Question

Topic: Social Media

How To Best Use Linkedin Or Others For B2b Sales?

Posted by Homestands on 1/20/2010 at 8:51 AM ET 250 Points
New website - www.homestands.com. Products have application in Advertising Specialties and Gift & Collectibles markets. We want to establish contacts quickly that will take us from start-up to operating at high level of production and sales. Want to explore value and techniques for using networks such as LinkedIn, Plaxo, and others designed for B2B. Can use info from people successfully using these networks.
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  • Posted by mgoodman on 1/20/2010 at 9:31 AM Moderator
    larry.goldberg,

    Social media can serve as great marketing tools, but:

    1. They are best at fostering and nurturing relationships over time, so they might not give you the quick results you're expecting; and

    2. You want to be sure that your Social Media strategy (and its implementation) are tightly integrated with your overall marketing strategy and plans -- not stand-alone, separate efforts.

    Remember that Social Media are MEDIA -- conduits for receiving and delivering information. If the information isn't well targeted and valuable to the recipient (i.e., a prospective customer or you), then the medium won't save it.

    So, just like traditional media, you need to be certain you are reaching out to the right audience, asking the right questions, delivering compelling copy that clearly lays out your unique positioning benefit, and (as appropriate) serving up an irresistible offer to motivate response/action.

    Without those ingredients you'll spend a lot of time and effort without achieving the results you need.

    Of course, if you include things like frequent telephone contact as a "social medium," then you're still developing a long-term relationship, and the balance between having the right contact list, communicating the right message, and having a compelling offer can shift a little ... not unlike Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, et al.
  • Posted by Norwood on 1/20/2010 at 9:42 AM Accepted
    I don't use Plaxo very much but for LinkedIn I suggest you do the following:

    1. Create a LinkedIn group for your company. Sure, you won't have anyone there at first, but with time, your customers, partners, and even prospects will join and then you have a good way to communicate w/ them. After you create the group, send invitations to your employees, customers, and business partners.

    2. Sign up for the LinkedIn groups your target prospects are members of. You know the profile of your prospects better than anyone, so look for those groups and join. Then, listen to the discussions and start giving valuable input (i.e. not sales messages) so that people will start noticing you as a valuable contributor.

    3. If you can't find a group that you think your prospects would frequent, create it. By creating the group you are the group manager and therefore has control over who can get access and you also have information of all members. Start generating insightful discussions in the group. Try not to use it to sell, but to share info among the members and you'll start creating a following.

    4. Search LinkedIn for people that have titles or company names that fit the description of the prospect you are trying to sell to. Then, ask them to be added to your network. Some will not want it, but some may not mind. Don't start spamming them. The value of having them on your network is that they will see updates (LinkedIn sends frequent member updates on what people are saying, doing, etc.) that will include you/your company on them. Good way to get their attention.

    5. Look at the discussion forum and search for questions that have something related to your product, area of expertise, industry, or simply something you are good at. Then post good answers. Don't post anything there that will end up with "just visit my website to find out more" because it will turn people off. The more questions you answer honestly and with good content, the more people will respect you and ultimately they may even check your company out and refer to a friend.

    Hope this helps.
  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 1/20/2010 at 9:44 AM Member
    You can use social networking to manage relationships with people you already know just a bit about you and you can use social networking to pull in others who have yet to hear of your offerings. Pulling in those who do not know you requires effort and a plan.

    I recommend you check out Carey Giudici. He lives and breaths social media development and he has a newsletter with a number of great recommendations.
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