Using Social Media to Promote B2B

On occasion, I get asked a question: ‘How can I use social media to promote my business when I only sell to other businesses?’

It appears to be so much easier to promote a consumer brand when it comes to using social media.  Yes, the audience is bigger and maybe the product is more exciting but don’t let that deter you from promoting your services on social media. Just because your product is a bit serious does not mean it is not interesting.  There are great opportunities if you share the right content on the correct platform.

Here are a few tips when it comes to promoting your B2B brand on social media:

Stop being boring

Find an angle and stop being boring.  Any business can find an interesting way to tell their story.  Thinking of your product, how can it help a client save money or time?  Make the story interesting, something they want to read about.

A real person

There are real people running that other business you are trying to attract.  The people checking out your content online are real, and people buy from people.  Tell a real client story, how did your product help that particular person improve their business.  Even better, show how in the form of a video.

Defined target audience

When you are a business selling to other businesses, that is quite a defined target audience.  It may be a smaller audience but that can be a good thing.  You can create content that is specifically aimed to a certain industry sector.  Making it relevant for them, showing how you can prevent pain and add to their bottom line.

Language

Think about the customer, don’t get blogged down in jargon.  Too many businesses get lost in technical terms that others do not understand.  Speak to your audience in plain terms and always slant the conversation to explain the benefits of the product rather than only the features.

Thought leadership

Be the expert your customer thinks you are. If you decide to use social media to promote your knowledge in the sector you operate it, then that is a great opportunity.  You know your product better than anybody so start talking about it.  Tell them how your product will bring them business happiness.

Brand awareness first

And finally, it’s marketing and not sales – so think about getting more brand awareness, not just collecting leads and sales.   It’s social media, so be social and don’t forget to interact and network there.