4 Ways Cloud Marketing is Old Hat – and 4 Ways It Isn’t

Cloud services are part of the IT revolution. No more systems on site, no more tape data backups, no more massive investment headaches—the promise of cloud computing is far-reaching. However, the advantages still have to be successfully communicated to clients willing to buy them.

Marketing as Usual, Even for the Cloud

Revolution or not, some cloud marketing principles are just the same as for any other business service.

• Marketing lists. Define your customers by size, location, industry, budget, and any other suitable criteria that let you target the companies most likely to be interested in cloud services.

• Marketing tools. Websites and emailing, but also letter mail, phone calls, seminars, and more. Pick a combination that lets you get in front of prospects while fitting your budget.

• Activity Tracking. Get information on how each activity (mailing, presentation, etc.) performs, to tune your marketing mix accordingly.

• Return on Investment. Like activities, track them, and then maximize them.

What Changes in Cloud Marketing

Because the solution is different, so are customer reactions. The cloud marketing message has to be tuned accordingly.

• Overwhelming. Some people don’t understand it, because it’s new. A simple explanation will be needed.

• Disruptive. Cloud services change how IT is organized and may affect people’s jobs. Reassurance is the key here.

• Economical. “Better and cheaper” applies to money, time, and human resources. Worked examples may be good.

• Elastic. Buying as much or as little IT capacity as you want is new too. Case studies can be useful.

How does the financial benefit of the cloud compare to any customer concerns about disruption? Does the newness of the cloud make it easier or harder to market? Share your thoughts with us in the Comments section below.  

And to follow through on the tips introduced in this short article, especially if you also support B2B SaaS and IaaS, be sure to enroll now in our free 7-day eCourse: Go-to-Market Strategy 101 for B2B SaaS Startups and Scaleups.