Today, while many marketers say that LinkedIn is the platform of choice for B2B marketing, Twitter is not far behind. But what about Facebook for B2B marketing? In today’s digital landscape, Facebook can’t be ignored. It carries the ability to connect with prospects and customers in meaningful and important ways.
Social media has been used as a channel of engagement for a short period of time if we look back at the history of marketing. With the advent of inbound marketing in the 1900s, mass media advertising in 1950s, and then telemarketing and direct mail in the ‘70s, the emergence of the digital age some 10 years back had only then introduced us to the world of social media.
Let’s explore the 3 ways that Facebook for B2B marketing has a direct influence on ROI and revenue generation for top performers.
1. Branding
Leading companies have thought long and hard about their branding. They have put the customer experience as a top priority. From identity, to the look of the website, to content, and, social media. When it comes down to one of the key elements of success – everything is about branding.
In its most basic form, your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells your consumer what they can expect from your product. It is the sum total of their experiences and perceptions.
Well said by Leo Burnett: A brand symbol is “anything that leaves a mental picture of the brand’s identity”. Our job is to own real estate in consumer minds. So that when they have a need, they think of us first. And when we have consistent branding, it could really work to impact Facebook for B2B marketing companies.
2. Drives people to opt-in
Customers are 60% into the decision-making process before ever contacting a sales rep. How do we remedy this situation if they are far from reaching out to the sales team? We offer them free things to push them through the lifecycle. Facebook for B2B marketing is a great place to promote those free assets. From a free webinar to an eBook or a white paper, when Facebook audiences are interested in learning more, the goal is to create an exchange – an email for free content.
3. Encourages followers to attend events
89% of event marketers use Facebook as their #1 social media tool, according to MarketingCharts. If you are hosting an event, Facebook can help you promote it through your page. Invite your fans and followers and bring these like-minded individuals together. Share the event in a post and make it so that audiences stay tuned for more events.
Facebook for B2B Marketing: Key takeaway
If your company sells to other businesses, you have to strongly consider Facebook for B2B marketing as a part of your social media strategy. The goal is to reach all audiences with your posts: prospects, existing customers and advocates. Don’t forget to track results to make sure you are improving your processes and eliciting the best responses from your fans and followers.
Also format of a social network is very convenient, as it allows to see clearly – how well you feel your target audience, how accurately you guessed, or not guessed right with the new model. Even the users in these active groups appreciate when their opinion is taken into account, that the most active of them are encouraged with the brand, etc.
But social networks are still social networks, they were originally designed for another purpose: to ensure the availability of communications between people but not for the “direct sales”. I think, the main problem is that, as a rule, in social networks there are not enough payment audiences or individuals interested in long-term cooperation rather than one-time purchase.
In recent years, communication systems among the enterprises are gaining special speed. So-called marketplaces, which allow not only to contact with customers, but they also provide instant access to the essential products and services.
Ability to view current pricing and easy access to all necessary information encourage consumers to purchase a lot more than if they had seen only a description of the company with a picture or had to scroll through several thick directories with a list of prices, which probably had already outdated at the time of the order. For example, there is an interesting platform for the US market https://opporty.com/c/NY/new-york, unfortunately, it is the only one with which I encountered today. At the global level, the situation is not so bad: China and Korea have one of the most popular e-commerce platforms. Perhaps, you know some other marketplaces or networking platforms presented in the West? It would be interesting to get acquainted with them.