WOM Influences Half of Tech Purchases
In the past 12 months, 48.3% of business executives have been directly influenced by WOM in making a technology-related purchase decision. That's according to MarketingSherpa's 2006 Business Technology Marketing Benchmark Guide, which was published this summer in partnership with WOMMA member CNET Networks. In addition to WOM in general, executives cited blogs from experts and professionals (19.6%), industry media and analysts (10%) and vendors (4.6%) -- all types of WOM -- as influential.
Execs' purchases also were influenced by:
* Trade shows (41.9%)
* Print magazines (40.6%)
* Enewsletters from a known company (34.1%)
* Email from an unknown company (4%)
* Cold calls from telemarketers (2.8%)
* Podcasts (2.7%)
