More and more fintech and financial organizations are moving to cloud computing. This trend was already well underway prior to the pandemic but work from home and hybrid work models have spurred major growth in this area. For marketers, this scenario means reconsidering how you measure sales enablement and who in your company has ownership of the process.

Technology companies can and should be working to meet the ever-growing needs of the financial industry. As they move more toward these hybrid solutions, cloud-based security is an essential service. Finance companies need the scalability and flexibility that these new offerings allow. While financial organizations need to marry technology with their offerings to better serve their clients, they’re also highly aware of security issues and in need of guidance on best practices.

With clients in the financial vertical already motivated to purchase, the question becomes how to best serve them and offer value in all of your communications. In addition to targeted content, it is important for sales and marketing teams to be aware of and trained in the particular regulations and pain points of the financial vertical. Incorporate vertical training into your sales enablement process prior to creating your pitch deck. 

How Is Cloud Computing Used in Finance?

Cloud computing offers several benefits that the financial industry is interested in. One of the main features is security. Whether your client base is primarily interested in cloud-based security or more concerned over issues of scalability and data collection, security should be a primary touchpoint in all of your communications.

Clients are concerned with this issue, whether it’s their primary pain point or not. Highlighting cloud-based security goes a long way to help with sales enablement and offers value to clients still considering their options.

Here are some ways to market cloud computing to this specific industry:

• • Security. Security will be a primary issue in this vertical. Some finance companies are moving to the cloud specifically to increase their security measures. In other cases, clients may be concerned over ways that cloud-based options might be vulnerable to attack. For technology companies, finding ways to explain and expand on security options for cloud computing will be a highlight.
  • Data Storage. Financial organizations collect a great deal of data and much of it is highly regulated. Cloud computing offers a more cost-effective way to collect and access information efficiently.
  • Compliance. The financial sector is highly regulated, and compliance is a major factor in decisions with regard to technology vendors. For any technology company serving this industry, it’s important to showcase compliance as a main point of service. Clients will also be looking for vendors who specialize in their industry.
  • Scalability and Flexibility. Markets and trends move quickly in finance. These clients are looking for solutions to give them real-time data and the ability to scale as needed.
  • Efficiency. This is a general need, but companies in finance are looking for solutions that are efficient and user-friendly. They need solutions that their staff can easily master and that are intuitive to their needs and the needs of their customers.
  • Cost Savings. Budget is going to be a concern for any type of client. One of the things that you can highlight with cloud computing is the cost-benefit. It may not be a primary consideration here. Many finance companies are going to be more concerned with ROI, security, and compliance. But the fact that cloud computing often means a lower investment is something to add to the conversation.

How to Measure Sales Enablement

Who’s responsible for and how do you measure sales enablement? Sales enablement is a marriage between your sales and marketing departments. Whether you’re a small team wearing both hats, or you have wholly separate departments, sales enablement will depend on everyone being on the same page with messaging and providing value-based content.

Finance clients and prospective clients are looking for vendors that they can trust to help them grow their business while also providing stellar security. To enable your sales team to close deals, you need to develop content and marketing initiatives that help them speak to the client on pain points that need to be solved and the positive benefits your service provides.

To address security concerns, the audience needs to be educated on how your products and services offer excellence for their industry. Case studies are one type of content that’s highly recommended here for prospective clients in the research phase. These case studies should highlight experiences with finance customers that clearly show measured advantages to partnering with your business.

The metrics you’re looking for will differ depending on your goals. When working with finance clients, there is often a longer inbound approach to marketing because these are large-scale decisions. Content engagement can be a good indicator of effectiveness, but written content is likely to be earlier in the sales funnel for these clients.

Your sales team will need a variety of tools to fully educate prospective clients. These include webinars, demos, case studies, white papers. For this target demographic, showcasing the ROI will be a much higher priority than some other marketing initiatives.

Sales Enablement Statistics

Recent sales enablement statistics verify the need for personalized messaging. This is true with B2B marketing, as well as B2C. More than 65% of customers expect the company to anticipate their needs and expectations. And 87% of businesses prefer a value-based approach to sales.

What does this mean for marketers in the cloud-based security space when the target audience is in finance? Your target audience is looking for value-based content and providers that they can look to as thought leaders to help propel their security initiatives and growth.

Selling Cloud Computing to Finance

As discussed above, financial organizations have already moved toward cloud-based solutions. There are numerous benefits to cloud computing for the industry. Cloud shortens the time to market and allows for improved communication methods, which equates to better service for customers. There are also advantages in analytics that help with business intelligence.

Financial organizations were reluctant to move to the cloud initially because they were concerned about security and meeting the stringent regulatory requirements of the industry. It’s important to answer these pain points thoroughly in working with companies in finance.

For technology companies marketing cloud-based security to finance, developing value-based content that helps your target audience learn more about best practices and uses of cloud computing can be beneficial. It’s also essential that you develop tools for your sales team to thoroughly showcase the advantages of working with your company to maintain compliance andb security. Listen to a banking IT executive explain where banks currently wish to invest and why from a recent Buyer’s Seat podcast.

Need Help Unlocking the Full Power of Your Sales Enablement?

Marketing cloud-based security to finance is an intricate vertical to master. Emissary’s advisor network can help you streamline your process and develop the right strategy. Contact us today to get started or call us at (646) 776-0510 to discuss your business needs.