Selling Tech to SMBs

2
INCREASING SALES TO SMBS
ORIGINAL RESEARCH  CUSTOM CONTENT

• Qualitative
• Live focus groups
• Online bulletin boards
• In-depth interviews
• Quantitative
• Custom phone / online
• SMB Pulse
• New SMB IT Pulse
Methods
• Ad, message, positioning
testing
• Attitudes and usage
• Brand awareness / perception
• Buyer identification
• Competitive perceptions
• Customer satisfaction / loyalty
• Market segmentation
• Media behaviors / preferences
• New product testing
• Persona / buyer journey
• Purchase intent, behaviors,
channels and preferences
Topics
3
Internal: Actionable product /
marketing insight
External: PR / social / content /
events / collateral
OutputsOutputs

4
Video
Email
Newsletters
Checklists /
Worksheets
Case StudiesArticles Blog Posts
White Papers
Podcasts
eBooks
PR Surveys
Social Media
Handbooks /
Guides
Webcasts
Slideshows
Infographics
Interactive
Tools
• Formats, topics and
outlets
• Peer data
• Creative brief
• Editorial calendar
• Distribution plan
• Content audit
• Content creation
• Analytics
Contribution
• Expert
• Actionable
• Relevant
• Easy to understand
• Professional
• Brand-building
• Custom
Principles
Direct Mail
Event
Collateral
Brochures /
Sell Sheets
Custom Pubs

The SMB tech adoption outlook, sales cycle
preferences and tech purchase process
WHAT WE’LL COVER
5
Attitudes towards tech
Purchase intent and process
Role of content
Brand perception

METHODOLOGY
6
1
2
3
HOW
WHO
WHEN
Online survey via the Bredin.com/SMBPulse
500 principals of U.S. companies with ≤500 employees (4% +/- CI)
March 9-19, 2018
Representative mix of industries, business ages, locations etc.
250 VSB
<20 employees
(97.7% weighting)
150 SB
20-99 employees
(2.0% weighting)
100 MB
100-500 employees
(0.3% weighting)

It is an expense that we try to minimize; we only adopt technology when absolutely necessary
It is important, but we wait until technology is proven before we adopt it
We see it as essential to our business success, and adopt / develop it aggressively
Tech ‘importance’ increases with company size
8
n=498
Which of these statements best describes your company's attitude towards technology?
ATTITUDES TOWARDS TECH
17%
47%
35%
Total
18%
47%
35%
VSB (<20)
9%
36%
55%
SB (20-99)
9%
29%
62%
MB (100-500)

It is an expense that we try to minimize; we only adopt technology when absolutely necessary
It is important, but we wait until technology is proven before we adopt it
We see it as essential to our business success, and adopt / develop it aggressively
‘Hypergrowth’ SMBs – and Millennials – aggressively adopt new tech
9
n=498
Which of these statements best describes your company's attitude towards technology?
DOES TECH FUEL GROWTH?
11%
34%54%
18-34
19%
53%
28%
35-49
18%
47%
34%
50+
20%
47%
32%
No growth
16%
55%
29%
Slow growth
16%
45%
39%
Fast growth
12%
25%
63%
Hypergrowth
17%
47%
35%
Total

32%
34%
44%
44%
44%
45%
46%
46%
49%
51%
51%
Improve employee satisfaction / productivity
Improve mobile access to applications / data
Cost savings
Improve data security
Take advantage of a growth opportunity
Current solution is dated / not working well
Improve business performance / processes
Keep up with competitors
Keep up with changes in customers’ use of technology
Improve functionality
Improve reliability
Reliability and functionality are key for VSBs; business performance for SBs and MBs
10
TECH PURCHASE RATIONALE
VSB
(<20)
SB
(20-99)
MB
(100-500)
50% 57% 63%
50% 57% 62%
48% 58% 55%
46% 63% 65%
46% 66% 68%
44% 54% 58%
44% 61% 64%
44% 61% 62%
43% 63% 65%
34% 55% 48%
32% 60% 65%
n=500 % rated very important
On a scale of 1 (not at all important) to 3 (very important), please rate each of these possible reasons for purchasing new technology for your business:
Total

