What surprised me most about marketing tech (from someone new to the industry)

When I started working at Pixo, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting into. I don’t have a technical background. I hadn’t worked in software before. And yet, here I was, tasked with marketing our digital services to people making big decisions about tech. It felt like jumping into a new language, with acronyms, tools, and platforms I hadn’t heard of before. At first, I worried: Am I really the right person to help people understand custom software?

But as I started listening to my team, joining meetings, and shaping our messaging, something became clear: the people we’re talking to aren’t necessarily tech experts, either. They’re busy professionals in higher ed, agriculture, manufacturing, and other industries where technology is often a means to an end, not the end itself.

And that realization changed the way I thought about marketing in this space. Here’s what’s surprised me most so far:

1. Tech buyers aren’t always tech experts—and that’s completely normal

A lot of the people we talk to are leading departments, running operations, or juggling responsibilities across multiple systems. They’re not always IT directors or developers—and that’s okay. They’re focused on solving problems, not mastering platforms.

So instead of leading with jargon or features, I’ve learned to lead with empathy. What’s slowing you down right now? What tools aren’t working together? What’s making your job harder than it needs to be?

That’s where the conversation really starts.

2. What matters most isn’t the software. It’s what the software solves.

Early on, I thought my job was to talk about technology: platforms, integrations, functionality. But what actually resonates is something much more human—the result.

When we talk about a custom web platform, we’re not really talking about code. We’re talking about:

• One place to log in instead of six
• A way for your team to stop relying on spreadsheets
• Visibility into the data that actually helps you make decisions 

My job isn’t to explain the tech. It’s to help people see what’s possible when it works the way they need it to.

3. Trust is more important than tech specs.

If you’ve ever been burned by a software vendor before, you know how important this is.

I’ve learned that custom software isn’t a quick sell—and it shouldn’t be. It’s an investment. That’s why what we’re offering at Pixo isn’t just a product; it’s a partnership.

We don’t start with a quote or a proposal. We start with curiosity. We listen. We ask questions. And we only build something if we believe it will make your work better, smoother, and more sustainable long-term.

That’s what I try to communicate in every email, every post, and every meeting.

Final thoughts: What this means for you.

If you’re exploring new tech or you’re just frustrated with what you’re currently using, you don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t need a background in software to start a conversation about improving your operations.

What you do need is a partner who will:

• Understand your business and your goals
• Explain things in plain (human) language
• Build something that actually fits how your team works

And that’s what we do at Pixo.

Let’s talk!

If any of this sounds familiar, let’s connect. We’d love to hear about what’s going on in your world and share a bit about how we approach custom tech solutions.

We’re not here to sell software. We’re here to solve the right problems with the right tech.