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7 Keys to BtoB Social Media Success

Guest post by: Jeff Ogden

Article Overview: Social media is young and red-hot, but businesses, especially companies that sell complex products (software, hardware, insurance, etc.) struggle to get their arms around this exciting new capability. Precisely because it is so new – companies are continually trying to get their arms around it.

7 Keys to BtoB Social Media Success

B2B Demand Generation | 7 Keys to BtoB Social Media Success To help you navigate this new world, we share our 7 Keys to BtoB Social Media Success – tips to help you navigate this new and exciting world for marketers.

1. It’s not television – don’t treat it like television
   
   Television is a one-way medium – the ad runs and people passively watch. Social media is interactive. It is more like small talk at a cocktail party. Don’t just keep posting useless information (Like what you had for breakfast.) Social media is about building relationships.
2. Take time to plan before you do anything
   
   What do you wish to accomplish with social media? Are you looking to generate sales leads? Are you trying to brand your company? Are you trying to change how your company is perceived? Taking the time to think though your goals is a helpful step every business should do.
3. Listen more than you talk
   
   Social media is a great platform for listening. Ask a question and tons of people will answer. This is one of the greatest strengths of social media, so use it well.
4. Understand your audience
   
   For B2B sellers, understanding the personas of your buyers is critical. For instance, social media covers Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Google Plus, Digg, Delicious, Reddit, and more. You need to understand where your audience frequents and what is important to them. The better you understand your audience, the more effective you will be.
5. Share content that has value to your target audience
   
   Once you understand your buyers, you can share content that matters to them. For instance, if you sell car insurance, you might want to create content about protecting child drivers on prom nights. Write a blog (like this one) and publish your articles. Create ebooks and videos too and share those. As Seth Godin says – you must ship. It does not have to be perfect – just keep shipping.
6. Find the sneezers
   
   Seth Godin coined this term. Sneezers are people who spread disease. They are the ones who infect lots of people. You should make a list of the top 12 most influential people in your business. Use social media to build relationships with these men and women. Comment on blog articles, follow them on Twitter, connect on Linkedin – there are many ways to engage those important people.
7. Don’t give up too soon
   
   Patience is critical in BtoB social media. Don’t expect results too soon. Keep doing it and stay active. Social media is a marathon – not a spring.

We believe that, if companies embrace these 7 Keys, they will see much greater results from social media in BtoB.



“If more companies listened to (Find New Customers) a lot more would be sold.” Dan McDade, Pointclear.

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Article Tags: b2b demand generation, b2b lead generation, btob demand generation, btob lead generation, demand gen, demand generation, demand generation companies, demand generation company, find new customers, lead gen, lead generation, lead generation companies, lead generation company, sales lead generation



Related Forum Posts
Re: Kevin needs "social glue" ideas - Hi, I like the idea of "10 items that could act as "social glue" because I am an internet marketer. But I agree with the rest that the 10 recent post is nice. Maybe we should open up a new section in the forums on Social Media...or Social Media Marketing. I will tell you that the world is about 1 1/2 behind when it comes to understanding social media. Building a section now will put EvanCarmichael.com is a great position a year down the road when people realize Social Media can produce more traffic than SEO. Jeff
Re: Kevin needs "social glue" ideas - [quote="WebBizIdeas.com":gvtxsu7g]Hi, I like the idea of "10 items that could act as "social glue" because I am an internet marketer. But I agree with the rest that the 10 recent post is nice. Maybe we should open up a new section in the forums on Social Media...or Social Media Marketing. I will tell you that the world is about 1 1/2 behind when it comes to understanding social media. Building a section now will put EvanCarmichael.com is a great position a year down the road when people realize Social Media can produce more traffic than SEO. Jeff[/quote:gvtxsu7g] Hi Jeff, Thanks for the suggestion. Why don't you start a new post (with a poll) to see if there's enough interest in your idea for a social media section?
Re: UPDATES: New Campaign! New Layout! New Ideas! - GT - thanks for the FYI - I'm not sure if we'll put a link back. Something to consider though! Trent - the new category is "Social Network and Media" which was put in to compliment the Online Businesses category that currently exists. Overall the new categories are: - Looking For, Networking and Events - Review My... - Social Network and Media - Brags and Rants These came as a result of Ringo doing research on other forums and thinking about what could be improved on ours to give a better experience for everyone. I hope you enjoy them! David, I'm looking forward to reading your Brag / Rant!
Re: Marketing 2.0 - What Are Your Thoughts - Hi Shri, Thanks for posting this. I also read it and I believe Social Media is here to stay, until the next best thing comes up. Social media proved to be useful for me many times and I think everyone should use it for their business.
Re: Social Media Marketing Ignorance - [quote="vbn411":7qciluxl]Social Media is space that you have to be in to succeed in our current climate. People are going to be discussing your brand / product whether you like it or not, so you might as well join the conversation and add value. [/quote:7qciluxl] I think that's probably one of the most realistic way to think about it. There's no real textbook way of understanding Social Media, it's the networks of people and their interactions that will exist with or without your input. As for Jennifer, You can always have 2 Facebook pages. Many people do. There is also LinkedIn, which is like a professional networking version of Facebook. The only way to know is to try it.


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