As a salesman, I learned that there are four types of buyer. I don’t know whose model this originally was, so I googled "four types of buyer." That turned up dozens of hits, none of which matched the categories I remember, so with apologies to the originator...

• The Relationship Buyer, as the term suggests, wants a relationship with the salesman and possibly with the company. This is a perfectly viable approach since it makes the salesperson a partner in seeing that the customer’s needs are met. This customer may be active in your user’s group and is likely to spend a lot of time with the salesperson, perhaps socially as well as on business. Responsibility for maintaining relationship falls mainly to the salesperson.
• The Technical Buyer wants facts. In a sense, he or she is developing a spreadsheet and will make a decision based on direct (possibly quantitative) comparison of options. Marketing can have a huge impact on this buyer, both by presenting factual data—answering the RFP—and by pitching the value of the vendor’s differentiating features—helping to write the RFP. Tools for addressing this buyer can include data sheets, application briefs, and technical whitepapers.
• The Security Buyer wants to avoid wrong decisions and may place a lot of value on the experience of peers. Marketing can address this concern with endorsements, references, and success stories.
• The Novelty Buyer lives on the leading edge. He or she will tend to be an early adopter and can be a valuable source of input for ongoing product development. As a risk taker, this buyer may require a high level of support, but will pay you back as a reference for your security buyers.