70% of SMBs say their tech investments have had a positive or very positive impact
11
n=496
Generally speaking, how would you describe the impact your company's investment in technology has had on your business success?
TECH IMPACT
Company Size
Respondent Age

Search, email newsletters, TV and peers are top drivers of awareness
13
n=500
What information sources do you use when you are assessing technology solutions for your business? Select the sources you are most likely to use to first learn about
technology solutions.
SMB TECH PRODUCT AWARENESS
s
26%
27%
27%
28%
28%
29%
29%
29%
30%
30%
30%
30%
31%
32%
32%
33%
38%
Podcast
Pinterest
YouTube
One-off email
Instagram
LinkedIn
Press release
Radio
Newspaper / magazine (print or online)
Twitter
Outdoor billboard or signage
Live event or trade show
Facebook
Peer / colleague
TV
Email newsletter
Search
VSB
(<20)
SB
(20-99)
MB
(100-500)
38% 31% 32%
33% 31% 27%
32% 37% 35%
32% 29% 29%
31% 35% 31%
30% 35% 25%
30% 33% 24%
30% 31% 29%
30% 30% 29%
29% 31% 27%
29% 27% 24%
28% 38% 31%
28% 31% 25%
28% 30% 26%
27% 30% 26%
27% 25% 32%
26% 29% 30%
Total

Your sales team is very important for awareness with SBs and MBs
14
n=500
What information sources do you use when you are assessing technology solutions for your business? Select the sources you are most likely to use to first learn about
technology solutions.
s
SMB TECH PRODUCT AWARENESS (CONTINUED)
s
18%
19%
19%
20%
20%
21%
21%
21%
22%
22%
23%
23%
23%
25%
25%
26%
26%
Analyst report
Video on a vendor’s website
Case study
Resources section of a vendor’s website
Interactive tool
eBook / guide / handbook
Call or meeting with a vendor sales…
Webinar / webcast
Forum or discussion board
White paper
Research report
Product section of a vendor’s website
In-house IT (or other) staff
Infographic
Postcard, letter or catalog in the mail
Blog
External / third-party IT (or other) consultant
VSB
(<20)
SB
(20-99)
MB
(100-500)
26% 23% 30%
26% 26% 27%
25% 31% 26%
24% 30% 26%
23% 28% 28%
23% 21% 25%
22% 28% 27%
22% 25% 23%
22% 20% 25%
21% 24% 23%
21% 31% 33%
21% 23% 19%
20% 23% 22%
20% 21% 24%
19% 25% 27%
18% 31% 26%
18% 19% 24%
Total

After search, your site is key for product research
15
n=500
What information sources do you use when you are assessing technology solutions for your business? Select the sources you are most likely to use to research technology
solutions.
s
SMB TECH PRODUCT RESEARCH
ss
27%
27%
28%
28%
29%
29%
29%
30%
30%
31%
32%
32%
33%
34%
37%
38%
48%
Email newsletter
Analyst report
Interactive tool
YouTube
Webinar / webcast
Peer / colleague
Research report
Case study
Search
VSB
(<20)
SB
(20-99)
MB
(100-500)
48% 45% 40%
38% 40% 41%
37% 42% 44%
34% 39% 44%
33% 39% 39%
32% 36% 37%
32% 37% 32%
31% 35% 41%
30% 35% 44%
30% 40% 46%
29% 40% 37%
29% 35% 38%
28% 37% 34%
28% 41% 42%
27% 42% 39%
27% 31% 40%
27% 37% 41%
Total

