Traditional Tech Marketing fails to engage the audience

August 2, 2022
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About the Guest

Jon Myer

Traditional Tech Marketing Sucks

Why do I say that Traditional Tech Marketing sucks? It isn't because marketing doesn't know or do their job but because the content tends to fall flat with the audience.

What's the first thing that comes to your mind when I say "Technical Marketing"? You're probably thinking Webinars, oops, sorry that's a bad word but what about demos, how to videos? When was the last time you had a webinar that really engaged the audience, produced results that ultimately lead to real relationships and sales results? You're probably thinking the same thing, that webinars are so scripted, planned out, boring, and the average viewer duration lasts the first 10-15 minutes. Or the only reason they are sticking around to the end is because they MUST be present to win some awesome prize.

The more people I talk to, the more I realized that they have the same problem.

What are their biggest challenges when it comes to webinars, podcasts, demos or even sales kickoffs? Creating content that matters, is engaging, trustworthy, and used effectively, right?

Traditional Tech Marketing doesn’t resonate with the audience. But it isn’t the marketers fault. They know how to do marketing, nurture leads, and go from the MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads) that hopefully turned into SQLs (Sales Qualified Leads). As someone in the field, I understand the audience, because I am the audience and a content creator. I know how to effectively create highly engaging content that is attention grabbing while maintaining authenticity.

Podcasts

The Jon Myer Podcast started off as "The Daily Tech Show". It wasn't a webinar, it wasn't an interview, it was a natural conversation while providing the audience with fun, natural, and engaging content. Episode after episode, my audience grew, the word spread around how much they enjoyed being on the show. This allowed my guests to relax knowing that this is going to be a friendly conversation around topics that they are passionate about.

How does that translate into Myer Media? I've figured out to how to effectively create, energize, and utilize content to provide the highest level of engagement. Even better, we are able to create content at speed and that is scalable.

Example of not effectively leveraging a voice in the community

Before joining one of my previous employers, they paid for a well known Cloud Economist named Corey Quinn to come in and do a speaking session around Digitally Transforming Cultural Silos. This interview style record was going to be used in their Digital Transforming event and with the proper marketing should produce leads. They failed to leverage his engagement, value, community trust. What ended up happening? The video currently sits at 157 views from over a year ago in 2021. How did this happen? It wasn’t marketing’s fault, but their audience is more of the Tech Community, which includes Developers and Engineers. Corey’s personality doesn’t hit home with executives or C-Suite managers.  

Leveraging my trusted voice in the community, I help you so your voice doesn’t get lost on some YouTube Channel by using my syndication through my YouTube Channel. 

You need someone who understands the community, understands sales, and understands technology to speak to the very thing that they need, to feel like the conversation is natural.

Sales Kickoffs

Sales Kickoffs are another one that I wonder why companies spend so much time, money, and effort for everyone to get together but then bring in a speaker that fails to drive home the message. Nothing is worse then spending $25,000 for some well known person that doesn't understand the people sitting in front of them only for them to leave wondering, what was the message or point.

What does it look like when you leverage a voice in the community with experience? This past year we hosted a company wide sales kickoff and it started off like any other sales kickoff. Sales Directors, CMO's, and Product owners showing slide decks on recent and growth projections or product announcements. I suggested we bring in our customers for a podcast, asked them how we are doing and what's working for them but also, what could we do better? At the end of the Sales Kickoff a survey was sent out to everyone my section became the most watched and engaging video by bringing my podcast style to a real customer success story that resonates with everyone.

Ask yourself, how are you going to create a sales kickoff that matters?

Demo Videos

Does your audience know how to effectively use your product? Do they know the features that are available? What about when you release a new feature? If you're already creating demo videos, how are they doing? Are they engaging? What's the feedback like? Demo videos are for the technical audience, and if you know your audience, you know that they don't read the instructions, trust me, I'm one of them. The only time we look at it is if we can't figure it out on our own. But what if you created short 2-3 minute highly engaging, informative, and right to the point content for your audience?

Seriously, how many will search for a "how to" and if it's longer than 4-5 minutes, we are scrubbing it for a direct answer and if we don't find it in 30 seconds we are back to our search results?

I know your audience because I am your audience. I spend quality time getting to know your product, sitting your your teams, asking questions. Finding out all the features and services available and the value behind it. That's when the real fun begins because the attention grab and informative content starts to flow.

Reviews

Where do most of your product reviews come from? From an internal person and when someone sees the review from "Bob" who works at the company, they don't believe all the benefits of your product. What you need is an independent voice in the community that can provide positive review of your product(s), and feature announcements, while highlighting how the solution can help your customers. A voice that is trusted and has the technical background to dive deep while being customer focused on the solution that is solving a real world problem.

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