B2B Social Media

Using Social media in a B2B driven market

3 March 2011, Utrecht the Netherlands

Author: Eva Hukshorn

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Introduction

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EFactor: from B2B to Social Community

  Founders started OHM Inc. in 2004: Business Development for Fortune 2000

  Serving (mainly) technology companies around the globe

  Goal: assist emerging technology companies in selling their product to Corporates

  In 2007 they wrote a book: The N-Factor

–  How efficient networking can change the dynamics of your business

–  Huge success: no theory, but hands-on tips & tricks

  Result: EFactor - a social platform for entrepreneurs

–  Strategic business networking impacts impacts the future of your business

–  Goal: share knowledge, increase sales, decrease costs, find capital

EFACTOR, THE GREATEST ENTREPRENEURIAL EXPERIENCE ON EARTH

An online community offering you a network, knowledge, events, and every business tool

you need to succeed

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B2B Social Media in the Energy Industry

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What makes media social?

Wikepedia: Social Media: describes the online technologies and practices that

people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives with each other

Broadcasting Interaction

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Social media = social community?

  Social community is just one of the tools for making broadcasting social

  A community: shared interests

  Again: It is all about creating interaction:

–  Blogs, wikis, event planning & promotion, wikepdia, multimedia sharing, forum, panels...

  No one-size-fits-all strategy

–  Subjective campaign

–  Willingness & need customer

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Marketing possibilities evolved quickly...

  Marketing evolved:

–  ‘80s: Fewer ads >> more people >> undivided attention

–  ‘10s: More ads >> less people >> less attention

  Product proliferation and availability => Choice

  Media proliferation => Continuous & Fragmented

  Access proliferation => Everywhere

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...but the consumer too

  Interruption marketing is no longer accepted

  Audience is participating instead of receiving

Solution:

  GET THEM INVOLVED

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How to implement social media

  Build target community

  Create individual connections

  Create engagement >> Like

  Use feedback >> Listen

  Solve their problems

  Show credentials / quality through discussions

  Participate in industry groups as well as your client

  Pose questions to create involvement

  Create thought-leadership

  Real power in viral marketing >> SEO & traffic

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So why is this relevant for B2B?

  Advertising does not work

  Niche audience

  Budget constraints

  Smart marketing

  Feedback

  Measurable

  Recruiting

  Investor relations / PR

  Crisis management

  Traffic

  Employee relations / company culture

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But even more important

Everyone related to your business is a soldier of your brand, make sure they fight the right battle

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Case study

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Communities

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Time consuming, so what does it bring?

  Increase your visibility"

  Improve your connectability"

  Improve your Google PageRank"

  Enhance your search engine results"

  Perform blind, and company reference checks"

  Increase the relevancy of your potential hiring search"

  Gauge the health of a company"

  Gauge the health of an industry"

  Track startups"

  Ask for advice and solve problems"

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Wikipedia

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Twitter

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Post yourself on a frequent basis

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Decide on comment policy

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Decide on comment policy

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Relate to other (social) media

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Tell them how you work, your credentials

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The power of video

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...and possible results

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Success of Cisco

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And remember, be consistent