SBs rely heavily on tech consultants
16
n=500
What information sources do you use when you are assessing technology solutions for your business? Select the sources you are most likely to use to research technology
solutions.
SMB TECH PRODUCT RESEARCH (CONTINUED)
15%
16%
16%
18%
18%
19%
19%
20%
20%
21%
22%
23%
24%
24%
26%
26%
27%
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest
Radio
Facebook
LinkedIn
Press release
One-off email
Podcast
TV
White paper
Infographic
Blog
VSB
(<20)
SB
(20-99)
MB
(100-500)
27% 31% 32%
25% 40% 33%
25% 39% 39%
24% 29% 31%
24% 31% 41%
23% 23% 37%
22% 27% 39%
21% 30% 33%
20% 34% 35%
20% 29% 36%
19% 30% 39%
18% 31% 29%
18% 29% 27%
17% 34% 29%
16% 26% 33%
16% 25% 35%
14% 27% 31%
Total

Your site’s product section is the most important resource for SMBs to make a purchase decision
17
n=500
What information sources do you use when you are assessing technology solutions for your business? Select the sources you are to make a final purchase decision.
SMB TECH PRODUCT PURCHASE DECISION
12%
13%
13%
14%
15%
15%
16%
16%
18%
18%
18%
19%
19%
19%
19%
22%
24%
YouTube
Interactive tool
Webinar / webcast
White paper
Case study
Analyst report
Research report
Peer / colleague
Search
VSB
(<20)
SB
(20-99)
MB
(100-500)
24% 34% 32%
22% 27% 25%
19% 24% 22%
19% 33% 32%
19% 29% 26%
19% 27% 29%
18% 27% 34%
18% 27% 27%
18% 32% 35%
16% 23% 28%
16% 27% 25%
15% 24% 27%
14% 21% 20%
14% 25% 24%
13% 22% 20%
13% 23% 25%
12% 17% 24%
Total

SBs and MBs rely on significantly more resources than do VSBs
18
n=500
What information sources do you use when you are assessing technology solutions for your business? Select the sources you are to make a final purchase decision.
SMB TECH PRODUCT PURCHASE DECISION (CONTINUED)
7%
7%
7%
8%
8%
8%
9%
9%
9%
10%
10%
10%
11%
11%
11%
12%
12%
Pinterest
Podcast
Twitter
Instagram
Press release
Radio
Facebook
LinkedIn
One-off email
Email newsletter
Infographic
Blog
TV
VSB
(<20)
SB
(20-99)
MB
(100-500)
12% 19% 21%
11% 23% 31%
10% 25% 29%
10% 24% 23%
10% 18% 25%
10% 23% 26%
10% 20% 20%
10% 13% 23%
9% 21% 17%
9% 21% 22%
9% 19% 27%
8% 22% 21%
8% 21% 21%
8% 21% 21%
7% 19% 21%
7% 15% 20%
6% 18% 19%
Total

Have an IT director Do not have an IT director
20
n=500
Do you have a full-time internal IT director?
IT DIRECTOR STATUS
The presence of an IT director increases sharply at 20 employees...
12%
88%
Total
10%
90%
VSB (<20)
71%
29%
SB (20-99)
87%
13%
MB (100-500)

32%
33%
56%
59%
Managed service provider, for any kind of service
Phone hardware / software consulting, installation, service etc.
Hardware repair ("break / fix")
Hardware / software consulting, installation, service etc.
What kind of tech consultant do you have?
…as does the presence of an external IT consultant.
21
IT CONSULTANT STATUS
n=131
n=500
Do you have an external tech consultant?
Have a tech consultant Do not have a tech consultant
26%
74%
Total
26%
74%
VSB (<20)
54%
46%
SB (20-99)
69%
31%
MB (100-500)
SMBs in the professional services
segment are most likely to have an
external consultant with 33%
having one.
Large revenue SMBs ($5M+) are
twice as likely to have a consultant
compared to low revenue
companies (<$500k).

