You bring up many good points. I agree that the B2B conversation is different than the B2C conversation. Probably more direct and less chit-chatty.

Still. businesses want to know your story, they want to know who they are buying from and they want to understand the value your products and services. This is all great fodder for content.

As far as videos are concerned, I think businesses can succeed with sharable video. We haven't found any of our product videos going viral, but we are still trying new things out and exploring different ways of communicating to our customers through video, Vidoe testimonials are something we think might be sharable, particularly through the business giving the testimonial. We'll see.

Great article. Thanks for giving this business things to think about.

You bring up many good points. I agree that the B2B conversation is different than the B2C conversation. Probably more direct and less chit-chatty.

Still. businesses want to know your story, they want to know who they are buying from and they want to understand the value your products and services. This is all great fodder for content.

As far as videos are concerned, I think businesses can succeed with sharable video. We haven't found any of our product videos going viral, but we are still trying new things out and exploring different ways of communicating to our customers through video, Vidoe testimonials are something we think might be sharable, particularly through the business giving the testimonial. We'll see.

Great article. Thanks for giving this business things to think about.

You bring up many good points. I agree that the B2B conversation is different than the B2C conversation. Probably more direct and less chit-chatty.

Still. businesses want to know your story, they want to know who they are buying from and they want to understand the value your products and services. This is all great fodder for content.

As far as videos are concerned, I think businesses can succeed with sharable video. We haven't found any of our product videos going viral, but we are still trying new things out and exploring different ways of communicating to our customers through video, Vidoe testimonials are something we think might be sharable, particularly through the business giving the testimonial. We'll see.

Great article. Thanks for giving this business things to think about.

Hi there. In fact, I happen to believe that the potential for B2B in social media may be even bigger than B2C. I get the whole business-buying-something-from-a-business thing, but at the root of those transactions are humans. They have the same tendencies toward loyalties, personal relationships, and are influenced by factors that may be outside their purely business relationship.

The very nature of the longer sales cycle and the nuances of big deal negotiation play beautifully into the fundamental ideas of listening to understand needs, solutions-based selling, and building trust and authenticity in relationships. Social media is a slow burn, it's not purely transactional. And I think all the other social tools you listed actually hold a lot of promise for bringing the B2B universe a more accessible element that can be a growth catalyst. But that's just me.

Thanks for the Radian6 mentions, too. I'll be right here with you, working to see what works, what doesn't, what sticks, and what's got potential.

Cheers,
Amber

True B2B doesn't have the volume of conversations that B2C has (generally speaking).

But, the customer pool for most B2B is narrow enough that an effective social media outreach program can actually reap far larger rewards for B2B than B2C – and faster.

My approach for B2B is to make someone in the company the star, rather than the company itself (usually). Leveraging thought leader and humanization strategies, find someone in the company (usually not the CEO) and make them the social media bright light. Blogs, podcast, conference speaking, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

The other approach that can work well for B2B is to facilitate customers to interact with one another using social media, which creates reflected glow on the brand. The large email company ExactTarget is doing that with their 3Sixty social network. Their customers interact on the portal with one another, and with company personnel. Nice use of the social connections that technology provides.

Hi there. In fact, I happen to believe that the potential for B2B in social media may be even bigger than B2C. I get the whole business-buying-something-from-a-business thing, but at the root of those transactions are humans. They have the same tendencies toward loyalties, personal relationships, and are influenced by factors that may be outside their purely business relationship.

The very nature of the longer sales cycle and the nuances of big deal negotiation play beautifully into the fundamental ideas of listening to understand needs, solutions-based selling, and building trust and authenticity in relationships. Social media is a slow burn, it's not purely transactional. And I think all the other social tools you listed actually hold a lot of promise for bringing the B2B universe a more accessible element that can be a growth catalyst. But that's just me.

Thanks for the Radian6 mentions, too. I'll be right here with you, working to see what works, what doesn't, what sticks, and what's got potential.

Cheers,
Amber

True B2B doesn't have the volume of conversations that B2C has (generally speaking).

But, the customer pool for most B2B is narrow enough that an effective social media outreach program can actually reap far larger rewards for B2B than B2C – and faster.

My approach for B2B is to make someone in the company the star, rather than the company itself (usually). Leveraging thought leader and humanization strategies, find someone in the company (usually not the CEO) and make them the social media bright light. Blogs, podcast, conference speaking, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.

The other approach that can work well for B2B is to facilitate customers to interact with one another using social media, which creates reflected glow on the brand. The large email company ExactTarget is doing that with their 3Sixty social network. Their customers interact on the portal with one another, and with company personnel. Nice use of the social connections that technology provides.