Too many B2B network marketers see social media as just another marketing channel, when in reality it is so much more. Social media has surpassed blogging and click-throughs are not the only way to measure engagement; gamification can be used too.
This is the third post in a series on how to use social media for business. The first two posts talked about using B2B networking tools, but this one focuses more on strategy at both company and industry levels.
Unlike a B2C business, revenue at a B2B company is driven by the professional network. In other words, their customers are not just buyers of products but also people with whom they have personal relationships and who may be in similar professions.
The B2B Social Business Network
A B2B business has only one social network, the company and customer. Click To Tweet
This singular fact should always remain top of mind when crafting a B2B social media strategy. While companies must struggle for brand engagement in their industry networks on Facebook or Twitter, people working at these businesses are an integral part of those networks as well–they just need to expand them through professional-only channels like LinkedIn.
Imagine that your company is the center of a large social network. Your customers are on one side, prospects and partners are next to them, then industry analysts or press members. The farther out you go in this imaginary web of connections, the more unfamiliar faces appear.
The B2B social business network extends out from the company to include every professional in an industry. It’s important for a company to have its customers within their reach because unlike consumers, they are there on purpose.
The full potential of B2B social media to drive a company’s networking efforts can be seen when you think about your business and the industry as a whole. With LinkedIn, there is no need for marketing because businesses are willing to pay for subscriptions. Unlike consumers, who have an aversion towards ads.
B2B Network Social Bill of Rights
Social media is a tool, not the network. The B2B social business network consists of real people with relationships that drive opportunities for businesses to grow and thrive. In my last post I said that good networking relies on reciprocity: if you give someone something then they will be more likely to help you in return.
B2B Network Social Right #1 | Expand Your Company Network
The first goal of any B2B social media program should be to connect your company with all potential customers, prospects and influencers. This means starting a LinkedIn Group for the industry you are in or writing blogs that encourage comments from readers.
B2B Network Social Right #2 | Build Your Community by Being Helpful
One of the best ways to create a strong social business network is by being helpful. Being kind and thoughtful, even when you are not expecting anything in return will strengthen bonds with other people. You may produce killer content for every buyer persona at every stage of the buying process but if they aren’t ready to buy right now it’s your kindness that keeps them coming back.
Helpful can mean many things to different people in your social business network: opportunity, education, support, entertainment. What is helpful for customers may not be the same as what is helpful for prospects or partners and industry influencers. Whatever it means in your company’s sector of worklife – whether information about a product they’re interested in buying or even just some general advice on how to do something better – you need an element that energizes their interest and drives them towards giving back with referrals.
B2B Network Social Right #3 | Accelerate Your Information Sharing
After building a community in your social business network, the next step is to share all of that helpful information. This can be done by using tools like Digg and Twitter which are great for sharing articles.
When you are creating content, it is important to have a call-to-action for sharing. It also builds reciprocity and strengthens relationships when you share the work of others in your social business network. Sharing isn’t just about content; it’s an opportunity that can be taken advantage of.
B2B Network Social Right #4 | Drive Business Referrals
It’s important to use social media as a way of generating customer referrals. However, it can be taken one step further by using these same tools for employee referral programs.
Within your own social business network, everyone is aligned with the same goals. However, once you enter into other areas of your network occupied by customers and partners etc., they are no longer on the same page as you.
B2B Network Social Right #5 | Convert Weak Ties to Strong Ties
There are two ways to get prospects, and both involve influencers. One is the selfish way: you reach out to an influencer in order for them to influence your prospect. The other is more about giving back; you give information that will be useful or introduce someone who could do business with their company.
Companies need to stop focusing on selling their products and start thinking about the customer.
In order for a company’s product or service to make an impact, it needs be as emotionally charged as possible. Click To Tweet
This is often achieved by marketing consumer goods because they are more likely than B2B items at speaking directly with consumers who may define themselves in terms of what they buy.