62%
66%
67%
69%
78%
79%
80%
80%
38%
34%
33%
31%
22%
21%
20%
20%
System software
Servers and storage
Application software
Routers / switches / wireless access points
Phone systems
PCs, desktops, laptops
Cellphones / tablets
Printers / copiers / faxes
For both hardware and software, SMBs would rather buy directly from the manufacturer
22
n= Ranges 472-488
For each of these tech product categories, please indicate whether you would rather purchase them from a tech consultant or direct from the vendor / manufacturer:
SMB PURCHASE CHANNEL PREFERENCE
Direct from the manufacturer Tech consultant

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
100-500
20-99
1-19
System software
100-500
20-99
1-19
Servers and storage
100-500
20-99
1-19
Application software
100-500
20-99
1-19
Routers / switches / wireless…
100-500
20-99
1-19
Phone systems
100-500
20-99
1-19
PCs, desktops, laptops
100-500
20-99
1-19
Cellphones / tablets
100-500
20-99
1-19
Larger SMBs are more likely to prefer purchasing from a tech consultant than VSBs
23
n= Ranges 472-488
For each of these tech product categories, please indicate whether you would rather purchase them from a tech consultant or direct from the vendor / manufacturer:
SMB PURCHASE CHANNEL PREFERENCE: COMPANY SIZE
Direct from the manufacturer Tech consultant

13%
10%
13%
16%
15%
15%
17%
21%
31%
27%
10%
15%
16%
15%
15%
16%
16%
17%
17%
23%
9%
10%
11%
12%
12%
15%
13%
17%
18%
18%
32%
36%
39%
42%
43%
45%
46%
54%
66%
68%
Phone system
Other system software
Onsite servers and storage
Database software
Routers / switches / wireless
access points
Operating systems
Tablets
Cellphone(s)
PCs / laptops / desktops
By the end of 2018 In 2019 After 2019 = % buying / upgrading
In 2018 SMB budgets, PCs and smartphones are the most likely purchase
24
n=Ranges 494-500
What is your best guess as to when you will buy new / additional, or upgrade, each of these technologies for your business?
SMB TECH PURCHASE OUTLOOK
Hypergrowth SMBs are the most likely to
buy ‘by the end of 2018’ in every single
product category vs. other SMBs.
In the PCs / laptops / desktops category
Hypergrowth SMBs are more than 3x
more likely to buy in 2018 than no growth
SMBs (57% vs. 17%).
Millennials are more likely to invest in 9 of
10 product categories vs. older SMBs. In
the tablets category 40% of Millennials
plan to buy or upgrade by the end of 2018,
vs only 18% (35-49) and 10% (50+).

Email, online storage/backup, and payments are the most common apps
25
n=Ranges 494 to 500
Which, if any, of these kinds of software or apps do you currently have, or will you acquire? (please pick the best option in each row)
APPLICATION USAGE AND PURCHASE OUTLOOK
8%
9%
10%
13%
15%
26%
27%
28%
28%
29%
31%
35%
36%
37%
41%
49%
54%
55%
58%
78%
9%
10%
12%
14%
12%
11%
9%
10%
10%
11%
9%
9%
8%
14%
10%
13%
9%
7%
9%
4%
4%
7%
7%
6%
3%
4%
3%
6%
4%
4%
3%
6%
3%
3%
5%
3%
3%
4%
4%
1%
2%
3%
1%
2%
5%
4%
2%
2%
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
4%
2%
3%
2%
1% 2%
Fleet management
CRM / sales force automation
Survey administration
Marketing automation
Analytics
Website analytics
Production management
Web / video conferencing
HR / payroll / benefits administration
Design / illustration
Inventory management
Expense management
File sharing
Social media management
Office productivity suite
Accounting / financial management
Security software
Payments (any kind)
Storage / file backup
Email
Already have Will get by the end of 2018 Will get in 2019 Will get after 2019
Millennials are less likely to have a
security software than their older peers
with only 40% currently having one vs.
54% (35-49) and 57% (50+).
Almost half (48%) of Millennials use
website analytics compared to only 18% of
the 50+ audience.
Hypergrowth companies are big CRM
users, with 32% already have one and
31% expecting to buy by end of year. This
is a big contrast to ‘no growth’ SMBs, of
whom only 2% have a CRM system.

