For my final project in consumer behavior at Southern New Hampshire University, I will be exploring Microsoft’s cybersecurity segment (Microsoft Defender). Microsoft’s cybersecurity segment was chosen for my final project because I already have industry knowledge from training with the Alexia Network Foundation, which gives me an advantage in academic research. My research for the final project will also enable the Alexia Network Foundation to gain a competitive advantage in potential future partnerships by identifying opportunities and mitigating existing risks. Having pre-documented academic research can benefit Alexia Network Foundation long-term by reducing uncertainty and providing strategic foresight.

Cybersecurity Segments

The customer segment that I will be using for my final project is IT professionals. Microsoft Defender’s advanced configurations require advanced knowledge and skills to properly manage, which makes it ideal for IT specialists. One source that I can use to learn more about IT specialists is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This source will provide me with information about their educational background, salaries, and characteristics. The demographic for my segment is dominantly white men between the ages of 25 and 29, with full-time jobs and bachelor’s degrees. “The national average annual wage for computer support specialists is around $67, 727, 74.9% are men, 62.1% are white, and the majority hold a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science as of 2023” (Data USA, 2024).

IT Marketing Segmentation Strategies

Since IT specialists are a broad target market, there are several methods to divide them into various segments. This helps marketers create more tailored messages for existing and future customers. Categorizing the existing market by educational background is one method that I can use to segment IT professionals. Since IT professionals have different educational backgrounds, and many of them don’t have computer science degrees, categorizing and segmenting the education is a great way to connect with a specific target market. This can be accomplished by going on government databases (Bureau of Statistics, Department of Education, etc.).

Social media app engagement is another useful method to categorize IT professionals. Every social media platform is designed to target consumers based on a specific desire or goal. For example, Instagram targets users who are interested in fashion and beauty. LinkedIn targets professionals interested in professional development. My target segments’ social media data can be accessed through data collection services, like Statista.

My target segment is a good fit for Microsoft Defender because it has advanced features that require specialized skills and knowledge. Microsoft Defender offers extended detection and response (XDR), which expands threat coverage, allowing IT specialists to identify digital attacks on emails and cloud apps. AI is also integrated into Microsoft Defender, which makes it easier for IT specialists to spot and stop advanced threats, like phishing and ransomware.

The segment that I’m using for this project is IT professionals because they are tech-savvy and have a strong need for cybersecurity. IT professionals are individuals who are dependent on technology and are exposed to advanced security issues. IT professionals are often overwhelmed with various tasks, which makes it difficult for them to effectively monitor all digital security challenges. Microsoft is more than just a company, as many of its products and services are deeply embedded in everyday life. This makes it easier for IT specialists to consider Microsoft products alongside alternative brands when deciding to purchase cybersecurity solutions.

One research need that relates to IT specialists is how to deal with insider threats. According to Scott Woodgate (2025), “Defender unifies security across multicloud and hybrid environments, helping teams reduce alert fatigue, prioritize cyberthreats effectively, and strengthen security and compliance postures”. It’s common for businesses to lose trust in their employees because it’s common for employees to accidentally or intentionally expose sensitive information. Microsoft Defender (and other cybersecurity products) have a hard time dealing with insider threats. Even if measures are taken to eliminate or reduce human error, it’s easy for trust to be eroded after the fact.

Social engineering is another need that Microsoft Defender (and other cybersecurity products) cannot fully resolve. Some security threats are known for tricking and deceiving IT specialists, which convinces them to let sophisticated threats bypass advanced security measures. It’s also common for XDR to block legitimate software because some malicious malware looks hyper-realistic.

Consumer Buying Process

The first stage is when the consumer finds a need for a product, which is motivated by external influences. Next, the consumer has a want, which is when they have a desire to address their needs. After the consumer addresses their wants, they will exchange something of value to obtain the desired product or service. In most cases, the consumer will exchange currency. The consumer will evaluate the costs and benefits of using a product after making a purchase. In this stage, the consumer determines the negative and positive aspects of a product or service. “Physical effort also takes place as consumers visit retail stores and browse web resources during the process. The time, money, and effort spent acquiring a product comes at the expense of other activities, resulting in high opportunity costs for the consumer” (Babin and Harris, 2022). Consumers will have a reaction after using the product or service that’s provided. The consumer will have a thought about how useful a product or service was. Additionally, they will have an emotional response. Finally, the consumer will determine the value of a product or service. If the consumer is satisfied during the buying process, they are more likely to repurchase a product and become lifelong customers. However, a negative experience will keep customers from coming back again.

