Ep. #67 Joshua Feinberg, CEO at DCSMI | Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast

Episode #67 of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast features Day One of Data Center Go-to-Market 2025 Jumpstart with Joshua Feinberg, CEO at DCSMI.

Understand the importance of adapting your sales process to support the modern buyer's journey
Discover strategies for building a balanced go-to-market team with specialists and generalists
Connect the dots between marketing, sales, customer success, and product teams
Explore best practices for creating relevant and competitive content, including a video-first approach
Gain insights from data center sales and marketing leaders on the changing industry landscape
Identify key priorities and challenges for marketing and selling to CTOs and CIOs
Develop detailed buyer personas to understand better and engage your target audience
Implement an integrated content and thought leadership strategy across multiple formats

Host:

Joshua Feinberg, CEO
DCSMI

Joshua Feinberg from DCSMI hosted a three-day event on data center go-to-market strategies for 2025.

He emphasized the shift from traditional sales methods to a client-centric approach, where 83% of the buyer's journey occurs before sales contact.

Key strategies include adapting sales processes, building a balanced go-to-market team, and leveraging digital tools like video content.

Pre-recorded special podcast guests Patricia Alvina and Jon Clayton discussed the evolving roles of sales professionals and the importance of being seen as trusted advisors. David Rapoport and Viggy Hegde highlighted the need for efficiency and adaptability in business development and marketing roles, emphasizing the impact of generative AI and market growth.

The discussion emphasized the importance of early market engagement and AI readiness for data centers.

Key takeaways included adapting to new buyer behaviors and the evolving roles of CTOs and CIOs. CTOs focus on external projects, while CIOs handle internal projects. The addressable market for CTOs and CIOs was highlighted, with 300,000 CTOs globally and 82,000 in the US.

Effective marketing strategies involve understanding buyer personas, leveraging multiple content formats, and integrating long-form and short-form video content. The session concluded with a preview of upcoming topics on lead generation and closing sales faster.

Action Items

Rethink your sales team's approach to be seen as trusted advisors and subject matter experts.
Invest in video-first content creation and distribution to reach and educate buyers earlier in the buyer's journey.
Research and build detailed buyer personas for CTOs and CIOs to understand their goals, challenges better, and preferred engagement channels.
Develop an integrated content and thought leadership strategy that combines long-form videos, short-form videos, blogs, and downloadable premium content.

Outline

Introduction and Overview of Data Center Go-to-Market Event

Joshua Feinberg introduces himself and the purpose of the three-day event, Data Center Go-to-Market 2025 Jumpstart.
Participants are asked to share their location, role in the data center industry, and what they hope to learn from the event.
Joshua Feinberg outlines his background, including his work with data center go-to-market teams, hosting the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast, and his experience with HubSpot, Microsoft, and IBM.
He explains the evolution of the data center industry, particularly the shift from premise-based client-server to SaaS and cloud, and the various directions companies took during this transition.

Agenda for Day One and Importance of Sales Process Adaptation

Joshua Feinberg outlines the agenda for Day One, including Data Center Go-to-Market 101, changes in data center sales, and marketing to CTOs and CIOs.
He emphasizes the importance of adapting the sales process to support the buyer's journey, highlighting the shift towards a client-centric approach.
Joshua discusses the significant changes in purchase preferences over the past decade, with 83% of the buyer's journey now happening before sales contact.
He stresses the need for companies to show up early in the buyer's journey and the importance of being seen as trusted advisors and subject matter experts.

Building a Balanced Go-to-Market Team and Connecting Dots

Joshua Feinberg talks about the importance of building a balanced go-to-market team, including specialists and generalists, and the need for a mixture of early and late-stage players.
He uses the analogy of a professional sports team to explain the importance of having a balanced roster and the challenges of over-investing in late-stage players.
Joshua highlights the need for account executives and sales development reps to be seen as trusted advisors and subject matter experts, and the importance of connecting the dots between marketing, sales, customer success, and product teams.
He emphasizes the importance of a team-oriented approach and the need for leadership to create a trusting environment where team members support each other.

Strategies for Relevance and Competitiveness in Content Creation

Joshua Feinberg discusses the importance of planning, creating, and distributing content for maximum relevance and competitiveness.
He emphasizes the shift towards a video-first approach in content creation and the benefits of repurposing content across different formats.
Joshua highlights the need for companies to adapt to the changing buyer's journey and the importance of being seen as educators and trust builders.
He discusses the role of buyer personas and the importance of understanding the goals and challenges of different stakeholders to create effective content.

Special Guest Insights: Patricia Alvina and Jon Clayton

Patricia Alvina from Siemens shares her insights on the future of sales in data centers. She emphasizes the importance of understanding prospects' challenges and being active listeners.
Jon Clayton from Blancco Technology Group discusses the future of enterprise account managers and the shift towards a hybrid approach in data centers.
Joshua Feinberg highlights the importance of the backgrounds and expertise of sales professionals, such as Patricia's focus on energy and sustainability and Jon's experience as a business analyst.
The insights from Patricia and Jon reinforce the need for sales professionals to be well-informed and able to provide significant value to prospects and clients.

Rethinking Sales Prioritization and the Role of AI

Joshua Feinberg discusses the need to rethink sales prioritization and the importance of being seen as educators and trusted advisors.
He emphasizes the shift towards a digital-first approach and the need for sales professionals to be comfortable with video and social selling.
Joshua highlights the importance of understanding the purchase preferences of prospects and adapting the sales strategy accordingly.
He discusses the role of AI in the sales process and the need for sales teams to be equipped with the right tools and training to stay relevant in the AI era.

