The business-to-business (B2B) community and social media have a love/hate relationship. Successful businesses love social media, while struggling businesses hate social media. Why is there a disconnect in 2013? The reasons are clear. Businesses that aren’t benefitting from social media lack the time, expertise and money to invest in a solid social media marketing plan. There are challenges to creating one, but an effective plan benefits your business.
Solving business challenges and opportunities
There are several challenges associated with improving the relationship between social media and B2B. Generating awareness surrounding your campaign and driving traffic back to your business is the first step to improving a lasting relationship. Prior to lead generation, you must attract potential customers/clients. Attracting additional customers/clients at a higher rate involves finding out which social media channels you should focus your attention on. Social media marketing is more than just Facebook and Twitter.
A secondary challenge lies in how your business utilizes social media to target customers. Social media isn't the new kid on the block anymore. Social media is a staple of business. The solution to the challenge falls in the hands of how a company manages lead generation. Recognize the industry influences follow up with potential leads and channel energy toward your target audience.
Reaching your Target Audience
A target audience is your core customer and potential customer base. Reaching your target audience involves creating a transparent message. A business should discuss the intentions of the company while remaining true to company beliefs. Do not pretend to be something you are not, the social media world will know.
Commitment to social media
Social media relates to keeping the customer engaged while keeping conversations active. The industry is ever evolving, so remain relevant with the times. Commit to social media for the success of your business, not because the reset of the industry partakes in social media. Remaining abreast of the challenges and changes in the industry requires having the right team promote your position in the marketplace.
Experts on Your Side
The DIY philosophy of social media is outdated. Businesses succeed and fail based upon whom they have on their team. There are varying levels of expertise in the industry, including SEO professionals, online marketers and social media experts. You may find that you need one company for all of them, or different companies for each.
Creating an effective social media campaign requires a working knowledge of the landscape, task management and the ability to analyze the competition. A social media expert keeps your business abreast of the daily changes and challenges facing your business as well as the industry.
Getting a Head Start
Getting a head start in the social media games takes planning before jumping head first into a campaign. You need to read industry blogs and follow advice from industry experts. Engage and keep the conversation going on corporate and industry-related blogs. Afterward, focus your attention on your own social media space.
Social media means more than just posts and tweets. Engaging in social media requires experts with the forethought to transform your strategy into a successful strategy. Convey your message with authority and above all else, capture your audience.
About the author: Dawn Altnam lives and works in the Midwest, and she enjoys following the business tech world. After furthering her education, she has spent some time researching her interests and blogging of her discoveries often.
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