Inside the mind of the IT buyer

Inside the mind of the IT buyerApplying Myers-Briggs to the tech market

What we did... We asked just under 1,000 IT professionals in the US, UK, France and Germany a series of questions designed to elicit their Myers-Briggs profiles We wanted to see whether some profiles were more dominant than others and how they differ from country to country And we were interested in how the results could help us create more powerful messages for our clients

Myers-Briggs Myers-Briggs divides people into 4 groups with 4 personalities in each group Thousands of people take these tests every year – and have done so for 50 years These personalities tell us how people think, how they make decisions, how they like to be communicated with and how they view innovation

Groups and types Opportunists (SP) Controllers (SJ) Peacemakers (NF) Strategists (NT) Skilled ‘real world’ tacticians Skilled logisticians Skilled diplomats Skilled strategically Generally optimistic Careful traditionalists Intuitive idealists Rational dreamers Love innovation Organised, stable, sensible Community-driven Love new theories Impulsive – excite me! Pessimistic about future Cling to beliefs, all or nothing Detached, contemplative Interested in ‘here and now’ Dutiful towards others Passionate, emotional Experimental, sceptics Like to be challenged Seek security, hate change Creative, imaginative Analytical, theoretical Dislike theory Like concrete tangibles Like theory and possibilities Knowledge-seeking Like colourful language Suspicious of technology Future-oriented Ingenious, inventive Publicist (ESTP) Supervisor (ESTJ) Influencer (ENFJ) Leader (ENTJ) Craftsman (ISTP) Auditor (ISTJ) Mentor (INFJ) Planner (INTJ) Charmer (ESFP) Enabler (ESFJ) Storyteller (ENFP) Inventor (ENTP) Assembler (ISFP) Protector (ISFJ) Healer (INFP) Architect (INTP) To decode the 4 letter codes, see http://www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html

No even split The 16 personalities do not neatly divide across the general population In the US, the largest single personality (ESTJ) accounts for 15% of all people The lowest (INFJ) represents just 2%

Across the US In the population as a whole some groups are bigger than others 23% 43% 18% 16% INFJ ENTJ INTJ ENTP INTP ENFJ INFP ISTP ISFP ENFP ESTP ESFP ISTJ ISFJ ESFJ ESTJ

How do IT pros compare?

US IT pros Nothing like the average 28% 39% ENFJ INFJ ENFP US pop. INFP 23% US pop. US pop. ENTJ INTJ ENTP US pop. ESFP ISFP US pop. US pop. ESTP US pop. 10% US pop. US pop. US pop. US pop. ESFJ ISFJ US pop. INTP US pop. US pop. ESTJ ISTP US pop. US pop. ISTJ

This sure ain’t Kansas anymore What did we learn? In the US, 3 key personality types account for 59% of all IT professionals surveyed In mid-market companies, 1 type alone accounts for 38% of IT professionals Small businesses have a far more strategic outlook than many would expect 85% of IT professionals will naturally disbelieve anything you tell them

What should you do about it? Focus on evolution not revolution – show where new products come from, how they extend from current ‘knowns’ Focus on long-term consistent messaging over short bursts of activity Always have precise evidence to back your claims – don’t be vague or ambiguous – avoid hype Show the steps involved in your solution, focus on practical implementation over theoretical possibility Build a loyalty component into your customer relationships and be very loyal to your customers

New world vs old world The US and Europe are very different The top personality type in the US accounts for just 5% of European IT professionals surveyed Company size is far less significant than in the US but nationality creates radical variations of type France and Germany are absolute polar opposites – the UK treads a middle line These results pose serious questions for those running global marketing campaigns

UK IT pros The most balanced picture 30% 16% 20% ENFP 35% ESTJ ESFJ ISFJ ENFJ ISTJ INFJ INFP ESFP ISFP ESTP ENTJ ENTP INTP INTJ ISTP

What should you do about it? Focus on balancing the long-term big picture with short-term practical benefits Use analytical frameworks that balance theory with the tangible results of applying that theory Don’t focus on rigid route maps to success, highlight flexibility of approach and solution The human effects of change will be of limited interest Maintain regular communication, UK IT professionals are prone to constantly reassessing solutions

French IT pros Strategists dominate 30% ESTJ ISTJ ESFJ ISFJ ENFJ INFJ ENFP 50% 8% INFP ESTP ESFP ISFP 12% ENTJ ISTP ENTP INTJ INTP

What should you do about it? Focus on theory over application – 80:20 Build strong rational arguments but acknowledge there is never just one, single solution Deliver thorough analysis and impeccable logic Focus on models rather than rules – maintain flexibility Don’t be afraid to speculate about the future but show how that future stems from present theories Highlight the big picture over detail

German IT pros Opportunists rule 50% 11% ESFJ ISFJ ENFJ INFJ ENFP INFP 16% ESTJ ISTJ 5% ENTJ INTJ ENTP INTP ESFP ISFP ESTP ISTP

What should you do about it? Focus on application over theory – 80:20 Highlight the immediate and short-term benefits – let the here and now dominate Make it real with who, what, why, where, when etc – provide tangible evidence to back up claims Demonstrate specific actions that can be taken quickly Where theory is required, demonstrate the real world impact Look to overcome short attention spans, cut to the chase and don’t waste their time

Words of caution These are the top line results of the study – the profiles it led to cover 60 different elements of personality The sample size is not enormous – just under 1,000 The study does not have the accuracy of the full MBTI™ test – which asks 10 times the number of questions (although ours generated comparable results to other Myers-Briggs tests we compared it to) The approach appears to work when applied to specific job roles (eg IT), it does not work for more generalised business and management roles as those people tend to come from a wide range of personalities We hope you found it interesting

A bit about us In the office, in the home and on the road, technology is changing the world. At Banner, we help the world's leading technology companies accelerate the adoption of their ideas, products and services. We build brands. We generate demand. And we create sales momentum. So whether online, offline or in person, we can help you succeed faster and further. Discover more at www.b1.com and on our blog at www.b1blog.com

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Inside the mind of the IT buyer

by Jay Ball on Mar 15, 2010

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Inside the mind of the IT buyer — Presentation Transcript