MSP Summit/Channel Partners Leadership Summit: CIOs Are Ignoring Your Emails, and They're Right to Do So
Four CIOs and CISO explain why unsolicited email pitches go straight to the junk folder.
![CIO Panel Orlando CIO Panel Orlando](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt10e444bce2d36aa8/bltad72350a65ef7c61/6524183b35cbee34be8d73b6/IMG_7663.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Robert DeMarzo led a panel of CIOs and CISOs at the 2022 MSP Summit and Channel Partners Leadership Summit.
The CIO and CISO panelists at the MSP Summit/Channel Partners Leadership Summit offered their thoughts on if an economic downturn is forcing their companies to lower their IT budgets.
Fabian Rodriguez, former global vice president of information and digital technology at Tupperware Brands, said the pandemic presented a mixed bag. Spending decreased in some areas, but the technologies that helped pivot businesses toward digital transformation soared.
“The CEO was saying, ‘I need to cut costs here, but I like this [investment] here.’ That’s why I think it’s a little bit of both.”
Chet Patel is the complex director of innovation and technology at Caribe Royale Orlando, which is hosting The MSP Summit and Channel Partners Leadership Summit.
The Caribe recently underwent a renovation, and that involved technology upgrades.
“My forethought is, how do I pay for a world today that can support the technologies of tomorrow? At the end of the day, that’s what matters. Wi-Fi and connected experience are like a utility now. You just can’t live without it. It’s like hot water or electricity. Nobody wants to have mediocre Wi-Fi in a virtual meeting,” Patel said.
Carlos Rodriguez (pictured) is the vCISO, lead cybersecurity and risk consultant at OnDefend. He said he and his peers receive a barrage of unsolicited sales pitches. And in most cases, they completely ignore those messages.
Rodriguez encouraged partners to encounter potential customers in a more organic, localized manner. That means going to industry conferences or local business events and rubbing shoulders as peers. Conversations about actual technology projects can’t occur until much later down the line in that relationship.
“I am more inclined as a CIO/CISO to establish a conversation with you if I’ve had an actual conversation with you … if you don’t have that conversation but send me an email, I’m just going to ignore you,” he said.
Lee Mangold, CISO and vice president of security at Fortress Information Security, agreed.
“The best way to end up on my block list is to send me an email that says, ‘Hey, popping this is to the top of your inbox again.'”
Ashley Rowland, partner at Adaptiv Advisors, agreed strongly with Carlos Rodriguez’ point.
“CIOs and CISOs are getting hit with sales messages not only from technology advisors but also from direct sales reps at an alarming rate. It’s no wonder they tune these messages out as soon as they recognize that it’s ‘junk’ aka a sales email from a stranger. It doesn’t matter how value-packed, cute, or funny your prospecting email is. It’s a waste of your time if you don’t already have a relationship established.”
Rowland, who runs the agent education and training platform Recurring Raise, said partners must “add value to your target prospect’s world.
“That means, give them something that benefits them without asking for anything (like a meeting) in return. This could be joining a professional organization or supporting an organization that they trust,” Rowland said.
Bret Hickenlooper, founder and interim CEO at Sumo Communications, said his advisory firm has established relationships with new prospects by inviting them to events. For example, Sumo runs an annual golf tournament.
“Suppliers are eager to sponsor events where they get to meet decision makers. If you aren’t big enough to have your own event, [then] leverage your TSB or strategic suppliers to have events in your market and invite prospects,” Hickenlooper told Channel Futures. “Sales development techniques will always include LinkedIn messaging and email – but that’s a volume play. Does anyone still cold call?”
Jay Morris owns technology advisory firm MOReCOMM Solutions and serves as channel chief for MSP Keystone Solutions.
“In-person, virtual connections, and other forms of referrals and introductions will always produce more results and will be far less intrusive than an uninvited email,” Morris told Channel Futures. “That said, if you have something compelling to say or offer and keep it light, short, sweet and to the point, you may not always be ignored.”
The reality, Morris said, is that a stream of emails is bombarding all decision makers, including himself. Every once in a while, one might make the recipient say “mm-hmm.”
“Find your mm-hmmm, start a discussion, be inquisitive, be patient, build a rapport and leave your technical ego at the door,” he said.
Rowland pointed to Juanita Coley, who runs workforce management firm Solid Rock Consulting. Coley runs a show where she interviews contact center managers and leaders but focuses on technology and business conversations rather than her firm specifically.
Rowland also noted Phil Howard’s “Dissecting Popular IT Nerds” podcast, in which Howard focuses on business isues that matter to his guests.
“Phil invites IT leaders onto his podcast not to talk about purchasing cloud, connectivity or other technologies from Phil, but to talk about issues that are important to them like getting a seat at the executive table, retaining talent, pitching your ideas to C-level execs and so much more,” she said.
In both cases, the partner is not kicking off the relationship with a pitch.
“Step one should be to start a conversation and simply to get a response,” Rowland said. “The more listening we do, the better relationships we build, the better customer outcomes and business growth we have.”
What sort of partner does a CIO want?
Interestingly, the panelists mirrored something we’ve been hearing a lot in the industry lately: that partners need to evolve to function as business advisors rather than as technology advisors.
Fabian Rodriguez shared the story of a “rock star partner” when his group was trying to expand its compliance business. Rodriguez said this firm took a step beyond the competition by seeking to understand his business.
“They never talked about cost. They never talked about anything else,” Rodriguez said. “They said, ‘How can we drive your business? How can we make your organization the best compliance organization?'”
Patel said partners need to conduct a “partnership” rather than a “vendorship” with the customer.
“We want to feel that you’re on our side of the line, versus the other side of the line. I’ve had many vendors go to bat for us with their leadership saying, ‘We need to give them a good deal. They’re going to come through. They have more business coming down the pipeline.'”
What sort of partner does a CIO want?
Interestingly, the panelists mirrored something we’ve been hearing a lot in the industry lately: that partners need to evolve to function as business advisors rather than as technology advisors.
Fabian Rodriguez shared the story of a “rock star partner” when his group was trying to expand its compliance business. Rodriguez said this firm took a step beyond the competition by seeking to understand his business.
“They never talked about cost. They never talked about anything else,” Rodriguez said. “They said, ‘How can we drive your business? How can we make your organization the best compliance organization?'”
Patel said partners need to conduct a “partnership” rather than a “vendorship” with the customer.
“We want to feel that you’re on our side of the line, versus the other side of the line. I’ve had many vendors go to bat for us with their leadership saying, ‘We need to give them a good deal. They’re going to come through. They have more business coming down the pipeline.'”
MSP SUMMIT/CHANNEL PARTNERS LEADERSHIP SUMMIT — Chief information officers can tell which channel partners offer true business value, and which ones don’t.
Day three of The MSP Summit and Channel Partners Leadership Summit featured a panel of chief information officers (CIOs) and chief information security officers (CISOs). These four technology leaders have all engaged with channel partners from the other side of the table. On Thursday, they shared valuable secrets about the pain points they face in their daily business. Bobby DeMarzo, Channel Futures’ vice president of content, moderated the lively discussion.
The panelists kept returning to the same topic: that they can quickly sniff out a partner or vendor sales rep who views them in an impersonal, transactional way. Moreover, they are not fans of such an approach. For example, they all agreed that they rarely read sales-pitch emails from partners they haven’t met.
Channel Futures covered the panel and asked partners what they thought about it.
See the slideshow above to read about the state of IT budgets and what customers are looking for in partners.
Want to contact the author directly about this story? Have ideas for a follow-up article? Email James Anderson or connect with him on LinkedIn. |
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like