The 3 big social media questions

Sometimes, it’s good to return to the basics.

I have been looking for a way to distil the essence of social media marketing for B2B and, over the course of a number of conversations with clients, it has become clear that there are just 3 things a B2B organisation needs if it is going to have a strong, useful presence on the social web.

Yep. Just three.

The simple (or simplified) truth is that if you can answer ‘Yes’ to the following three questions, you will make a success out of social media marketing…

1. Do you have something to say?

Are you an expert in your industry? Do you know things that other people don’t? Can you - or can people in your organization - offer a viewpoint that others may find useful, enlightening or inspiring?

Of course, this does not mean “can you talk about a product that brings business benefits?” Because we all can. What it means is can you supply information about the generic issues that customers are facing, thus positioning yourself in their minds as an organization that can help. When it comes, as it ultimately will, to communicating what your products can do, they will be more ready to listen.

A good, and lesser-known, example is the private equity firm ISIS. They are in the business of finding growing companies, buying out a stake, improving the company’s efficiency, and selling out for a profit (with apologies to ISIS for simplification).

Their social media activities do not focus on their own strengths or track record - instead they seek to create content that is useful to entrepreneurs. Case study information, how-to articles, short videos of successful entrepreneurs talking through the issues they faced when growing their companies. Because ISIS is the carrier of this information, they not only establish themselves as an expert in the field, but they make their mark on the private equity web landscape. They increase traffic to their site, and gradually build a following of web visitors who ultimately become either customers or influencers.

2. Do you have a way to say it?

It’s one thing having the information. But to make it available to others, it has to be put into a format that allows sharing. At its most basic form, this means writing it down in the form of articles, blogs, ebooks etc. But what if you don’t have the time? Even if you have the time, writing my not be a pursuit you enjoy or consider as a strength.

We all have day jobs which usually involve getting business done - and it is tough to find time to write down what we know that might be useful to others. Even if you do have time to collect your thoughts in a blog, is this the most effective way to present the information? To truly maximize your presence in the social media, you need to provide content in the format that people need it.

3. Do you have a place to say it?

You know your industry. You know your customers. But do you know the social media landscape? Are you familiar with the blogs, networking sites, forums that are relevant to your audience?

Your customers are increasingly using social media to build relationships and glean information. But if you want to use social media to reach them, you need a presence in the right places. If you don’t know already where these places are, do you have time to find out?
And are you familiar with the technology? It’s not terribly complicated, but the short learning curves required for many different social media avenues add up to a learning mountain, and you may simply not have the time or the inclination to climb it.

Is it yes, yes and yes?

If you’ve answered yes to all, great. Some companies are perfectly equipped to address the challenge of social media immediately. You should get out there and start putting social media to good use for your brand.

The vast majority, however, lack either the time or expertise (or both) to create an effective presence in the social media world. So what to do?

You can limit your ambition and simply do less. Or you can hire new staff to take on the task. Or you can do what many companies are doing and hire someone else to do it. A trusted third-party such as your PR or marketing agency will often be able to take on the task. This has a number of advantages:

•    You have a manageable, predictable budget
•    You have flexibility without commitment to new staff etc
•    Your agency will usually understand your brand, your customers and their issues
•    Your agency will have both the technical and content skills that you lack
•    Your agency will have the time to do it

There are disadvantages too, and it would not be in the spirit of this blog to use it as a selling platform for agency involvement. Agencies can be expensive. They can be too distant to really represent you on social media. There are good and bad agencies and (despite their claims) they may not have the knowledge or experience to offer an effective service.

But it is an option that more and more companies are taking up, if only as a way to begin social media marketing. Any agency worth its salt will also help train and guide your own staff so you can do it yourself.

But remember the three key questions. If you have something to say, if you know how to say it, and where and when to say it, leave your agency out of it. Do it yourself, take all the credit, and don’t let anyone get in your way.