Thought Leadership Content: They consume blog posts, articles, whitepapers explaining the need and benefit of IT cost optimization (e.g. Gartner reports that cost management remains top priority might show up). Social Media/LinkedIn: A LinkedIn post or share that 30% of cloud spend is wasted heres what companies are doing catches their eye. Industry Media: CFO might read in CFO Magazine about controlling tech costs; CIO sees a CIO.com article on FinOps, etc. Webinars & Events: Possibly attend a webinar like Cutting IT Costs in 2025: What CFOs and CIOs Must Know or meet RTC reps at an industry conferences panel discussion on IT financial management. Key Influences: Influencers at this stage include industry analysts (Gartners stance could make them aware of structured approach), peers (a CFO hearing another CFO mention they used a cost consultant). Internal influence: CFO might mention to CIO I heard others saved with FinOps, should we explore? and vice versa. Content Needs: They need problem definition and validation . Content that highlights the scope of potential savings (like stats weve cited: e.g. 89% of businesses increased focus on cost optimization ) helps create urgency. They also need to understand what solutions exist (like an explainer What is IT cost optimization consulting and when do you need it?). Conversion Trigger to next stage: A trigger could be reading a compelling stat or case study and thinking we might be missing out on that. They might download a whitepaper or sign up for a webinar to learn more (micro-conversion). Essentially, interest is piqued enough to actively research vendors or discuss internally Should we consider outside help? Consideration Stage: Buyer Mindset: They are now aware of potential solutions (like hiring a cost optimization firm or implementing a FinOps program). They start comparing different approaches or providers . They are gathering information about how this works, what benefits to expect, and whether it fits their situation. They might form criteria (like we want someone who can handle both cloud and software costs). Preferred Channels: Vendor Websites: They will visit RTCs website and those of competitors to understand offerings. Theyll look for services pages, case studies, client lists. Comparison Content: They might look for third-party comparisons or reviews (though not always easily available for consulting). Possibly check G2 or Gartner Peer Insights if any, or ask peers on forums (Procurement Pete might ask on a procurement forum: Has anyone used X firm for IT cost savings?). Direct Engagement: Many will reach out for an initial conversation or demo. CFO might delegate to someone (IT finance manager) to collect proposals, which means RTC might get an RFI or inquiry email. Webinars & Workshops: At this stage, a more detailed webinar (maybe hosted by RTC) like How [ClientName] saved $5M in IT costs in 6 months a case study discussion can draw them. Analyst or Advisor Consultation: They might leverage existing relationships, e.g. ask their Gartner advisor about recommended providers, or talk to an independent advisor. Content Needs: Detailed information on how the solution works and why its credible . Theyll want case studies (stories of similar companies, ROI achieved), methodology overview (e.g. PESTEL 6 9 27 40