In the first and second stages of the consumer buying process, making the consumer aware of your product or service will be essential. This can easily be done through paid and non-paid advertisements. During the third stage, it will be essential to direct consumers to a website (or some form of catalog), which can be done with search engine optimization and social media marketing campaigns. It’s important to ensure that websites are fully updated and optimized during this process. When the consumer is in the last two stages, it will be essential to establish a professional relationship. Businesses can easily build a strong rapport with email marketing and SMS marketing. According to PGM (2025), “99% of email users check their inbox every day, with some checking 20 times a day”. Of those people, 58% of consumers check their email first thing in the morning. This allows them to obtain customer reviews, offer attractive discounts, and provide personalized deals.

The “need” and “want” stages will be essential for promoting Microsoft Defender because many competing businesses will be promoting their products. Since there is a vast amount of competitive products in the market, Microsoft will need to make its advertisements authentic and unique to stand out. The “reaction” stage is the second most important because feedback is essential for improving future business performance. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of a service is essential for improving the customer buying experience for future customers.

Marketing Strategy

My overall marketing goal for segmenting IT professionals is to increase brand loyalty and increase revenue by attracting more educated consumers in my target market. Since educated IT specialists have more revenue and specialized skills, it will be easier to tailor marketing content.

Email and SMS marketing will be used to communicate with my target market after they make a purchase or abandon their carts. These methods are useful for reminding and motivating consumers to buy products they left in their carts. “Most people (90%) respond to SMS messages within 30 minutes, which is particularly useful for time-sensitive promotions or sending critical information” (YEC, 2024). Also, email and SMS marketing can be used to increase lifelong loyalty by providing exclusive discounts and rewards. Digital advertisement can be used to increase brand awareness when consumers develop a need and want. Social media marketing and SEO can be used to direct consumers to a website so they can compare Microsoft Defender with competing products.

One-to-one marketing is when a message is tailored for a specific customer, which helps create a unique experience. This can be integrated into my marketing campaign by creating personalized SMS, social media, and email marketing messages. Since consumers have different needs, interests, and experiences, it’s easy to customize messages on email, SMS, and social media marketing.

The best stages to implement one-to-one marketing are during the stages when consumers have a reaction and associate the product with a value. Microsoft can tailor personalized emails and SMS messages to create a tailored experience. This will allow Microsoft to collect data with reviews and surveys. Using one-to-one marketing can be used during the stage when consumers develop a want stage. Social media marketing can be used to target a specific target market based on their interests.

References

Babin, Barry J.; Harris, Eric (2022). Consumer Behavior (Ninth Edition). Cengage Learning. vbk://9798214339405/epubcfi/6/4%5B%3Bvnd.vst.idref%3Dtitle-page%5D

Data USA (2025). Computer Support Specialists. Deloitte. https://datausa.io/profile/soc/computer-support-specialists#:~:text=Here’s%20some%20demographic%20information%20about%20computer%20support,White%20*%20Black%20(12.2%25)%20*%20Asian%20(11.3%25)

PGM (2025). 100 Compelling Email Statistics for 2026. https://porchgroupmedia.com/blog/100-compelling-email-statistics-to-inform-your-strategy-in-2023/#:~:text=40%25%20of%20consumers%20say%20they,Email%20ROI%20Statistics%20for%202026

Woodgate, Scott (2025). Microsoft Defender Delivered 24% Return on Investment Over Three Years. Microsoft Security. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2025/09/18/microsoft-defender-delivered-242-return-on-investment-over-three-years/#:~:text=What%20can%20security%20leaders%20take,strengthen%20security%20and%20compliance%20postures.

YEC (2024). Is SMS Marketing an Affordable Small Business Growth Booster?. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/councils/theyec/2024/02/05/is-sms-marketing-an-affordable-small-business-growth-booster/