GlobalSpec-2019年智能营销报告（英文）-2018.12-31页-2mb

2019 Smart Marketing for Engineers® Summary

Core Content Overview

This document presents a comprehensive survey conducted by TREW Marketing and IEEE GlobalSpec to understand the preferences and behaviors of engineers in their search for and evaluation of products, services, and technologies. The survey highlights key insights into content consumption, online search behavior, and the buying journey of engineers across different regions and demographics.

Main Findings

1. Engineers' Content Preferences

• Preferred Content Types: Engineers value datasheets, case studies, and product demo/how-to videos the most.
• Regional Variations:
  • Engineers in South America and Mexico place more value on technical trade publications than vendor websites.
  • Engineers in India/Asia/Russia value search engines the most.
• Trust in Content Sources:
  • Engineers most trust content written by engineering experts (4.6/6).
  • They also trust industry analysts (4/6) and magazine editors (3.7/6).
• Newsletter Subscriptions:
  • Most engineers (about 90%) subscribe to two to three e-newsletters.
  • Engineers under 35 are more likely to value product demo/how-to videos.
  • Younger engineers are more likely to scan subject lines and delete irrelevant emails.

2. Engineers' Search and Online Preferences

• Website Impact:
  • 52% of engineers believe a company's website has considerable impact on their perception of the company as a credible vendor.
• Form Fields Completion:
  • The most commonly completed fields are work email address, company, first name, and last name.
  • Purchase time frame and mobile phone number are least likely to be filled.
• Search Depth:
  • 54% of engineers go three pages or deeper in their search.
  • 20% go five or more pages deep.
  • Engineers in India/Asia/Russia search fewer pages (52% go 1-2 pages deep), while those in South America/Mexico search more (32% go over five pages).

3. Engineers' Buying Journeys

• Online Research:
  • 60% of engineers do most of their buying process online, from early research to final purchase decision.
  • Engineers in India/Asia/Russia have the highest percentage (52%) of online buying process.
  • Engineers in U.S./Canada have the shortest buying cycle (50% take 0-3 months).
• Vendor Interaction:
  • 52% of engineers have three to four interactions with a vendor before communicating directly.
  • Engineers in South America/Mexico have more interactions (74%).
  • Younger engineers (under 45) are more likely to engage in multiple interactions (60% and 57% respectively).
• Early Engagement:
  • 97% of engineers do topic research online.
  • 87% qualify vendors online.
  • 79% narrow down a short list of vendors online.

4. Lead Form Behavior

• Form Completion:
  • Work email address is the most commonly completed field (74%).
  • Company (63%), first name (57%), and last name (51%) are also frequently filled.
  • Purchase time frame (12%) and mobile phone number (14%) are rarely completed.
• Regional Differences:
  • Engineers in India/Asia/Russia are less likely to complete any form fields except work email address (55%).
  • Engineers in U.S./Canada are more likely to complete the five main fields.

5. Response Expectations

• Contact Expectation:
  • 44% expect to be contacted by a vendor within 24 hours.
  • 27% expect contact within 48 hours.
  • Youngest engineers (25-35) have the highest expectations (82% expect contact within 48 hours).
  • Oldest engineers (56-65) also have high expectations (80%).

Key Insights

• Engineers prioritize online content and vendor websites for product and service information.
• Content quality and frequency significantly influence their decision-making.
• Lead form completion is influenced by the perceived relevance and trustworthiness of the content.
• Search behavior varies by region, with South America/Mexico engineers being the most thorough in their online research.
• Buying process is heavily online, with fewer than 25% rarely engaging online.
• Younger engineers are more likely to engage in multiple interactions and expect faster responses.

Appendix Highlights

• Company Size:
  • 50% of companies are small (under 100 employees).
  • 25% are mid-sized (100-1,000 employees).
  • 25% are large (over 1,000 employees).
• Job Function:
  • Engineers at smaller companies are more likely to be sole decision-makers.
  • Engineers at larger companies are more likely to be part of a group decision.
• Industry and Geography:
  • Primary industries and geographic locations are diverse, with significant representation from U.S./Canada, South America/Mexico, and India/Asia/Russia.
• Purchase Authority:
  • Sole decision-makers are more common among older engineers.
  • Group decision-makers are more common among engineers at larger companies.

Methodology

• The survey was conducted using the IEEE GlobalSpec database.
• 354 completed surveys were included after filtering out disqualifying responses.
• Data collection occurred in July 2018.
• Incentive: Respondents were entered into a drawing for $100 gift cards.
• Regions Excluded: Europe and Middle East/Africa due to poor response rates.

About IEEE GlobalSpec and TREW Marketing

• IEEE GlobalSpec provides data-driven marketing solutions for industrial companies, focusing on engineers and technical professionals.
• TREW Marketing is a B2B marketing firm serving North America and Europe, with expertise in technical markets.
• Both organizations emphasize content marketing, website optimization, and strategic planning to help companies achieve business growth.