Rapid Expansion of Data Center Operators
Data Center Sales & Marketing Institute (DCSMI)
Elevating the role of sales, marketing, and go-to-market (GTM) professionals in the growth of the data center industry
Welcome to the Data Center Sales and Marketing Newsletter (DCSMI)
This week, you'll learn from guest expert Adam Gibson, Vice President of Global Data Center Development at Megaport. Adam highlights the lack of formal education pathways, the growing demand for roles in customer service and technical support, and the importance of adaptability in careers. Adam also addresses the rise of decentralized data centers and edge computing, alongside the need to retrofit facilities for modern energy requirements.
Then Joshua Feinberg from DCSMI shares key strategies for enhancing sales and marketing in the data center industry. He emphasizes the importance of repositioning customer-facing teams as trusted advisors, focusing on value-added content to align with today's self-driven buyer's journey. Joshua advocates for an approach centered on education rather than traditional sales tactics. He also underscores the need for trust and expertise in building client relationships.
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Register for the Upcoming Three-Day Training Event: Data Center Go-to-Market 2025 Jumpstart
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(For Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, Product, and Channel Partnership Professionals in the Data Center Industry)
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Data center clients?have completely changed how they research and make purchase decisions.
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Gartner found up to 83% of the buyer's journey happens before sales teams meet a prospect. So even in the best of circumstances, you’re only getting a seat at the table for the final 17% of the sales process.
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Has your company kept up with these changes?
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Or are you still using the same?sales and marketing playbook?from 10+ years ago? (when you had a role in nearly 50% of the sales process)
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The self-guided buyer's journey -- where the buyer is in the driver’s seat -- has frustrated many sales and marketing teams.
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But these challenges also present?game-changing opportunities?for those who can get found early as trusted advisors.
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To own most of the typical 28 touchpoints between a stranger and a significant data center purchase, sales and marketing teams need to upgrade to this new reality.
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And that’s the reason why DCSMI is hosting a?free, three-day training event: to help you prepare.
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When you?attend Data Center Go-to-Market 2025 Jumpstart, here’s what you’ll learn:
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Day One
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Eastern Time
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Day Two
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Eastern Time
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Day Three
Thursday, December 12, 2024
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Eastern Time
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Special Bonus:?Everyone who?attends Data Center Go-to-Market 2025 Jumpstart?will get access to a free downloadable planning workbook to help you organize your plans to generate more leads, reach more of the right decision-makers, build brand awareness, attract more clients, and enter new markets.
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This?three-day webinar series?is especially crucial for sales, marketing, customer success, product, and channel partnership professionals in the data center industry.
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Upcoming Events
Navigating the Rapidly Evolving Data Center Industry: Insights from Adam Gibson
The data center industry is experiencing unprecedented growth and transformation, driven by the surging demand for cloud computing, AI, and digital infrastructure.
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In a recent episode of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast, host Joshua Feinberg sat down with Adam Gibson, the Vice President of Global Data Center Development at Megaport, to explore the diverse career opportunities and emerging trends shaping this dynamic field.
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Pathways into the Data Center Industry
One of the key takeaways from the discussion is the lack of formal education pathways into the data center industry.
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As Adam shared, most professionals in this space have "fallen into it" through various backgrounds, from IT to engineering.
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However, this presents a unique opportunity for those looking to enter the industry, as a wide range of skills and experiences can be valuable.
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Growing Career Opportunities from Rapid Expansion of Data Center Operators Facilities
Adam emphasized the growing demand for roles in customer service, sales, and technical support, as data center operators strive to keep pace with the rapid expansion of their facilities.
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He also highlighted the importance of being adaptable and open to new opportunities as the industry continues to evolve.
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For mid-career professionals, Adam advised leveraging LinkedIn to connect with industry leaders and recruiters, who can help identify potential career transitions and growth opportunities.
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He stressed the need to understand one's skills and the current job market, as the data center industry spans various regions and specializations.
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Decentralized Data Centers, Edge Computing, Low-Latency and Localized Data Processing
Regarding the future of the industry, Adam discussed the increasing importance of decentralized data centers and edge computing, driven by the need for low-latency and localized data processing.
