New Research Identifies Four Types of Small Business Technology Buyers; Data Reveals Small Businesses Make Technology Purchasing Decisions Based on Attitudes and Beliefs

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Aug 21, 2013, 08:45 ET

CHANDLER, Ariz., Aug. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new research study from Infusionsoft, the sales and marketing technology buying decisions made by small businesses are influenced more by attitudes and beliefs than by demographic factors such as industry, revenue and years in business. Infusionsoft today released data from its nationwide survey of nearly 1,200 small businesses. The study, titled The American Dream: What Really Motivates Small Business Owners, revealed four distinct types of small business sales and marketing technology buyers based on attitudes and behaviors: Strivers, Customizers, Maximizers and Supporters.

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Read the full report and infographic to learn more about the attitudes and behaviors driving the sales and marketing technology buying decisions of small businesses: http://bit.ly/14T8W9j

"The results of the survey paint a clear picture of the sales and marketing technology challenges facing small businesses today," says Infusionsoft Chief Marketing Officer Greg Head. "The data shows small businesses need better education on how to select and use technology, and they still feel somewhat lost on finding the right solution for their specific needs. By sharing the results, the market will gain a better understanding of what small businesses want from technology."

The Attitudes and Behaviors of Small Business Technology Buyers

Strivers
Strivers seek technology that can help them overcome their sales and marketing challenges, move beyond their existing capabilities and support the growth of their business. They often lack the time and resources to fully use their technology, causing them to be dissatisfied with it. They benefit from education and services that help them implement marketing and sales strategies.

  • 43 percent of Strivers spend less than $500 per month on marketing
  • 78 percent say they need help in building automated sales and marketing processes
  • 78 percent say they need assistance with evaluating effective marketing content
  • Strivers have the smallest social media presence of the four groups and often lack a clear social media marketing strategy

Customizers
Customizers seek technology that can help them automate existing sales processes and scale their business in a way that doesn't compromise their ability to deliver personalized customer service. This group worries that sales and marketing technology may require too much time to manage or increase their client base so much that it becomes unmanageable.

  • They use Facebook and Twitter to market to customers and leverage LinkedIn for networking
  • 51 percent spend more than $1,000 per month on marketing
  • 53 percent say they need help in selecting the right sales and marketing tools
  • 54 percent need help developing effective marketing strategies and evaluating messaging

Maximizers
Interested in gaining a competitive advantage through technology, Maximizers understand sales and marketing systems are essential for their success. Their priority is maximizing available resources while achieving a consistent and effective messaging. They tend to invest more time on sales and marketing activities than other segments.

  • 61 percent spend more than $1,000 per month on marketing
  • 57 percent of Maximizers say they need help in choosing the right sales and marketing tools
  • 60 percent say they need help in building those tools
  • 61 percent say they need assistance in evaluating effective marketing content
  • Maximizers have the most diverse platform reach, with 49 percent using Facebook, 36 percent using Twitter and 31 percent using YouTube

Supporters
Supporters are proud of their small business identity and want to work with vendors who understand their challenges, which they feel differ from those of larger companies. Specific to sales and marketing, they favor technology that helps them reduce costs and save time.

  • 57 percent of Supporters spend less than $1,000 per month on marketing and 34 percent spend between $0-$500 per month
  • 59 percent say they need help with evaluating effective marketing content
  • 59 percent of Supporters tend to favor Facebook for social media marketing, with Twitter coming in second at 31 percent

About The Survey
"The American Dream: What Really Motivates Small Business Owners" surveyed a range of small businesses to examine the attitudes and behaviors that drive their technology decision-making process. Only companies with 25 or fewer employees and revenue of more than $100,000 were surveyed. Nearly 1,200 companies across industries provided input on their sales and marketing strategies, their business objectives, the role of technology in their businesses, their expansion plans and the challenges specific to running and growing a small business. The complete survey results and analysis are available on the Infusionsoft blog.

About Infusionsoft
Infusionsoft provides an all-in-one sales and marketing software for 16,000 small businesses around the globe. Its Web-based solution helps small businesses automatically market to get more customers, grow sales and save time. The privately held, six-time Inc. 500/5000 company is based in Chandler, Ariz. and is funded by Goldman Sachs, Mohr Davidow Ventures and Signal Peak Ventures. For more information, visit www.infusionsoft.com.

Helpful links:  
Infusionblog.com
@Infusionsoft
facebook.com/Infusionsoft

SOURCE Infusionsoft

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