Posts Tagged ‘networking’

B2B Companies Embrace Social Media in 2011

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

Graph 300x217 B2B Companies Embrace Social Media in 2011

In 2011, the use of social media platforms for business-to-business companies became more important in the marketing mix than it has in previous years. For many B2B companies, social media can seem to be a daunting endeavor, but with knowledge of how to enter the world of social media,  social media can bring success. In this past year, many B2B companies have started to engage in social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn and have found that these sites are generating success for their companies.

“Leveraging social media for branding and awareness-building can help humanize B2B companies, establish them as thought leaders, and offer new touchpoints for connecting with customers and prospects,” said Kimberly Maul, eMarketer writer/analyst and author of the new report, “B2B Social Media: A Growing Focus for Marketers.”

Knowing which social media sites to use and which ones will bring more success for your company can be understood by knowing who you want to reach via social media. Social networking site, LinkedIn, is used more as a professional networking site for B2B companies and is seen as a way to generate more effective leads and other sites Twitter and Facebook are Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, are helping B2B firms reach customers in new ways. In a web survey conducted by iTracks, survey respondents often site Linked In as the top social media site for B2B marketers while putting Facebok and Twitter above as the business minded social network. According to Sagefrog Marketing Group, by the summer of 2011, 58% of US B2B marketers that were engaging in social media used LinkedIn, compared to 50% for Facebook and 43% for Twitter.

all social media use 300x204 B2B Companies Embrace Social Media in 2011

There is no doubt that social media is an effective tool for any B2B company and that the use and understanding of social networking sites will remain important for B2B companies in their marketing mix in 2012.

Source: eMarketer.com

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B2B Social Media: Four Essential Ingredients

Friday, October 29th, 2010

b2b 300x200 B2B Social Media: Four Essential Ingredients

Using social media to promote a brand or company has become something businesses incorporate in their every day operations. The use of Facebook and Twitter is nothing new involving businesses to consumers but what about in the business to business (B2B) environment? This is a different concept. B2B companies are not trying to convert potential consumers into customers, instead they are trying to convince other companies to buy their products or use their services.

So how does social media for B2B companies actually work? Here are four ingredients that should be in a company’s B2B social media strategy:

# 1: Build a reputation of expertise
Why would a business buy from you if you don’t know what you are talking about? The implementation of a blog has a big impact on how knowledgeable you are. While a B2B blog may not have many followers, it still will impact decisions of your customers. For example, if a potential customer comes to your company’s website and sees an active blog with insightful posts on your product or service benefits or industry knowledge, they may be interested in coming to your business for their needs. Having knowledge and expertise shows credibility.

# 2: Research your customers
Social media is no longer just a communication tool, but a research tool as well. A vast amount of data is produced every day on social networks and blogs which can be used to learn a variety of things such as current trends, customer profiles, and even competitor information. The ability to know what your customers are saying and what your customers’ customers are saying can help you be one step ahead and give you a competitive advantage.

# 3: Increase networking
A business should always be working to gain connections and build relationships with other businesses and potential customers. The use of social media is a great way to increase networking for your business, because you never know when a contact can turn into a customer or an advocate for your business. There are many tools that can be used to network using social media. A new social media site seems to surface every day. The options are endless.

# 4: Learn from others
Social media is also a learning tool. Every business should want to learn more about their industry, competitors, trends, and anything else that pertains to business. Social networks are filled with useful information, the only effort needed is to actually look for it. Blogs and publications that relate to your industry are filled with information. Or you can even connect with people who comment on your own blog. Twitter is a great place to follow business leaders and learn from them. There is so much useful information on the web. The only effort needed is to take the time to find it.

B2B social media is all about networking and listening. Although we are more used to seeing B2C social media, businesses should not underestimate the power it has. Social media is evolving every day and business should take advantage of its benefits.

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Using Networking Events to Your Advantage

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Networking events can be a great way to meet people who can help you and who you can help in the future. It is about building mutually beneficial relationships and creating a professional network of people who you genuinely like and respect.

networking events for your advantage handshake Using Networking Events to Your AdvantageThe relationships that you build through networking can help you find a job, learn how to be successful in a certain job field or position, build your career and expand your business horizons. The people that you meet can provide valuable insider tips and answers to your questions, help you with your cover letter and resume, or give you an “in” with a company that you are interested in joining.

Networking can help you personally and can benefit your business by introducing you to new clients, business associates, and industry leaders.

Networking is often very informal and can occur with anyone at any time, but one of the most popular ways to network is to attend networking events. These events are created specifically for the purpose of creating new connections. People expect you to network there and these events can provide you with incredible business and personal advantages.

How to find local networking events:

  • Check out your local newsstand: Networking events are often listed in local magazines and newspapers. This can be an easy way to find events with new connections.
  • Industry/Business organizations: Professional organizations make a point of hosting networking events on a regular basis. Some well-known marketing, advertising, and public relations professional organizations to check out are International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), American Marketing Association (AMA), and Advertising Federation of America (AdFed). Head online or talk to colleagues to find professional organizations in your field.
  • Talk to the contacts you already have: Connections that you have already made can be your best way to find new connections, and they may know of some upcoming events that will be of particular interest to you.
  • Go online: There are a plethora of ways to find networking events online. NetParty.com (for young professionals) and FindNetworkingEvents.com provide listings of upcoming networking events in most major cities and professional networking sites such NetworkingForProfessionals.com list upcoming networking events for members.

How to network:

  • Talk to people: Talk to anyone you run into and keep in touch with those who you like and respect. Even if they can’t help you immediately, they may be able to help you further down the road. Get comfortable asking, “What do you do?” and handing out your business card.
  • Communicate effectively: Learn to listen to what the other person is saying and practice different ways of talking about yourself and your skills.
  • Join networking clubs and associations in your field: Joining these organizations can be the best way to meet people in your field.
  • Follow up on any lead, no matter how minor: You never know what a small lead could turn into: a better job or a new client.
  • Think before you network: There are some situations in which networking is inappropriate. Use common sense to judge what is appropriate and what is not.
  • Say, “Thank You”: Remember to thank anyone who takes the time to talk with you. Not only is it polite, but also it is socially expected.

Once you have built your network, continue to maintain and build it through regular contact. Many contacts will lead to more contacts, and in a short period of time you can have a strong professional network.

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Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Monday, April 13th, 2009

An important part of marketing is increasing market share and bringing new customers to the company. But at times, marketers are so focused on generating new customers that they forget to keep their current customers happy. Giving quality service and attention to customers is called customer relationship management (CRM).

There are a numbercustomer relationship management crm 300x204 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) of reasons why a marketing plan focused just on getting new customers may fail. First of all, it is very expensive, especially for a small company, to market and try to attract new customers. There is a high price to pay to find potential customers, as well as implement a marketing plan of new advertisements and promotions. Not that it is a bad idea to attract new customers, but it is much more cost-effective to put a lot of focus on pleasing the current customers. Secondly, if a company is too focused on attaining new customers, their existing customers may not return or not go to that company for all of their needs. For example, if a customer is extremely happy with their car insurance company, they may go to them for all of their insurance needs.

By giving excellent service and going the extra mile with customer relationship management, customers are more likely to return and tell their friends about the company. Word-of-mouth is a free marketing tool that may come with exceptional service to current customers. Not only is it free, but potential customers are more willing to listen and respond to recommendations from their friends than they are to a random ad that they might see. Go the extra mile with quality service to please your customers, and you could see the difference in returning customers and new referrals.

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