In 2025, Speed and Agility Rule

In 2025, CIOs will prioritise technologies that enhance speed and agility, especially in Infrastructure and Operations. Resilience is a close second. They are moving fast. Over a third of these solutions will be implemented within the year, with the rest following over the next two years.

For those of us in sales and marketing, this creates a small window to get our message across to prospective customers. Speed has never been more important for go-to-market activities.

Over time, I’ve realised that the biggest barrier to accelerating go-to-market isn’t creativity. It’s access. Access to stakeholders, subject matter experts, and those who focus on solving technical and business challenges for customers. The customer should always come first, and they rightly must put them first, before talking to me!

So, I started thinking: how can I help?

How Do You Finish a Journey Sooner?

You start earlier.

With broad experience across technologies, markets, and customer needs, I knew I could hit the ground running. I begin research as soon as the project gets the green light. I trust the people I work with and know the PO will come.

By the time the discovery call happens, I understand the solution area and the current messaging. I also know the target customers and the competition and have a clear sense of direction. I have even drafted a framework for early review.

This preparation makes stakeholder conversations more focused and valuable. I come informed, with specific questions and ideas that make every minute count.

It’s Okay to Call My Baby Ugly

One approach I rely on is the exploratory draft. I chose the term carefully. It’s a framework that includes as much detail as I have and reflects my initial opinions. However, it’s not meant to be market-ready.

This draft kicks off the conversation and prompts stakeholder reactions. No one likes criticism of their work, but I welcome this draft being torn apart. Don’t get me wrong; I put a lot of effort into it. But my opinion isn’t what matters here. The ego can sit in the corner, and I’ll hug it later.

This approach means the second draft is much closer to the final product. You would get there without it, but it would take more stakeholder time.

Hear Their Voice…

And then there’s voice. If a company were a person, how would it sound? Warm? Energetic? Fun? The copy needs to reflect that personality.

I don’t focus on voice in the exploratory draft. That stage is about checking the facts and finding the differentiation. I bring the voice into the second draft alongside the proof points.

This approach ensures the content is accurate and the tone aligns, rather than one masking the other.

Being There When It Counts

Early on, I realised that flexibility is key. Working for myself means I can adapt. If feedback arrives on a Friday, I’ll complete the updates over the weekend. By Monday at 7 a.m., the updated version will be ready and waiting.

It took me a while to adjust to this random pattern. However, it has allowed me to enjoy time with my family during the week, which I never had before.

Strive To Be Better

You can always get feedback after the project closes. I’m still working on this myself, but it’s vital. Learning what I can improve helps me work more effectively. It also showed me how to collaborate best with each client in the way they want to work.

If you would like to have a conversation, do reach out:

Craig Menzies

Director of IT Solutions Strategy and Content Development

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +44 7824 343545