For B2B marketers, the challenge of being the topic of conversation is a bit greater. You want to be the topic of conversation in places where buyers go to look to make decisions about products like yours. Like other elements of the marketing mix, it is critical to view social media as part of an overall communications plan directed by a marketing strategy. But, as is too often the case - organizations move right to tactics that are implemented without a strategy or cohesive plan. Social Media is no different than other elements of your communications plan. "We need to get on LinkedIn, Facebook and twitter" is not a plan.
As with the entire marketing mix, it starts with your target customers. How are they making their decisions, what information do they need, who influences them? You want them to have all the information they need at the time they are looking to make a decision. The ability to do this will be based on your ability to be viewed as a reliable authority. Being knowledgeable and acknowledged as such by the relevant community provides that credibility. This requires not just providing valuable relevant content, but being active in the conversation.
Delivering a consistent message in the right places, at the right times, with valuable content and active participation will all add up to success. This requires having a supporting theme and a coordinated approach in all communications including: the company website, e-mail, blogs and social media, in such a way that they work together, complement each other and support one another.
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York Saw & Knife is an industrial manufacturer of cutting tools and we've carefully started using social media, however we've seen many B2Bs stay away.
Is this a lack of result of a strategic plan, inability to see the benefit, or just ignorance?
We recently published a poll asking "Why do B2Bs stay away from social media?" We'd appreciate your input and that of your readers.
The poll can be found on our most recent blog post: B2B and Social Media: Take the Poll!
Thanks.
I think the answer is "all of the above". But, I also think that social networking has now generated so much curiosity that B2B's are starting to explore. There are people who are not using social networking and are ignorant of the benefits, so this is certainly a factor. I think that many organizations, particularly today, have so much on their plate that this represents yet another new thing whose benefit can be viewed as uncertain, so they find it difficult to make time for it.
To some extent, I think both of these issues are related to the lack of a comprehensive marketing plan. It is much easier to understand how twitter is going to be a valuable tool when I know how I am going to use it in conjunction with other components of the marketing mix. For example, people understand that a company's website should be dynamic and fresh. They understand that a continuous stream of new content makes the website a place to become informed and visit regularly. Social networking advances this effort. It now becomes a valuable tool in updating people on what is new - bringing them to the website to get the latest information. Even more important, the content on the website is no longer just outbound communication, it is opening the door to a discussion.
I would be very interested in the results of you poll - let us know when they are available.