b2b or not 2b
DESCRIPTION
For too long, B2B marketers shrugged off the opportunities social media offered to their organizations, arguing that social media made sense only for B2C companies. But B2B customers are using social media too – just in a way that best suits them. And that’s only the beginning. Employees, prospects, investors and other key stakeholders use social media every day to inform their ideas about B2B companies. So where should you start? This session will present ideas about how to get your B2B social media strategy started – or augmented – by following a four-step social media process.TRANSCRIPT
Social Media Strategies for B2B Marketers
Lisa Zone Managing DirectorDix & Eaton@LZone
B2B or Not 2B?
A Few Ground Rules
• Feel free to tweet questions to me using #YouTooLZQ
• Tweet my bosses and tell them how awesome I did
• If you’re going to post pictures, please take them from above and use a skinny filter
• Comment on the event recap I’ll be posting on the D&E blog
• Email me questions at [email protected] after today’s session
#YouTooLZQ
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Why You’re Probably Here
• You own social media within your B2B organization
• No one owns social media within your B2B organization
• Your B2B social media efforts could use some juice or refinement
• Amanda’s session was full
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Why I’m Here
• To provide a process to help you get started – or augment what you’re already doing
• To remind you about all the stakeholders you should care about
• To provide helpful tips and cautionary tales
• To legitimize the time I spend on Twitter at work
Why Social Media?
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69% of B2B companies ignore customers who provide feedback via social media – because they have no process in place to respond.
26% of B2B marketers don’t know how to measure their social media success.
60% of businesses don’t have an integrated social media strategy (they either do nothing, track or only follow up).
63% of B2B marketers are either vaguely aware or not aware of what is being said about their companies online*.
*Read more at: http://www.business2community.com
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Why Social Media?
Source: Spotlight Communications: http://www.spiral16.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/spotlightunsexyinfographic.png
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Top B2B Platforms
Tops all social media platforms with over 90% of B2B marketers distributing content on LinkedIn.
85% of B2B marketers are distributing content on Twitter.
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Social Media Stakeholders
• Do you have customers? Or competitors?
• Do you have investors?
• Do you need to attract or retain talent?
• Do you maintain media relationships?
• Do you do business within communities?
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Who’s Doing it Right?
Source: SocialMediaB2B.com January 2011
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A Proven 4-Point Process for B2B Social Media Success
1. Audit
4. Monitoring
3. Playbook
2. Workshop
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A Proven 4-Point Process
1. Audit
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Audit
ASSESS how your company and its peers are faring through a 30-day listening audit
ANALYZE what’s being talked about, by whom and where; identify gaps or opportunities for your company
RECOMMEND what your social media strategy should be – including topics you could own, conversations you can influence or products you can promote
PROVIDE benchmarking data to measure against
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A Proven 4-Point Process
2. Workshop
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WorkshopSURVEY marketers and communicators across the organization to identify how they are – or want to be – using social media
FACILITATE an input session to educate your people on platforms, trends and best practices; discuss how those apply to your company
– Include a cross-functional team of corporate communications (including IR), marketing/marcom, HR, IT and legal
– Could also work for companies that have a lot of distributors representing their brand in-market
CREATE a step-by-step roadmap for how your company could get started
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A Proven 4-Point Process
3. Playbook
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Playbook
IDENTIFY situational “chapters” of the book – topics and social media platforms for which you want guidance
DEVELOP a comprehensive guidebook that includes best practices, reference sources and practical execution plans
TRAIN your communicators and marketers about how to put the book to use
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70/20/10 Rule of Content
70% of content should be brand- and business-building, information that is valuable to its followers
20% is content shared from other sources
10% is self-promotional, new content
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A Proven 4-Point Process
4. Monitoring
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Monitoring
MONITOR conversations daily
ELEVATE items or discussions that may need special attention (use the crisis chapter in your playbook for guidance)
ADJUST program activities as needed to maintain relevancy and transparency
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Which Platforms Should You Consider?
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Does Social Media Make Sense for Your Company?
IF YOU… MAYBE YOU SHOULD…
Share case studies with customers
Write multi-part blog posts about a customer challenge
Provide product application or installation instructions
Produce a YouTube video demo
Conduct earnings calls Live tweet major points of the call
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If You Still Don’t Plan to Do Anything Proactive
• Reserve your social media domains across multiple platforms
• Start monitoring
• Establish social media guidelines for employees
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You May Also Consider
• Establishing discrete accounts as it makes sense (@YourCompanyIR)
• Developing standardized hashtags for use across your organization
• Conducting regular training for marketers, communicators or other thought leaders
• Maintaining/promoting list of corporate-, SBU- or product-specific handles
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Need to Stay Smart?
• Stay up on B2C trends
• Check out B2B-specific Twitter accounts
• Follow journalists and media outlets on Facebook
• Follow trade media and trade associations on Twitter
• Take advantage of the #B2B hashtag
• Follow me: @LZone
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Don’t Forget
• Email me questions at [email protected] after today’s session
• Comment on the event recap I’ll be posting on the D&E blog
• Tweet me follow-up questions using #YouTooLZQ
• Find me near the dessert table