How CIOs Evaluate Vendors

Marketing and sales executives in technology firms aspire to develop a strong relationship with the CIOs in their target accounts in order to solidify a vendor's incumbent status or grease follow-on sales. But to most CIOs, the tech vendor remains "just another vendor to deal with." Why? Because the marketing messages and sales methodologies assume the CIO thinks just like a target buyer. The nature of the CIO position and CIOs' views of success and failure put vendors in a very different perspective. Tech vendors can improve receptiveness to their CIO message if they understand how CIOs measure an offering's benefits, gauge its fit with the existing organization, and perceive how a relationship will benefit them.