“The volume of Business-to-Business (B2B) transactions is much higher than the volume of Business-to-Customer (B2C) transactions. The primary reason for this is that in a typical supply chain there will be many B2B transactions involving raw materials, and only one B2C transaction, specifically sale of the finished product to the end customer.”
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business-to-business)
Because of this higher volume of transactions, businesses really should be marketing to each other through social media. However, many businesses do not see the need to do so, or do not understand the power of social media in B2B interaction. Perhaps they still see social media as hype or as too new a medium, but it is in fact one of the most influential ways to market online. According to Laura Lake, “people are tired of ‘marketing speak,’” and social media B2B interactions “allow companies to relate to one another and bypass the fluff.”
To be successful with B2B marketing, Jeffrey L. Cohen suggests first having “a social media strategy with a content strategy, integrated with the marketing plan.” It is also important not to isolate the social media agency or consultant who is working the plan; this could cause delays and slow down your marketing. Instead of relying solely on social media for marketing purposes, “continue to invest in traditional communications, but always include links to social sites to build those communities,” says Cohen. And remember, these things take time. Avoid “drastic, knee-jerk changes,” and give your strategy time to take hold.
What successes or failures have you had within B2B social media engagement?
