Cut the Crap: Marketing to the Tech Savvy Consumer

If you want to be successful in any type of marketing, knowing your target market is essential. And while inbound marketing can be effective for many different demographics, perhaps none is so elusive as the tech-savvy customer, particularly when you're marketing a technology product. For these plugged in customer, traditional marketing tactics aren't going to be as effective as they once were.

But there are ways to reach that elusive tech savvy, ultra-connected, free-spending, perfect customer. You have to know how they think and what they want. So read on and walk a mile in your customer's shoes.

If you want to be successful in any marketing, knowing your target market is essential. And while inbound marketing can be effective for many different demographics, perhaps none is so elusive as the tech-savvy customer, particularly when you're marketing a technology product. For these plugged in consumers, traditional marketing tactics aren't going to be as effective as they once were.

But there are ways to reach that elusive tech savvy, ultra-connected, free-spending, perfect consumer. You have to know how they think and what they want. So read on and walk a mile in your customer's shoes.

Appeal to Logic

Our technology is only as smart as we are. Our laptops and smartphones only respond to what we ask them to do and work purely on logic. Tech savvy customers aren't that much different. On Quora, Axonator's Chief Evangelist Jayesh Kitukale notes "Tech savvy people belong the category called "Logical Learners" so you need to provide them logical reasons why your product is better."

A logical approach to marketing is not necessarily conventional wisdom since many types of marketing are meant to appeal to emotions and elicit visceral reactions. When marketing to tech-savvy consumers, you simply cannot resort to emotional ploys.

By the same token, the tech-savvy customer is likely to be much more resistant to hyperbole and buzzwords. While your marketing copy needn't be dry, avoid making sweeping claims that just 'sound good' if they don't add something to the consumer's experience of your marketing. Ultimately it comes back to that key marketing idea that the buyers you want will pay attention when you offer them a solution to a problem they have instead of trying to sell them on something just to make the sale.

Spread It Around

Tech savvy consumers engage with technology. Generally speaking, this means all types of technology. An average tech savvy customer utilizes social media, blogs, and of course, Google to research products before they buy. They want to be informed. This means that your marketing not only needs to speak their language, it needs to be where they can see it. Don't limit your social media to one platform or your content to your blog. Get your message out there and spread it around.

Remember that different customer segments - using inbound speak, different buyer personas - will use different networks and tools. Be sure you know where your tech savvy customers are hanging out online and put your message in front of them. Remember that devices matter, too. According to one recent survey, Millennials switch their attention between media platforms like laptops, smartphones, tablets, and television 27 times per hour." If your marketing isn't optimized for each of these devices, you'll be missing an opportunity to capture those leads.

Get Sales on Board

Inbound marketing will also be more successful when sales and marketing teams are working together. When it comes to tech savvy marketing, this relationship is even more important. The sales team needs to work closely with marketing, but they also need to have a thorough understanding of your product and the technology behind it. Just because a salesperson has a spec sheet doesn't mean he or she will be able to answer off-the-cuff questions from technical prospects. It's okay if tech-savvy customers know more, overall than your sales team, but when it comes to your product, the sales team needs to come out on top.

Content Works

Don't look so surprised. You didn't really think tech savvy customers were immune to the siren's song of great content, did you? In fact, many of these customers are even hungrier for content at all points during the buyer's journey. Be sure that you have plenty of content comparing your solution to your competitors so that tech savvy consumers can find if when they're doing their inevitable research.

If you stick to traditional marketing tactics, you may still capture some tech savvy leads if you're doing it right. But when you stop to assess what's most important to your tech savvy personas, you'll have much better luck getting them your message and solving their problems.