I’ve been saying for some time now that the most overlooked social media tool for the B-to-B market is LinkedIn. It makes sense to join groups on LinkedIn, whether it’s buying groups like A-D or Netplus Alliance, or associations like STAFDA or AHMA. Take advantage and participate in the arenas you sell to and through.
With sales cycles getting longer, social media is a good way to start building those relationships. They are by no means the only way to nurture a prospect, but according to a recent “B-to-B Sales Pulse Survey” from OneSource, LinkedIn usage has increased significantly. Nearly 50% of the respondents said they were using LinkedIn more than a year ago.
Hubspot, in their January 2010 data report, showed that 45% of North American B-to-B companies used LinkedIn for marketing and have acquired customers through the site.
So how are you using LinkedIn to identify new prospects and build relationships?
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