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Quantum Computing, Retrofitting Existing Facilities for Modern Energy and Cooling Requirements
He also touched on the potential impact of quantum computing and the ongoing efforts to retrofit existing facilities to meet modern energy and cooling requirements.
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As the data center industry continues to transform, professionals at all stages of their careers can benefit from the insights and experiences shared by industry leaders like Adam Gibson.
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By staying informed, adaptable, and proactive, individuals can position themselves for success in this rapidly evolving and essential field.
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Featured Resource
This issue of the Data Center Sales and Marketing Newsletter (DCSMI) is sponsored in part by DCSMI Training Courses and Blueprints on Go-to-Market Strategy.?
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Do you and your sales team struggle to attract and engage the right kinds of prospects?
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Ten years ago, B2B buyers spoke with salespeople early on in their pre-purchase research.?
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However, today that's completely changed.?
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And we’re not going to sugar-coat it: Most teams are not even close to being ready to confront this once-in-a-generation change in purchasing behavior.
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Gartner found that 83% of a typical B2B purchase decision -- researching, comparing options, and evaluating pricing -- happens before a potential buyer engages with a vendor.
McKinsey & Company has discovered that 70% to 80% of B2B decision-makers now prefer to make decisions digitally.
In its B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report, LinkedIn, in partnership with Edelman, concluded that “thought leadership remains critical to customer engagement, but breaking through the noise is harder than ever.”
This massive change in buyer behavior has proven incredibly challenging for legacy sales teams stuck in the past -- cold-messaging people on LinkedIn and begging for 15-minute meetings to pitch their product or service.
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But these changes also provide incredible opportunities for those teams that can position themselves as subject matter experts, teachers, trusted advisors, and thought leaders.
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And that’s why DCSMI (SP Home Run) built these training courses and blueprints: to help you and your team learn how to attract the right clients to your business in the modern buyer's journey.
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Supercharge Your Data Center Go-to-Market Strategy with Insights from DCSMI's Joshua Feinberg
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During a recent episode of the Data Center Go-to-Market Podcast, Joshua Feinberg of the Data Center Sales & Marketing Institute (DCSMI) shared actionable strategies for sales, marketing, and go-to-market professionals in the data center industry.
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Repositioning Sales and Account Management
The overarching theme?
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There is a need to reposition your customer-facing teams as trusted advisors and educators rather than in traditional sales and account management roles.
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Feinberg emphasized that in today's self-driven buyer's journey, where 83% of the process happens before any sales contact, companies must earn a seat at the table through value-added content and thought leadership.
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Earning Your Way into Trusted Prospect and Client Relationships
He advised liquid filtration companies, for example, to focus on building an "ideal client profile" and buyer personas to understand their most important stakeholders.
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"Your future clients, they're learning. They're learning from other people - people they're learning from teachers, trusted advisors, subject matter experts, and thought leaders," Feinberg said.
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"That's the way they're going to earn their way into these relationships."
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Reframing Data Center Sales and Marketing Approach
For companies providing risk management capabilities to data center builders, Feinberg stressed the importance of reframing the sales and marketing approach to focus on upfront education, rather than just capabilities pitches.
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He encouraged these firms to have their teams show up as consultants and advisors, rather than traditional sales roles.
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International Business, Cloud Solutions, and Cloud Migrations
The podcast also covered strategies for marketing international business relations services, managing accounts at cloud solution providers, and identifying innovative solutions and partners for cloud migration projects.
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Throughout, Feinberg emphasized the need to understand buyer personas deeply, provide value-driven content, and build trust as a subject matter expert.
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How You Can Consult With DCSMI
The Data Center Sales & Marketing Institute (DCSMI) offers Data Center Lead Generation Consulting and Go-to-Market Strategy.
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Now, you can consult with DCSMI to increase your data center lead generation, reach the right decision-makers, improve brand awareness, enter new markets, grow your sales pipeline, and scale customer acquisition
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These programs are designed for data center providers -- as well as IT, facilities, real estate, construction, and sales and marketing companies that partner with data center providers.
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The Data Center Sales and Marketing Newsletter (DCSMI) helps sales, marketing, and go-to-market (GTM) professionals grow professionally and elevate their role within their team, company, industry, and beyond.
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