United States (US).
Once the ICP is defined, it can be used to build a target account list. Handling large accounts may require multiple teams.

Building a Target Account List and Identifying Buyer Personas

Joshua explains the process of building a target account list based on the ideal client profile. The list could include a few dozen to a few thousand accounts.
He discusses the importance of identifying the right people within these accounts, such as CTOs or CEOs, with whom to build relationships.
Joshua defines a buyer persona as a semi-fictional representation of an ideal client based on research and educated speculation.
He advises against over-indexing on internal feedback and emphasizes the need for external research to build accurate buyer personas.

Creating Content and Event Strategies for Buyer Personas

Joshua highlights the importance of aligning content and event strategies with the goals and challenges of each buyer persona.
He explains the need for a primary, secondary, and tertiary buyer persona, each requiring its own content and event strategy.
Joshua emphasizes the need for sales and marketing teams to show up as trusted advisors and subject matter experts rather than transaction-focused vendors.
He discusses the shift in the buyer's journey, which now occurs largely before vendor contact, necessitating early engagement strategies.

Implementing Effective Event and Content Strategies

Joshua suggests hosting smaller, targeted events, such as breakfast seminars or lunch-and-learn series, to build deep education and trust with specific buyer personas.
He explains the benefits of using internal speakers and facilities to host these events, which can be cost-effective and highly effective.
Joshua advises against relying solely on large conferences and instead focusing on grassroots efforts to engage with potential clients.
He emphasizes the importance of using buyer persona research to dictate content and event strategies, ensuring they are relevant and valuable to the target audience.

Repositioning for Relevance in the Modern Buyer's Journey

Joshua discusses the need for sales and marketing teams to reposition themselves as trusted advisors and subject matter experts to stay relevant in the modern buyer's journey.
He highlights the importance of early engagement with prospects to build trust and educate them throughout the buyer's journey.
Joshua explains the shift towards digital transformation and remote work, which has increased the importance of early engagement and trust-building.
He emphasizes the need for a comprehensive content and event strategy that aligns with each buyer persona's goals and challenges.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Joshua concludes by summarizing the key considerations for creating a go-to-market strategy for hyperscale data center operators.
He reiterates the importance of understanding the modern buyer's journey and adapting strategies to engage with prospects early and often.
Joshua emphasizes the need for a data-driven approach to defining buyer personas and building targeted content and event strategies.
He encourages companies to focus on grassroots efforts and targeted engagement to build deep trust and education with potential clients.