When it comes down to marketing IT and software products, we in the industry know for a fact that buyers need a little more than a cleverly crafted tagline and logo to get a sales appointment from interested clients.

The thing is, long-term client engagements are extensive (hence “long term”) because it doesn’t really make sense when you promote sophisticated IT and software equipment without first exploring why it matters to the people that need them. This obviously is the task of IT lead generation: creating stories that nurture interest over time.

With that considered, you might be thinking, “Okay the longer I spend time with my audience, the more closer I am to getting a sale.”

Well yes, but in most cases no.

While it’s true that longer engagements offer a deeper insight into clients, it is the act of convincing them to take action that really matters. And this is why some IT lead generation campaigns fail: They are unable to get their expected number of qualified IT sales leads because they lack resonant stories.

So, it would be reasonable to suggest that a lead generation campaign (no matter how extensive) is basically useless without the existence of proper messaging aimed at cultivating interest. For your IT products to get their fair share of the spotlight, you will have to consider these effective storytelling strategies.

Weigh in on current info

For this, invoking the journalist within you is crucial. Technology changes rapidly as one product falls to obscurity to make way for a newer offer in the IT market. Of course, buyers need an authoritative voice to guide them towards products that suit their needs. And in this case, news articles provide that sort of urgency and credibility for establishing yourself as a vital source of information.

Case studies

We just can’t ignore how important case studies are in acquiring IT sales leads. Much like news articles, they provide a great wealth of information. The only difference is that case studies are more focused on how a certain product or service worked out for an existing client, giving potential clients a “real world” view of that product’s or service’s value to them.

How To’s

Not the sort of technical material for your content marketing, but how to’s are an excellent way of establishing your reputation as a “thought leader.” Plus, they are excellent in terms of giving your company a personality, which is vital for acquiring IT sales leads.