Digital Landfill

According to the latest AIIM state of the industry survey , how you view the business drivers for ECM depends a lot on where you sit.

For self-described records and document practitioners, risk-related business drivers are clearly at top of mind. 24% of RM and DM types see "compliance" as the primary driver for their interest in ECM, and 13% see "risk-reduction/business continuity as the primary reason. Among IT folks, the corresponding percentages are only 16% and 6%, and for line of business types, only 10% and 9%.

If you want to sell ECM to IT audiences, cost-related messages (bottom line) sell, with 27% of IT managers and executives seeing "improve efficiency" as the top ECM business driver (vs. 22% for line of business execs and 24% for RM and DM practitioners).

For those with line of business responsibilities, it should come as no surprise that a "top-line" driver -- "leadership/competitive advantage" -- is the top business driver (23%) vs. only a 12% response for IT people and 9% for RM and DM practitioners.

The takeaway? A little marketing 101: Craft your message to the audience.