B2B social media marketing + examples

B2B Social Media Marketing

Theory, examples and challenges

-by Pernille Andersen

Copyright © 2011 Pernille Andersen, FeedsFloor

http://www.theconversationprism.com/800x600/

http://www.feedsfloor.com/

B2B trendsInformation overload … ... so we stick to the partners we know or get

recommended

Demand for non-paid access to information

Increased speed in business

Globalization

B2B purchasers spend 99% of their timeresearching and only 1% of their timebuying Copyright © 2011 Pernille Andersen,

FeedsFloor

B2B social media marketing IS important

• 56% of Danish companies expect to use social media to find new business partners

• 57% of US workers use social media for business purposes at least once a week

• B2B interactive marketing expenses will reach USD 4.800 million in 2014 – almost the double amount of the estimated number for 2009 (USD 2.300 million)

• B2B social media marketing expenses will increase from USD 11 million in 2009 to USD 54 million in 2014


Source: www.b2bbarometer.co.uk, www.business.com/info/b2b-social-media-benchmark-study, http://socialmediab2b.com/2010/08/b2b-social-media-statistics/ #ixzz1MQ6ZgQFx, (http://socialsemantic.eu/ #download)

http://www.b2bbarometer.co.uk/

http://www.business.com/info/b2b-social-media-benchmark-study

Purpose

Recruitement

Branding

Lead generation

Knowledge sharing

Customer retention

Market research

Purpose of social media in relation to B2B

companies



http://hootsuite.com/

http://www.twazzup.com/

Different approaches to branding & lead generation

’Thought leadership’

• On all platforms to draw in leads

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkMAS3KJRxU – Corning 15 mio views

Lead/customer focused

• Communicate with clients and potential clients

• Hunt leads

• Listens - interact


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkMAS3KJRxU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkMAS3KJRxU

The Andersen-Elmasri Model’Digital Brand Management model’


CorporateCommunication

Strategy

Flexibility

CorporateIdentity

Image–IdentityGap

Design Gap

Strategicposition

Change

FitGap

ImplementationStage

Analysis

DevelopmentStage

Sym

bolic

Value

s

RationalValues

Consumption Zone

Corporate image position cube

Market

Dynamics

Positioningfacets

CorporateCommunication

Strategy

Flexibility

CorporateIdentity

Image–IdentityGap

Design Gap

Strategicposition

Change

FitGap

ImplementationStage

Stage

DevelopmentStage

Sym

bolic

Value

s

RationalValues

Consumption Zone

Corporate image position cube

Market

Dynamics

Positioning

Consumption Gap

The Andersen-Elmasri Model’DBM - Digital Brand Management’

Corporate Identity

Corporate Commu-nication

Market Dynamics

Strategic Position


Consumption GapFit Gap

Design Gap

Corporate Identity

• The company’s ideal corporate identity

• Mission, vission, values, marketing objectives



Design Gap...• Appear if...

– There is a gap between the company’s ideal corporate identity and the company’s digital communication strategy, online activities and selection of digital channels and platforms

– What, where and how are you marketing yourself online?

– Focus on content marketing to avoid the design gap


Consumption Gap...• Appear if...

– There is a gap between how business stakeholders consume and view the company’s brand online (prostomer) and the way the company communicates its brand and corporate identity online. This will lead to a identity-image gap.

– What does your stakeholders say about your company online? – How do you deal with it?



Fit Gap...

• Appear if...

– There is a gap in relation to the company’s ideal corporate identity and their corporate communication and the way the company’s competitors position and communicates their brand online in relation to the stakeholders

– Who is the ’thought leader’ online?


And then why are not all B2B companies engaged in social media activities????

• Comfort with the status quo• Conflicting opinions within management on how

to proceed• Discomfort with an informal communication

style• Discomfort with a less controlled

communication style• Fear of change• Fear of divulging too much information• Fear of exposing weakness• Feeling that social media is frivolous• General weakness in organizational consensus

building and decision making• Inability to connect social media engagement

with sales and branding objectives• Inadequate marketing budget• Internal focus – not paying enough attention to

customer behavior and preferences• Lack of precise ROI calculations• Leaders not understanding how and why social

media works

• No appetite for outsourcing the work• No clear branding strategy• No clear sales plan• No distinct marketing function• No examples of success within their industry• No in-house talent to do the work• No process for ramping up new programs• No social media champion within the

organization• Old, outdated technology and IT support• One or two vocal naysayers• Prior attempts that went bad• Other priorities taking precedence• Refusal to see the connection between casual

online conversation and serious business• Too much focus on where customers are or

were, rather than where they are going• Uncertainty about how to begin• Unwillingness to experiment


Source: www.wordsellinc.com/blog/social-media/why-b2b-firms-dont-use-social-media-2/

There are MANY excuses...

http://www.wordsellinc.com/blog/social-media/why-b2b-firms-dont-use-social-media-2/

And many networks…

A social media platform that accommodates the needs of B2B


Promote your company

Find relevant

leads

Equal promotion of large

and small companies

Exposed to people who do not know your name

Interaction in

a closed

environment

Global and local

relevance

Free to use

The company

controls the

communication

Simple



DOUBTING?? It will cost you...

• Profits• Leads• Industry relevance• Market share• Brand recognition• The best employees


Benefits of SMM

• Brand building• Relationship building• Customized services• Expanded reach• Tap professional

communities• Third party influencers• Bolster through leadership

programs

• Reduce marketing spend• Decrease sales cycles• Gain competitive advantage• Lessen complexity on

offerings• Strengthen CRM efforts• And many more...


Advises

• Think about your customer – not you

• Focus efforts to generate leads or be everywhere to be ’thought leader’

• Activate third parties

• Show your expertise


Confidentiality and user generated content – is it viable?

• If you do not drive your brand – others will

• Make social media policies & strategies for the whole company

• Focus on content

• Make scenarios of what would be the worst that could be disclosed about your company



Business

B2B social media marketing + examples