Seizing the Executive Engagement Opportunity explores the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on B2B executives’ buying behavior for high-consideration, technology-based solutions and consulting services. Based on a survey in September 2020 with more than 500 senior business and IT executives, this report digs into executives’ business and solution priorities, engagement preferences for various types of content, channels, and information sources, and perceptions of how providers are engaging now and will need to engage in the future. This report is a follow-on to an earlier ITSMA report published in May 2020: How Executives Engage: Understanding Changing Buyer Behavior in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Part 1. Together, the two-part study provides critical data and insight for B2B marketers who are focused on building and strengthening relationships and sales at the executive level in the wake of the dramatic disruptions of COVID-19. By September 2020, senior-level B2B buyers had moved well beyond the early reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic and were focusing on new strategies and priorities for growth and innovation even amid an extremely uncertain future. Seizing the Executive Engagement Opportunity: Responding to Changing Buyer Priorities Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic provides essential data and insight on the priorities, preferences, and perceptions of executive-level B2B buyers as they explore and invest in new technology-based solutions and services. The report highlights the changing business and technology priorities for business and IT executives nine months into the pandemic, and the preferences that executives now have for content and engagement with solution providers interested in responding to their changing needs. Specific highlights from the second wave of this year’s study include: - Changes in IT spending since the pandemic began - The state of business transformation and top business and technology investment priorities - Preference for different types of information sources and time spent researching solutions - The value of thought leadership - Preferences for different types of online engagement - Top requirements for earning trust In this context, the report identifies four essential guidelines for B2B marketers to follow as they adapt and develop their executive engagement programs. The study includes new survey and comparative survey data from 503 executives from nine regions/countries (ANZ, Benelux, Canada, France, Germany, Nordics, UK, and US) across seven major industry sectors. Most respondents are from $1 billion+ companies. In addition to aggregate data, the full report includes Comparisons: Wave 1 (May 2020) and Wave 2 (September 2020)—North America and Europe Only data and crosstabs by region. The study was co-sponsored by SAP and Adobe.

1. Seizing the Executive
Engagement Opportunity
Responding to Changing Buyer PrioritiesAmid the
COVID-19 Pandemic
Julie Schwartz, Senior Vice President, Research and Thought Leadership, ITSMA
How Executives Engage Survey 2020, Part 2
Abbreviated Summary | October 2020
This abbreviated summary highlights some of the most significant
findings of ITSMA’s How Executives Engage Survey 2020, Part 2.
A more in-depth analysis can be found in the full report
https://www.itsma.com/research/seizing-the-executive-engagement-
opportunity-how-executives-engage/

2. ITSMA How Executives Engage Survey, 2020, Part 2 | Abbreviated Summary | October 2020 | F034A Copyright © 2020 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 2
Introduction
Engaging executives amid the pandemic:
Responding to changing buyer priorities
Seizing the Executive Engagement Opportunity
explores the ongoing impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on B2B executives’ buying behavior for
high-consideration, technology-based solutions and
consulting services.
Based on a survey in September 2020 with more
than 500 senior business and IT executives, this
report digs into executives’ business and solution
priorities, engagement preferences for various types
of content, channels, and information sources, and
perceptions of how providers are engaging now and
will need to engage in the future.
This report is a follow-on to an earlier ITSMA report
published in May 2020: How Executives Engage:
Understanding Changing Buyer Behavior in
Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Part 1.
Together, the two-part study provides critical data
and insight for B2B marketers who are focused on
building and strengthening relationships and sales
at the executive level in the wake of the dramatic
disruptions of COVID-19.
By September 2020, senior-level B2B buyers had
moved well beyond the early reactions to the
COVID-19 pandemic and were focusing on new
strategies and priorities for growth and innovation
even amid an extremely uncertain future.
Seizing the Executive Engagement Opportunity:
Responding to Changing Buyer Priorities Amid the
COVID-19 Pandemic provides essential data and
insight on the priorities, preferences, and
perceptions of executive-level B2B buyers as they
explore and invest in new technology-based
solutions and services.
The report highlights the changing business and
technology priorities for business and IT
executives nine months into the pandemic, and
the preferences that executives now have for
content and engagement with solution providers
interested in responding to their changing needs.
The study includes new survey and comparative
survey data from 503 executives from nine
regions/countries (ANZ, Benelux, Canada,
France, Germany, Nordics, UK, and US) across
seven major industry sectors. Most respondents
are from $1 billion+ companies.
The study was co-sponsored by SAP and Adobe.
Specific highlights from the second wave of this
year’s study include:
• Changes in IT spending since the pandemic
began
• The state of business transformation and top
business and technology investment priorities
• Preference for different types of information
sources and time spent researching solutions
• The value of thought leadership
• Preferences for different types of online
engagement
• Top requirements for earning trust
In addition to aggregate data, the full report
includes Comparisons: Wave 1 (May 2020) and
Wave 2 (September 2020)—North America and
Europe Only data and crosstabs by region.
In this context, the report identifies four essential
guidelines for B2B marketers to follow as they
adapt and develop their executive engagement
programs.

