Walt Denny Inc. Blog

Follow the Effective Path: Social Media in a B2B World

Do you consider yourself a pro or a novice when it comes to social media? Ultimately, it might not matter, as long as you really understand how to best leverage social media for your B2B messaging.

Why? Because there are organizations who have been on platforms like Twitter for a year or two, but who don't say anything compelling. Often, what you get is a broadcast message that is repeated - it's not interactive and it's not very useful either. Conversely, there are companies using meaningful messages, photos and video to generate leads and solidify existing relationships.

Effective B2B social media requires a plan, commitment and understanding of techniques to power through online noise with a truly magnetic message.

Winning with a True Green Marketing Message

Green marketing is nearly ubiquitous as an integral tool for many marketing teams. The best way to promote sustainable products, processes and initiatives is to pursue sustainability's triple bottom line - people, planet and profit.

There is also a wrong way to market green. Even in the early 1990's 'greenwashing' was a recognized term being used to decry false green merits that companies were promoting. Simply put, greenwashing is a misleading, can't-be-backed claim - and at its unfortunate worst, a plain lie.

With green marketing's maturation and sustainable construction's unlimited growth potential, deliver authentic messages targeting the head and heart for compelling attraction to your green brand.

The Social Media Elevator: From Monitoring to Business-building Strategy

Important question: If you already know that social media is a marketing channel, how effective do you think yours is? Ultimately, to move up to the answer of "very effective," many factors have to be considered.

Beyond distributing content and commentary, social media involves monitoring - listening to understand why people are saying things or feeling emotions in connection with your brand. Social intelligence leaders are constantly doing this via their channels such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, many using dashboard monitoring tools. For 2011, nearly 38 percent of corporate social strategists said listening and learning about customers was a main social media goal, according to Altimeter Group. Another popular goal was fostering word of mouth at nearly the same percentage. To perform socially, you really can't have one without the other.

In the home products market, think about cases of positive and negative mentions that may happen on your social channels: someone likes a design or photo, notices you're in front with current trends, asks for help with installation or finding a dealer, lists something to improve for your next generation product, or asks a specific question. These and more possibilities can be in conversations directly with you or with peers and others.

"App"reciating the Value of Mobile Opportunities

What apps have you used today? Probably a few if you're like most Americans. The typical smartphone user spends more than 80 minutes a day using mobile apps according to analytics firm Flurry - more time than is spent web-browsing on a computer.

With smartphones and tablets often used for work, the app sphere is gaining in popularity as a marketing channel for building business, especially considering that 59% of adults with household incomes of $75,000 own a smartphone. Consider the hunger, and ease of delivery for information and content: more than half of all local searches are on mobile devices and there are more than 200 million YouTube views daily on smartphones.

Opportunities abound for building business with apps that provide utility. Simply put, they make people's lives easier. In the home products realm, this can be accomplished for trade professionals and homeowners with examples such as existing building material calculators and paint-matching apps.

Attract & Impress Customers with Brand-bolstering Social CRM

Customer issues move at light speed through today's web, putting comments and questions about your products and services out there for all to see, sometimes even going viral. While web users can speak to your brand in real time, you have an equal opportunity to shine through your social CRM, staying ahead of the curve and building a reputation as a customer care leader.

It all starts with taking the time to listen. Beyond monitoring - by understanding facts and emotions that are driving conversations about your brand, you can interact in a way that builds passionate brand admiration.

 

By using social media as a key driver of effective CRM, you can galvanize brand loyalty and enhance your brand's reputation.

Be Social, Be Memorable in the Robust Home Products Web Community

In the high energy, high volume digital realm of residential construction and home improvement, social media is a tactic that can set product and service providers apart.

Think of all that the Web holds about "homes": loads of floor plan sites, tons of DIY videos, an ever-growing number of design idea sites, many millions of inspiring photos and numerous niche portals for kitchen & bath, basements, outdoor living and curb appeal.

 
Cast a tremendously wider net for prospects by tying together your social media efforts and creating interaction to energize brand awareness.