Episode #83 of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast features an interview with Joshua Feinberg, CEO at DCSMI.
- Identify the key buyer personas (investors, operations, management) for building a data center community and events business
- Develop a content and event strategy to educate and build trust with each buyer persona
- Leverage online and offline channels to promote and grow awareness of the data center community and events
- Reposition data center sales reps as consultants throughout the buyer's journey
- Implement an account-based marketing approach to target and engage the ideal channel partners
- Onboard and activate channel partners to generate more leads and revenue
Host:
Joshua Feinberg, CEO
DCSMI
Joshua Feinberg from DCSMI discusses strategies for building a community and events business for data center professionals, emphasizing the importance of understanding buyer personas through direct interviews and LinkedIn analysis. He highlights the shift to self-propelled buyer journeys, where prospects research extensively before engaging with sales teams, necessitating a consultative approach. He stresses the need for strong branding and educational content for data center construction projects. He also addresses repositioning sales reps as consultants and generating channel partner leads, advocating for clear differentiation, targeted recruitment, and ongoing support to build trust and loyalty.
Action Items
- Conduct buyer persona research to understand the goals, challenges, and behaviors of data center investment, operations, and management professionals.
- Create an editorial calendar and events strategy with general sessions and specialized tracks for the different buyer personas.
- Leverage LinkedIn Ads and outreach to promote the community and events to the target audience.
- Reposition data center sales reps as consultants and subject matter experts to earn their way into early and middle stages of the buyer's journey.
- Conduct competitive analysis on other channel partner programs to understand the landscape and positioning.
- Develop an onboarding and activation process to support new channel partners and help them be successful.
Outline
Building a Community and Events Business for Data Center Professionals
- Joshua Feinberg discusses the importance of understanding the needs and challenges of different buyer personas within the data center industry.
- Emphasizes the need for face-to-face or video interviews to gather accurate insights from data center investment, operations, and management professionals.
- Suggests using LinkedIn profiles and group activity to identify common goals, challenges, and behaviors among these personas.
- Recommends building an editorial and events calendar that caters to both general and specific needs of these personas, including general sessions and breakout sessions.
- Highlights the importance of providing value through online and offline educational events and community forums.
Engaging Data Center Relocation Decision Makers
- Joshua Feinberg addresses the challenge of getting data center relocation decision-makers to respond without warm introductions.
- Explains the shift from a sales-driven buyer's journey to a self-propelled buyer's journey, where prospects do most of the research independently.
- Emphasizes the need for sales professionals to act as trusted advisors and subject matter experts, providing value throughout the buyer's journey.
- Suggests using educational resources and events to build trust and educate prospects, reducing the reliance on warm introductions.
- Highlights the importance of providing value early and consistently, making it easier to engage prospects without needing introductions.
Marketing and Selling Data Center Construction Projects
- Joshua Feinberg discusses the importance of a strong company and professional brand in the data center construction industry.
- Emphasizes the need for construction companies to adapt to the self-propelled buyer's journey by providing educational content and thought leadership.
- Suggests using LinkedIn, YouTube, webinars, and other digital channels to reach prospects and build trust.
- Highlights the role of executive leadership in driving this culture change and the importance of internal training and mentoring.
- Recommends targeting external stakeholders like regulators and utility companies to build a comprehensive brand and influence.
Repositioning Data Center Sales Reps as Consultants
- Joshua Feinberg explains the shift towards repositioning data center sales reps as consultants throughout the entire sales cycle.
- Emphasizes the importance of providing value and being seen as experts rather than traditional salespeople.
- Suggests specializing sales teams to develop deep expertise in specific business models and buyer personas.
- Highlights the need for a top-down initiative from executive leadership to drive this culture change.
- Recommends using educational content, events, and thought leadership to build trust and position sales reps as trusted advisors.
Marketing and Selling IT Asset Disposition and Data Center Services
- Joshua Feinberg discusses the importance of understanding the ideal client profile for IT asset disposition and data center services.
- Emphasizes the need to identify common characteristics among successful clients, such as geography, company size, and industry.
- Suggests building a target account list and creating buyer personas to guide marketing and sales efforts.
- Recommends providing educational content and events that address these personas' biggest goals and challenges.
- Highlights the importance of being seen as experts and providing value throughout the buyer's journey to earn prospects' trust.
Generating Channel Partner Leads for Colocation and Network Services Companies
- Joshua Feinberg discusses the importance of understanding a colocation and network services company's unique capabilities and value proposition.
- Emphasizes the need to clearly define what the company does and what it can offer as a channel partner.
- Suggests creating a target partner profile and building a target account list of potential channel partners.
- Recommends providing a straightforward onboarding process and ongoing support to channel partners.
- Highlights the importance of patience and education in building long-term relationships with channel partners.
Resources
- Connect with Joshua Feinberg, CEO at DCSMI, on LinkedIn
- Follow DCSMI on LinkedIn
- Follow the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast on LinkedIn
- Learn About DCSMI
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