You’re good at technology. You know how to design and execute projects to help end-users alleviate their security challenges and issues. Your installation team is top notch and revenue is healthy and growing. You’re moving to services and migrating customers to the latest solutions, with an eye to future, scalable deployments. Even with all these check marks, are you doing all you can to ensure a successful business, longevity and a leg up against the competition?
A common denominator among systems integrators may be missing: a solid marketing plan that consistently gets the right message in front of the right audience at the right time.
Foundational marketing principles
David Morgan is vice president and co-founder of Security Dealer Marketing, Irwindale, Calif., a company that has served systems integrators for more than 15 years. Morgan understands that day-to-day operations are where contractors excel, but he said they need to prioritize marketing alongside sales for steady lead flow.
“Sales get all the attention, but what would happen if you had prospects who actually know who you are, the values you stand for and what makes you unique and different? Most integrators are from the community they serve, and there’s an opportunity to develop authenticity, local trust and differentiation,” he said.
Morgan said systems integrators should focus on consistent, thought-leadership messaging and avoid complicated marketing.
“Attention spans are plunging and users are bombarded by hundreds or even thousands of direct or indirect ads, all vying for attention. The key is developing content as if you were having a one-on-one conversation with the prospect or customer,” he said.
Morgan recalled a recent conversation with a systems integrator in a situation that has become all too familiar. The executive recapped the company’s core business in a pitch that succinctly outlined its capabilities. However, when Morgan visited the firm’s website, none of that messaging was there, leaving the value proposition understated.
“What we cannot have is the tale of two businesses. Messaging needs to be consistent on websites and across platforms,” Morgan said. “When you reach out proactively in prospecting, end-users should already know who you are, the values you stand for and what makes you unique and different. When this happens, they are prepositioned to buy and not focused on your capabilities and credibility.”
He recommended having someone outside the company review the website, adding that, “Ask a family member to go to your website and say, ‘Tell me what you think’ ‘How does it make you feel?’ ‘What do you think we do?’”
Simple, low-cost visibility
Morgan emphasized leveraging methodical, low-hanging-fruit marketing tactics, beginning with website alignment—making sure residential and commercial offerings and other services are clearly distinguished and SEO-optimized.
Another way to increase visibility is through the Google Business Profile, which is free to create, claim and manage.
“Make sure the profile is claimed, select accurate categories, fill in all the fields, set hours, add images/videos, use Google Business Profile posts [for updates, offers and events] and establish standard operating procedures for handling reviews—all of which improve local search and raise credibility.
“Update your hours on the profile to 24/7, 365 days, so you’ll be in those Google searches that happen after hours or on weekends,” Morgan said. “Take a look at your primary business category and look at some of the searches you think your ideal customers are doing. See if you can identify a pattern, and if that’s not the primary category you’re working with, perhaps you could make that change. That literally takes seconds to do. Also, use real images and videos, like pictures of your vehicles or deployments. Make sure you’re investing the time and have systems in place to capture the email of every prospect, customer and end-user for marketing campaigns.”
Content and thought leadership
Content should add value so the company becomes the go-to resource in the market.
“I would imagine that the average integrator gets asked the same set of five to 10 or more questions by customers and prospects,” Morgan said. “Jot those down and take notes on things you’ve discussed regarding technology or other topics. Develop a quick video answering one of the questions. Remember, raw is real; it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just share some thoughts. There are free services to edit the video and that topic may become the baseline for writing a social post, blog, a mini article or other content.”
Consolidating contact databases (LinkedIn, CRM, Microsoft Outlook) and using inexpensive email platforms for short, value-driven newsletters is another simple tactic.
On the topic of using A.I. to generate content, Morgan advised against treating it as an autopilot and stressed asking the right questions to get more context and a better output. He recommended using A.I. to automate routine tasks to focus on high-value activities.
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