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Since everything Google does can be used to enhance the delivery of ads against search results (and in other ad venues), it doesn’t need to charge much – or anything, in some cases – for the technology it offers. Unsurprisingly, businesses become pretty interested in low-cost and no-cost solutions. Though the trend is still in its infancy, many IT buyers are opening themselves to the idea of using Google-supplied software-as-a-service solutions in place of their existing systems.

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Google is starting to edge its way into what would normally be considered the traditional IT business. It’s delivering both personal and enterprise applications, from office productivity to e-mail to data storage. And, it’s generally charging very little or nothing at all. For small businesses especially, Google is making a variety of IT options available at extremely low prices. If this trend continues, Google could begin to erode the markets that currently belong to traditional IT manufacturers and value-added resellers.

This week, we’re running a series on the enter:marketing blog  – Five Reasons to Watch Google in 2010. Stop by every day to learn how the search engine giant is moving into other aspects of the IT industry … and how this can affect your business. To discuss ways to bolster your competitive strategy in regards to this challenge, please contact us today (opens an e-mail message).

Click here for a page to bookmark for the “Five Reasons to Watch Google in 2010″ series >>

The financial news has been great for serving up one dismal story after another. Consumers aren’t spending – which affects everyone – and unemployment’s at its highest point in more than a quarter of a century. If you follow this stuff too closely, you might miss the trend that matters most: IT spending is going up.

After two years of clamping down on technology budgets, businesses are investing in both software and infrastructure. Much of this is for “must-have” projects still, a side-effect of delaying upgrades and migrations because of market conditions. Look closely, though, and you’ll find a hidden opportunity for future account growth.

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If you aren’t thinking about cloud computing yet, it’s time for you to start. Now. Seriously. Sure, there’s been a lot of buzz around this for a while, and IT buyers are starting to buy into cloud computing services (especially in the small and medium-sized business segment). Services are popping up from some of the strongest brands in the IT industry, including EMC’s cloud-optimized storage, VMWare’s vCloud and Cisco’s cloud computing overlay for unified service delivery. But, the most interesting indicator of cloud adoption is that IT departments are hiring for it.

Your clients are so committed to exploring cloud computing that they are adding to their departments – in a tough market. According to a report by InfoWorld, mentions of “cloud computing” in job posts on Indeed.com are up 350,000 percent since January 2008.

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Put yourself in your prospects’ shoes for a moment. You are an IT decision-maker. Thousands of manufacturers and thousands of resellers want a piece of your time and a chunk of your budget. The noise is deafening, but the pressure to support revenue initiatives and cut costs remains. Tough choices are made tougher by the array of voices around you.

So, who gets through? Those with general messages vaguely talking about “value” and “industry leadership”? Or, would you respond to a focused message that solves a specific problem in your IT environment?

CIOs and IT directors need results, and your best shot at getting an appointment is showing from the start that you understand their needs and pain points … and that you’re their best choice for delivering – and implementing – a solution.

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You should focus on marketing constantly. It communicates and reinforces to prospective and existing clients the value of the services you provide. Telemarketing is an important part of this, and it can be a great way to fill your lead pipeline. To maximize the value of your marketing investment, though, the “tele” variety of marketing should be part of a larger campaign.

Implication: telemarketing itself does not constitute a marketing campaign.

Directionless telemarketing – which occurs when there is no guiding strategy involved – is focused on the myopic goal of getting meetings scheduled. Of course, this is what you want … as long as the meetings are with likely buyers. However, there in lies the rub!

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For more than a decade, the IT industry has been obsessed with the concept of “first to market.” I remember the late 1990s, in particular, where a company that wasn’t first to move was believed destined to follow, as early entrants would seize market share quickly, gain an edge on the upgrade path and block anyone with similar hopes from ever realizing them. The advantage that comes with being first isn’t as widely recognized as it was 10 years ago, but it nonetheless persists, if only in a diluted form.

When it comes to social media marketing, this has led several companies to surmise that it’s too late to use it to gain an edge. They winners have already been determined, they suspect. So, why would an IT reseller invest its already limited marketing resources in this type of endeavor?

Well, we have more than a decade of perspective on the first-mover advantage, and I can tell you confidently not to believe in it. You can succeed even if you’re late to the game – but wait too long, and you really are ceding the advantage to your competitors.

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