Get Your Head IN The Clouds – Tips to Marketing Your Cloud Communications Business

Basic marketing principles can and should be implemented by all businesses in every industry.  However, some fields require extra thought – about industry growth, competition, end users and analytics – and your marketing team should be in the know if they want to effectively and efficiently market your business.  Let’s take cloud computing and software – not a sexy topic, but a booming realm nonetheless. As new cloud applications emerge and the landscape evolves, vendor collaboration will continue to emerge as hybrid solutions unite public and private infrastructures under one management framework.

For marketers, these shifting buying habits means untapped opportunity. Ready or not, there are insights and tactics marketers should take advantage of — and win over — the changing cloud marketplace.

Before diving into strategies for cloud providers to succeed in their marketing efforts, here are a few unique challenges to consider when it comes to your customer’s shifting approaches to Cloud Service Providers.

1. Strengthening decision-maker relationships

It’s extremely difficult to win over the entire buying committee. If your organization does not have existing relationships with primary decision-makers and influencers, breaking outside of the IT room can be difficult.  So, start small…start now.

2. Meeting new security risks and demands

Cloud services have a bad reputation when it comes to security risk. It’s your responsibility to proactively address concerns early and often with prospective clients. Start by sharing exactly what measures your organization is taking to create high-quality, secure cloud network.

3. Storytelling

The cloud technology market is flooded, and it’s tough to cut through those leading the pack to tell your unique story. Hone your pitch into a few pieces of engaging and concise content that is easily consumable. This takes time, money, and bandwidth that many marketers do not always have. The best content is educational — cloud buyers span multiple verticals and levels of expertise and it’s your job to bring them up to speed.

4. Falling behind the curve

Products, services and initiatives are constantly changing in the market, and these shifts are not slowing down. For cloud-based companies that get caught behind the times, the results could be disastrous. Keep educated on the direction the industry is headed in order to stay ahead of the curve.

Stand Out and Stand Above Competition

In order to overcome the aforementioned challenges, you must find ways to stand out in a robust and ever-changing market.

1. Position your company as more than a cloud vendor; position it as a differentiated IT partner

 Consumer CSPs have essentially made cloud computing a household name, but more can be done with cross-model expertise when it comes to public, private, and hybrid solutions. As CSPs become an integral part of IT strategy, companies must make known that they are more than just another vendor. Show how your product will lead to stronger, more successful organizations — and showcase your differentiating factors. Is it data encryption that is compliant with industry regulation? Is it speed and business availability when data recovery must be done quickly? Is it location and storage power? How important is your customer experience and transparency? Offering remote management and accessible support teams will put executives at ease and put you above the rest.

2. Leverage Account Based Marketing (ABM) to target both prospects and customers to upsell and grow your business

Adopting an Account Based Marketing (ABM) strategy is a powerful way to increase your brand’s relevance and drive ROI from your marketing efforts. Find ways to get you in front of the contacts and decision-makers that matter most, enabling you to become a stronger, more visible force within cloud’s competitive landscape.

3. Help customers understand the level of security your cloud service can provide

Many consumers still believe that cloud services do not have the same level of security that the data center does. Your company needs to help customers understand that this is no longer the case. Educate them on the ways that your solution can provide enterprise-grade security that extends beyond the capabilities of the data center.

4. Fill in your customer's storage gaps

Again, position your organization as a strategic IT partner. Your customers may have holes in their offerings around storage, and you can provide the platform for marketing and selling their data management and hosting services. By understanding their unique needs, you can fill the gaps and provide a more holistic service.

Cloud marketers have a huge responsibility, which is only going to increase in complexity as new solutions are introduced to the market and competition continues to roar. Companies need to stay ahead of the curve and continually seek to understand the changing cloud market and find new and innovate ways to reach and educate target audiences.