3. ITSMA How Executives Engage Survey, 2020, Part 2 | Abbreviated Summary | October 2020 | F034A Copyright © 2020 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 3
Seizing the executive
engagement opportunity
1
Executive level buyers are hungry for new
ideas for post-pandemic growth
2
Relevant thought leadership
is essential to drive engagement
3
High touch, interactive approaches
are vital, especially with the dramatic
shift to digital
4
Marketing must help sales step up and be
more consultative
We are experiencing an
executive
engagement
transformation
Opportunity abounds,
but so do the challenges

4. ITSMA How Executives Engage Survey, 2020, Part 2 | Abbreviated Summary | October 2020 | F034A Copyright © 2020 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 4
Seizing the executive engagement opportunity
1 Executive level buyers are hungry for new
ideas for post-pandemic growth 2 Relevant thought leadership
is essential to drive engagement
1 Transform to enable digital
business
2 Grow revenue
3
Invest in innovation; new
products, services offerings,
business models [New in Wave 2]
Upgrade infrastructure to enable
remote work and collaboration
Improve profitability
Cut costs
Top 3 Business Priorities
1 Cloud
2
Security
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
3 Collaboration/Remote Work
Top 3 Technology Investments What can solution providers do now to earn your confidence that they understand your
current challenges?
Top TrustedAdvisor Engagement Priorities
Publish high-quality thought leadership on
relevant business and industry issues
Provide free
products, services,
and solutions to
help me respond to
the challenges
brought on by the
COVID-19 pandemic
Meet/speak with
me regularly
without giving
me a sales
pitch at every
meeting/call
Engage us
with a
collaborative
innovation
process
Note: Includes North America and Europe data only.
Up to three responses allowed. N=403
Source: ITSMA, How Executives Engage Survey, Part 2, September 2020
Note: Up to three responses allowed. N=503
Source: ITSMA, How Executives Engage Survey, Part 2, September 2020

5. ITSMA How Executives Engage Survey, 2020, Part 2 | Abbreviated Summary | October 2020 | F034A Copyright © 2020 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 5
Seizing the executive engagement opportunity
Note: Includes North America and Europe data only. Up to three responses allowed.
% of respondents * Indicates a statistically significant difference.
Source: ITSMA, How Executives Engage Survey, Part 1, May 2020 and Part 2, September 2020
% of respondents (N=503)
Source: ITSMA, How Executives Engage Survey, Part 2, September 2020
3 High touch, interactive approaches are vital,
especially with the dramatic shift to digital 4 Marketing must help sales step up and be more
consultative
Despite the shift to digital, more intimate engagement is still preferred
over broadcast approaches
Most
preferred
Least
preferred
Although building the business case remains a priority, executives now
expect sales to provide advisory guidance
Educate me on new issues in
technology*
Provide me with unique perspectives on
the market and technology solutions
Provide me with product or service
information
Provide me with benchmarks and best
practices
Help me build the business case
25%
29%
25%
25%
33%
Wave1: May 2020
(N=297)
31%
31%
27%
27%
27%
Wave2: September2020
(N=403)
Given the current environment, which are the three most important things an account
manager or sales rep should be doing for you?

6. ITSMA How Executives Engage Survey, 2020, Part 2 | Abbreviated Summary | October 2020 | F034A Copyright © 2020 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 6
ITSMA’s 2020
How Executives
Engage Survey,
Waves 1 & 2
Survey invitations were emailed
during May 2020
Senior IT and business decision makers/
influencers for solution purchases with a
value of $500K or more
297
Thank you to our study sponsors
Business
50%
IT
50%
Job role
Are you primarily
an IT or business
professional?
% of respondents
(Wave 1: N=297
Wave 2: N=503)
Size of company
Approximately what is
your company’s annual
revenue (or operating
budget if government)?
% of respondents
(Wave 1: N=297
Wave 2: N=503)
$250-
999M
28%
$1B or
More
72%
Senior IT and business decision makers/
influencers for solution purchases with a
value of $500K or more
503
Wave 1
Respondents were from nine
regions/countries:
• US
• Canada
• Benelux
• France
• Germany
• Nordics
• UK
• ANZ
• India
Survey invitations were emailed
during September 2020
Wave 2
Respondents were from seven
regions/countries:
• US
• Canada
Waves 1 & 2
Source: ITSMA, How Executives Engage Survey, Part 1, May 2020 and Part 2, September 2020
• Benelux
• France
• Germany
• Nordics
• UK
Buyers of
High-Consideration
Solutions

7. ITSMA How Executives Engage Survey, 2020, Part 2 | Abbreviated Summary | October 2020 | F034A Copyright © 2020 ITSMA. All rights reserved. www.itsma.com 7
Want to learn more?
For more information
Here’s what is included in the full study:
Julie Schwartz
Senior Vice President
Research and Thought Leadership
ITSMA
E jschwartz@itsma.com
W +1 407 788 8220
The report is available for no additional fee to current ITSMA
members and for sale at non-member price to all others.
https://www.itsma.com/research/seizing-the-executive-engagement-
opportunity-how-executives-engage/
Slide
Executive Summary 3
Methodology and Respondent
Demographics
31
Detailed Findings 41
Comparisons: Wave 1 (May 2020) and
Wave 2 (September 2020)—North America
and Europe Only
69
Crosstabs by Region 101