‘Commodity’ tech purchases are made within a month
26
n=varies 492-498
On average, how long does it take from beginning to conduct research on these technology products and services for your business until you make a purchase or upgrade
decision?
TECH PURCHASE CYCLE
17%
16%
19%
19%
22%
24%
31%
36%
27%
36%
25%
26%
26%
26%
28%
26%
28%
26%
29%
27%
15%
20%
18%
19%
14%
17%
11%
11%
15%
11%
12%
10%
11%
8%
11%
8%
7%
6%
9%
8%
8%
8%
7%
9%
7%
7%
6%
8%
7%
6%
77%
80%
80%
81%
82%
82%
82%
88%
88%
89%
Other system software
Onsite servers and storage
Database software
Operating systems
Phone system
Routers / switches /
wireless access points
Tablets
PCs / laptops / desktops
Cellphone(s)
A week A month Three months Six months A year = % that buy within a year

50%
43%
5%
2%
24%
57%
13%
5%
21%
47%
25%
6%
1 or 2
3 or 4
5 to 9
10 or more
VSB (<20) SB (20-99) MB (100-500)
The vast majority of SMBs consider four or fewer vendors
27
VENDOR CONSIDERATION
n=500
How many vendors do you typically consider when assessing a new technology solution for your business?

Clear pricing and industry expertise are paramount
28
n=500
On a scale of 1 (not at all important) to 3 (very important), please rate each of these attributes when you are assessing a potential technology vendor.
VENDOR PURCHASE ATTRIBUTES
50%
50%
51%
49%
49%
52%
62%
62%
46%
44%
47%
45%
56%
59%
63%
67%
27%
30%
40%
42%
43%
49%
62%
70%
Has many customers
Robust business management tips and advices, such
as articles or videos
Robust tips and advice on getting the most from their
solution, pre- and post-purchase
Online ratings or reviews
Has the most innovative or function-rich solution
Experience / expertise with companies the same size
as mine
Experience / expertise in my industry
Clear, competitive pricing
VSB (<20) SB (20-99) MB (100-500)
Hypergrowth SMBs place
greater importance on all
of these attributes than
fast growth, slow growth
and no growth SMBs.

Content can boost brand perception, conversion and retention
30 n=Ranges 496-498
Please indicate whether the business management advice you've read from technology vendors:
EFFECT OF CONTENT MARKETING
73% say reading
business management
advice makes them
think more
favorably of the
sponsoring company
68% say reading
business management
advice makes them
more likely to
become a
customer of the
sponsoring company
73% say reading
business management
advice makes them
more likely to
remain a customer
of the sponsoring
company
Favorability Acquisition Retention
VSB (<20) SB (20-99) MB (100-500)

… AND THE SLIDE YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR

32 n=varies
TECH BRAND AWARENESS VS. TRUST
% of respondents ‘very aware’
%ofrespondentsthattrusteachbrand
Awareness correlates with trust
n=varies. Top 1 box
Horizontal axis: On a scale of 1 (not at all aware) to 5 (very aware), please rate your awareness of (or familiarity with) each of these technology firms
Vertical axis: On a scale of 1 (do not trust at all) to 5 (trust very much), please rate your trust in each of these technology firms (if >2 on awareness)

33
HOW BREDIN CAN HELP
Stu Richards, CEO
stu@bredin.com
• Content strategy
• Creative brief / ed cal
Strategy
• Original content development
• Exclusive SMB focus
Content
• Product / go-to-market strategy
• Original data for standout content and PR
Research
Work with the experts in SMB insight and engagement

PARTICIPANT FIRMOGRAPHICS
Want to watch the original
Fastcast? Watch it here.
Want to talk with the B2SMB
experts? Email us at:
info@bredin.com

Selling Tech to SMBs

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Selling Tech to SMBs

Similar to Selling Tech to SMBs (20)

More from Bredin, Inc.

More from Bredin, Inc. (19)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Selling Tech to SMBs