3 common (and costly) marketing mistakes that your tech firm can avoid with the help of an effective messaging strategy

Surely, it shouldn't be THIS hard to market your technology solution - right?

You’ve got a great product. You know it’s going to transform lives for the better. You’re confident in its build quality, technical specifications and durability.

It solves a big issue for your customers. It’s well-priced and readily available.

So, why is no one buying what you’re selling?

Many factors can impact your marketing efforts, resulting in low interest and poor sales. But one of the major ones lies in your messaging.

And, for tech firms, in particular, 3 common messaging mistakes can make or break your business.

The 3 most common marketing mistakes made by tech firms

Mistake #1 - Assuming technical knowledge

You’ve most likely spent years on the ground working on your solution. Most tech founders are hands-on and very involved in the development of their products. This means you know the ins and outs of your offering and can explain everything in minute detail.

This is a great advantage when bringing on staff or working through internal issues. However, this also tends to be a disadvantage when it comes time to promote your offering.

Some tech founders assume that everyone shares their knowledge and level of technical understanding. They’ll get excited talking about the nitty gritty of their solution but fail to see that others are not following along.

If your market doesn’t understand your offering or fails to see the value or benefit to them, chances are they won’t make a purchase. Assuming that everyone shares your technical knowledge is one of the biggest marketing mistakes we see tech firms make.

Mistake #2 - Approaching the wrong people

Another common mistake we see is firms targeting IT managers and technicians when making their pitch. Understandably, these are ‘your’ people and are bound to be as excited about your solution as you are.

We also understand the logic of getting the IT department onside before going up the ladder to the organisation’s decision-makers. However, it makes more sense to target non-tech decision-makers first. 

Your IT contacts may be eager to work with you but if the CEO or board aren’t swayed (or have a complicated relationship with IT) you have next to little chance of making a sale. Leaving you with nothing, despite all the effort you’ve already put into the relationship.

Mistake #3 - Doubling down on the tech

Explaining the features and specifications of your technical solution is important - but too often tech firms focus on these details instead of sharing the broader benefits to the entire organisation.

Getting bogged down in “techno-babble” when marketing your solution tends to make eyes glaze over when you try to engage non-tech decision-makers. It might be the perfect solution - but if the CEO can’t see the value or benefit, you’ll lose out. 

While IT managers will need the technical specs, these details generally go over the heads of non-tech decision-makers. They don’t care about the intricacies of the system - they care about the efficiencies gained or the savings made from choosing your solution.

Doubling down on the tech and not emphasising the broader benefits of your solution is a big mistake that can be very costly for tech firms.

Want to avoid these mistakes? Then, you’ll need the right messaging strategy.

These 3 marketing mistakes are common in the tech space but can be easily avoided with the right messaging strategy. 

A messaging strategy provides high-level guidance for all your content. By defining your audience(s), USP and use cases, your messaging strategy provides a roadmap for all your messaging needs - from website copy to social media content.

A typical messaging strategy will identify:

• your unique selling proposition (USP)

• your audience(s) 

• your core messages

• your tone of voice/brand personality

• chosen communication channels

• relevant use cases (how people can use your product/service).

Your messaging strategy makes it easy for people across your entire organisation to communicate clearly and consistently with customers, whatever their role or level.

How an effective messaging strategy can help grow your tech business

There are several benefits to developing a messaging strategy for your tech firm. Taking the time to develop a strong messaging strategy allows you to: 

• speak your customers’ language to boost engagement

• communicate clearly to improve understanding

• clarify your unique selling proposition to stand out

• overcome barriers to purchase to drive sales

• address customer concerns to increase conversions

• highlight customer benefits to move them through your funnel.

In other words, a strong messaging strategy helps you avoid the three common mistakes others in your industry are probably making right now.

Grow your tech brand with the right messaging strategy

Branding and messaging experts, the Multiverse team boosts your tech brand with messaging designed to resonate with your market. Get in touch to see how we can elevate your messaging to engage new customers, drive conversions and increase sales. 

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