The Technology World Wants More Advocacy and Authenticity

Earlier this month, we attended the Gartner Tech Growth & Innovation Conference. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the state of the digital technology market, something we at SIGNiX are passionate about. Here are some of the takeaways that resonated with us about how to succeed in the constantly evolving digital landscape.

Advocacy Marketing

Trust is extremely important in the tech space, and that’s why advocacy marketing has become such a big deal. That is, customers want to see third-party endorsements of a product, and they expect tech companies to deliver those references, referrals, testimonials, case studies and more—all with quantifiable outcomes.

Authenticity

Trust must originate with the company itself, so it can’t rely solely on third-party endorsements. At the conference, one firm shared that heavy jargon, nice but empty statements and bold claims without backup are seen as red flags by potential customers. That kind of talk doesn’t impress anyone. In fact, it only muddles the picture you’re trying to paint.

Customers can smell inauthenticity. So, whether in a business pitch or advertisement, avoid the impulse to use puffery to make your product more appealing than it is. Instead, understand the benefits of your product and why it stands out from the others and educate potential customers on why that’s important.

Digital Business Transformation 

Using technology to transform a business gets a CEO’s attention today more than just incremental efficiency improvements. CEO’s are looking for products and platforms that dramatically and positively affect the company’s bottom line. For example, our digital signature service helped one research institute save $250,000 a year and reduced the time required to sign documents by 94%. That’s a game changer for a business. Incorporating digital technology has become such a crucial objective for companies that many have created a new position: chief digital officer (CDO). The idea of a CDO is exciting because it gives SIGNiX and other digital companies a key contact. 

Market Focus

Tech companies should focus on a smaller number of particular markets until they know them like the back of their hand. That way, representatives will understand the issues and challenges that clients face and the targeted solutions their products can offer. For example, at SIGNiX, we stay up-to-date on new laws and regulations that pertain to our key industry verticals so we can ensure that our digital signatures are always legal and binding and compliant with industry standards—especially for highly regulated industries that require a premium solution.

When looking for new customers, it’s important to find prospects who are looking for the solution you offer and are ready to buy. Whether through forms on your website or a list of leads obtained from a third party, it’s easy for companies to get contact information for prospective customers. How businesses should use this data, however, is up for debate. Some believe that you shouldn’t contact a customer just because he downloaded something from your website, especially if you’re only going to provide him with information he can get on his own. Others would argue that if you call a customer within the first five minutes of receiving their contact information, you’re more likely to get in touch with them, leading to a possible sale. Regardless of the outlook your business takes, it’s wise to send prospective customers a message that’s tailored to them and their needs.

It was great to listen, learn and discuss the future of business technology and innovation at the Gartner Conference. We’re excited to take these ideas and incorporate them into our business strategy and keep our fingers on the pulse of how the digital tech market continues to evolve. 

To learn more about what sets digital signatures and Independent E-Signatures™ apart, download our free e-book here.