Are b-to-b marketers welcome to the party that social media marketing has become? Do we even want to be invited??
With all the buzz about b-to-c companies successfully using social marketing tactics, many b-to-b marketers are wondering if they can get a piece of the action. The good news is that more business professionals are using social media at work and in their personal lives. Unless your business targets’ Internet usage is below average (which is admittedly the case in some subsectors of certain b-to-b industries) they are most likely out there in the blogosphere/Twitterverse/”Insert social media network here” world.
In fact, many believe that social media lends itself to b-to-b marketing more than b-to-c. As Shel Holtz, author of “Blogging for Business: Everything You Need to Know and Why You Should Care,” says on his blog:
The benefits (sic) of social media to B-to-B companies is simple: It’s all about relationships. B-to-C companies nearly always need to get their messages to large, amorphous groups of people; the companies have no relationship with the vast majority of those people. In most B-to-B environments, companies know exactly who their customers and prospective customers are. Social media provides B-to-B companies with a channel to have conversations that you’d like to have one-on-one with every customer and prospect, but just can’t.
That being said, like any other marketing strategy, using social media to market your business takes serious thought, time and dedication.
We’ve written a little bit about blogging and LinkedIn, and there’s more where that came from. We’re also planning posts about Twitter, Facebook and more, along with a post on how to measure your social media efforts. In the meantime, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Know where you customers are. Like Holtz says, you probably know your customers pretty well. Find out what social media avenues they use – if any. They may not be Twitter-crazy just yet, but chances are they have a LinkedIn profile or occasionally read blogs pertinent to their industry.
- Start as a bystander. You don’t have to dive head-first into your own company blog or LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter accounts. Become familiar with social media channels by following competitors, other companies in your industry and business people you admire on Facebook and/or Twitter. Connect with colleagues, customers and other associates through your personal LinkedIn page. Read respected industry blogs. You’ll quickly get an idea of how others are using social media to their advantage, and you’ll be more able to identify opportunities to do the same.
- Start small. Don’t be overwhelmed by the magnitude of the social media world – start with a LinkedIn or Facebook profile page for your company, or something that you feel you can realistically manage.
- Don’t put the cart before the horse. Before delving into the world of social media, make sure your Web site and SEO efforts are up to par. Read some basic SEO tips here.
- Commit to the cause. Some companies continue to spend millions on advertising with little concrete proof of ROI, yet give up on social media if they don’t see immediate and indisputable evidence that it is “working.” First of all, it is important to realize that thought leadership and reputation management are huge aspects of social marketing. That’s not to say your blog posts, tweets and social media connections can’t directly bring in business – they absolutely can. Just keep in mind that building a social media presence that your customers will trust in and interact with takes time and energy. Ultimately, you get what you put in.
- Live it. It isn’t enough to put up a blog/Facebook page/etc. You have to scream the news from the rooftops. And you can’t stop at announcing your social media endeavors. You need to bring them into your everyday customer relations. Link to your social media profiles/forums and blogs on your Web site and in your e-mail signature. Pitching a customer about a particular service? Refer them to a blog post you’ve written on a related subject. Looking to gain insight from your customers? Take your questions to Twitter or LinkedIn.
For more tips, ideas and inspiration, stay tuned to our blog, and visit Social Media B2B, a site dedicated strictly to b-to-b social media initiatives.
