| p>Choice is good. However, choice can also be | | | | regarding who sees your ad. |
| overwhelming and according to Hicks Law it takes | | | | Blogging |
| considerably longer to make a decision when more | | | | As I mentioned previously, in B2B marketing people buy |
| options are introduced. At some point too many | | | | expertise and place more emphasis on the perceived |
| options are detrimental to the decision making process | | | | credibility of the people they're buying from than the |
| and this can lead to paralysis by analysis. If you're a | | | | brand or advertising behind it. In a recent 2009 survey |
| business-to-business (B2B) marketer, I hope to save | | | | 80% of Corporate Marketing Officers found their |
| you the brain pain and anxiety of evaluating the | | | | vendors as opposed to the other way around and it |
| plethora of social media marketing tools out there by | | | | was primarily because of online research (Fuel Lines). |
| suggesting the best three you should start with: | | | | The best way to communicate your expertise is to |
| LinkedIn, Blogging, and Twitter. The one caveat is that | | | | share it! Blogging is a great way to accomplish this and |
| if you start using these tools you need to keep up with | | | | it also has terrific benefits for search engine |
| it or your efforts will be wasted. | | | | optimization since blogging produces fresh content that |
| LinkedIn | | | | search engines are hungry to find. Search engines end |
| If you're in B2B marketing then you need to be on | | | | up ignoring static websites, so if you keep producing |
| LinkedIn. It's basically facebook for business | | | | new content the search engines have a reason to |
| professionals but with far more purpose. When it | | | | index your website and give you more search results. |
| comes to B2B marketing, people buy from people and | | | | More importantly, sharing your expertise provides value |
| seek expertise over brands or fancy advertising. | | | | to your target audience and when the time comes to |
| Having a professional profile on LinkedIn is a key | | | | make a purchase they will hopefully already trust your |
| component of establishing your credibility. From a | | | | capabilities. |
| personal standpoint it is also a great way to elevate | | | | It's a balance to decide how much information you |
| you own employment prospects since it allows you to | | | | want to give away, but I'm an advocate of sharing as |
| easily network with others in your industry and is often | | | | much as you can because if people are looking for the |
| visited by recruiters. I want to emphasize the need to | | | | information it's likely because they want somebody to |
| have a well put together profile - LinkedIn profiles show | | | | execute a solution for them. If they decide to do it |
| up in search engine results so it's like having an online | | | | themselves based on what they learned from you |
| resume. Make sure to include a good picture, have a | | | | then they probably don't have the budget for your |
| link to your website(s), and compose a succinct bio | | | | product/service anyway. If you do decide to start |
| regarding your capabilities and achievements. You can | | | | blogging, enlist the brightest people in your organization |
| also set-up a profile for your company. I would also | | | | to contribute articles or hire a writer to help out on a |
| advocate getting some "Recommendations" to add to | | | | contract basis. The most important thing is to make |
| your profile since these are one of the most looked at | | | | your blog a resource and not just a place to talk about |
| features. The best way to get recommendations is to | | | | how great you are or what the new promotions are. |
| give some first. The person who you recommend on | | | | Encourage people to sign up for your blog through |
| LinkedIn will be prompted to return the favour. | | | | email or RSS subscriptions and track how many leads |
| The main thing about LinkedIn is the same thing as with | | | | result from them. In addition, share your blog posts in |
| any business networking association - It's about | | | | appropriate LinkedIn groups if you feel they will provide |
| developing relationships and sharing information. The | | | | value and also promote them through Twitter updates. |
| great part is that it's a business network association | | | | Twitter |
| with members from around the world and millions of | | | | Everybody new to Twitter has the same reaction - "I |
| them. Regardless if you're an engineer, software | | | | don't get it? I don't really care what people are doing at |
| developer, advertising director, insurance provider, or | | | | any moment in time". Agreeably, there are lots of |
| heavy equipment manufacturer there will be tons of | | | | people who use Twitter just to provide updates |
| people in your related industry to connect with. A great | | | | regarding the mundane details of their life or just blab |
| way to connect with other like minded folks is to join | | | | for the sake of blabbing. These aren't the people you |
| or create a "Group". Once you find a group you will be | | | | should use as examples regarding the purpose of |
| able to introduce yourself, post news items, create | | | | Twitter. Twitter is actually much more popular with 25 |
| discussions, and have a mutual link with others that will | | | | - 35 year olds then it is with 15 - 24 year olds. Despite |
| allow you to add them to your network. There is also | | | | the toy like name, it is anything but. It is, in fact, a terrific |
| an "Answers" tool on LinkedIn where people post | | | | source of news, industry information, contacts, and |
| questions and others are invited to provide advice; this | | | | micro-conversations. Similar to LinkedIn, it is important |
| can be a great way to share your expertise and build | | | | to have a complete profile so people can quickly |
| up your profile. Depending on the popularity of the | | | | determine if your legitimate or a spammer. Use your |
| question, your expertise may be seen by hundreds of | | | | real name as your username and provide a profile |
| others. Besides making organic connections you can | | | | picture (which should be the same across all your |
| also advertise on LinkedIn and get very targeted | | | | social media spaces). |