As a B2B company you should not discard the influence that social media can have on your target audiences. Whether you are selling seating, ladders, tires or technology, if you create the right content, your chances of attracting the attention of key prospects is excellent. 

Developing the Right Content
Like any other marketing tactic, content development for social media should be carefully planned, carefully messaged and very strategic. Ask yourself —what are your objectives and what content is needed to get you there? What can you say to set yourself apart as a thought leader? What’s the industry buzz? How can you solve problems, or provide insight, to your targeted prospects?

Remember, the person creating your content can come from your agency team. It’s difficult with the day-to-day workload to get interesting content from your internal team, and get it in a timely and consistent manner. Agency partners, who are familiar with your goals for the new year, should be able to recommend topics that will be of interest to both your prospects and current clients. Another advantage of including your agency partner is that they will take a fully integrated approach that considers the different capabilities and disciplines of social media, public relations and media objectives.

Agree upon a strategy. What social media platforms are you going to concentrate on? What product launches are coming up in the new year? What trade shows are you attending and what is of interest to those audiences. And, most importantly, what can you talk about that differentiates you from others in your field.

Use a Social Media Influencer
Third party endorsements are powerful. Choosing the right social media influencer is key. Some will require payment for their participation, others may not. Before you engage with an influencer, do your homework. Which influencers have the greatest audiences? Do they fit your corporate image? Do they seem easy to work with? Can this be an ongoing relationship? What do they bring to your brand —industry knowledge, a broad spectrum of followers?

Use Video Content in Social Media
A recent statistic, from eMarketer, speaks to the power of using video in social media. They stated, “Nine of 10 social media network users are influenced to make a purchase after seeing content on social media. And, video has the greatest influence of all content types.” Whether it’s Facebook, YouTube or Instagram, video is drawing the attention of consumers better than any other type of social media post.

Account Based Targeting in LinkedIn
Have you seen what LinkedIn can do from a direct sales standpoint? It can target your audience, by title, by industry, by geographic location. Talk about potential qualified leads! This is amazing. Better start thinking about a LinkedIn campaign to jump start sales in the new year.

It’s time to be Social!