Special Guest Insights: David Rapoport and Viggy Hegde

David Rapoport, Chief Business Development Officer of ASOTO, discusses the changing role of a Chief Business Development Officer in power generation and energy storage.
He emphasizes the importance of using digital tools to increase efficiency and the need for sales and marketing teams to be more specialized.
Viggy Hegde, Vice President of Marketing at Compu Dynamics, talks about the future of data center marketing and the importance of staying current and visible.
Viggy highlights the role of generative AI and big data analytics in driving market demand and the need for marketing professionals to be well-informed and adaptable.

Conclusion and Call to Action

Joshua Feinberg summarizes the key takeaways from the discussion, emphasizing the importance of adapting to the changing buyer's journey and the need for sales and marketing teams to be seen as educators and trusted advisors.
He encourages participants to share their biggest takeaways and questions in the chat pane and Q&A feature.
Joshua introduces the next segment, which will focus on marketing and selling to CTOs and CIOs, and emphasizes the importance of being prepared for the future of data center sales and marketing.
He thanks the participants and sets the stage for the next part of the event.

Data Center Market Shifts and Early Adoption

Viggy Hegde emphasizes the importance of early market engagement to be ready when buyers are, highlighting a shift from past practices.
Joshua Feinberg discusses the disadvantages of not adopting early, including shrinking market share and sacrificing margins.
Viggy Hegde argues that claiming AI readiness for data centers is outdated, as the revolution is already in motion.
Joshua Feinberg stresses the importance of early adoption in digital marketing, noting that late adopters are at a significant disadvantage.

Introduction of David Rapoport and Viggy Hegde

Joshua Feinberg introduces David Rapoport from ASOTO, based in Latvia, and Viggy Hegde from Northern Virginia.
He invites participants to share their biggest takeaways from David and Viggy in the chat pane.
The discussion transitions to the importance of early adoption in data center sales and marketing.
Joshua Feinberg outlines the agenda for the day, focusing on marketing and selling to CTOs and CIOs.

Challenges in Marketing to CTOs and CIOs

Joshua Feinberg addresses the challenges of marketing to CTOs and CIOs, including lead generation and value proposition.
He discusses the importance of understanding budgeting processes and convincing customers to abandon self-construction aspirations.
The conversation highlights the need for a compelling value proposition and effective lead generation strategies.
Joshua Feinberg emphasizes the importance of engaging decision-makers and preparing teams for modern buyer preferences.

Roles and Responsibilities of CTOs and CIOs

Joshua Feinberg explains the roles of CTOs and CIOs, including their responsibilities in IT, innovation, and strategic planning.
He discusses the differences between CTOs and CIOs, noting that CTOs focus on external projects while CIOs focus on internal projects.
The conversation covers the hierarchy and reporting structures within organizations, including the impact of C-level positions.
Joshua Feinberg highlights the increasing involvement of CEOs and CFOs in hyperscale deals, reducing the CTO's final decision-making role.

Trends and Priorities of CTOs and CIOs

Joshua Feinberg shares insights from MIT and TechTarget on the roles and responsibilities of CTOs and CIOs.
He discusses the importance of resiliency, business alignment, and monetizing data for CIOs.
The conversation covers the increasing focus on digital transformation, cybersecurity, and AI for both CTOs and CIOs.
Joshua Feinberg highlights the importance of innovation and cybersecurity for CIOs, noting the rise of Chief Innovation Officers.

Addressable Market and Buyer Personas

Joshua Feinberg provides an overview of the addressable market for CTOs and CIOs, using LinkedIn Sales Navigator data.
He discusses the importance of understanding buyer personas and their goals, challenges, and job titles.
The conversation covers the fragmentation of the market and the opportunities for targeted marketing.
Joshua Feinberg emphasizes the need for a comprehensive go-to-market strategy based on accurate research and buyer personas.

Engaging CTO CIO Oscar

Joshua Feinberg introduces CTO CIO Oscar, a Chief Information Technology Officer with specific industry and company size preferences.
He discusses the importance of understanding Oscar's goals, challenges, and job title alternatives.
The conversation covers Oscar's membership in LinkedIn Groups, endorsed skills, and conference attendance.
Joshua Feinberg highlights the importance of building an effective go-to-market strategy based on detailed research and buyer personas.

Best Practices for Marketing to CTOs and CIOs

Joshua Feinberg emphasizes the importance of relevance and resonance in marketing to CTOs and CIOs.
He discusses the need for a buyer persona-driven approach, combining internal research with actual buyer feedback.
The conversation covers the importance of creating remarkable content and building trust with potential clients.
Joshua Feinberg highlights the role of subject matter experts in creating premium content and engaging with buyers.

Integrated Campaign Strategy

Joshua Feinberg outlines an integrated campaign strategy combining long-form video, medium-length video, and short-form video.
He discusses the importance of creating visual content, such as carousels and slide decks, to engage different audiences.
The conversation covers the process of transcribing videos to create downloadable premium content.
Joshua Feinberg emphasizes the need for a multi-channel approach to reach different segments of the market effectively.

Final Thoughts and Next Steps

Joshua Feinberg summarizes the key takeaways from the day's discussion on data center go-to-market strategies.
He previews the topics for the next two days, including lead generation and closing sales faster.
The conversation highlights the importance of staying ahead of market trends and adapting to changing buyer preferences.
Joshua Feinberg encourages participants to share their biggest takeaways and connect with him on LinkedIn.

Resources

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