by tradesmeninsights | Jun 13, 2012 | Marketing Tips, Social Marketing, Traditional Marketing
I recently read a post by Jeffrey L. Cohen from Social Media B2B about storytelling that got me thinking on how folks in our space could be doing a better job of doing just that.
Think about if you’re at a party or other social gathering, where do you find the crowds of people (other than the bar)? It’s usually around someone who is entertaining people. Most of these folks are great storytellers and keep you engaged and interested because of the way they tell the story.
I think all of us in the business community get so involved in the day-to-day grind that all we’re worried about is “Just the Facts” and we’re losing opportunities to engage our customers or potentials in a conversation. If we’re interested in “Just the Facts” then we are not allowing for a conversation to begin, because either we’re too busy telling someone something or trying to get info out of someone.
I think we need to sometimes step back and re-evaluate how we’re talking to customers or prospects, especially if you’re using social media. No one wants to hear about your products, they want to hear how you can help solve their problems. One way to share this info is by telling them compelling stories. Most old timers struggle with this especially in the social media sector that the marketing is now customer-centric not product.
Jeff highlights 4 great ways to use storytelling in your business that will help you engage more people.
- Company History – Tell your story through the lens of the customer. Be authentic and leave out all the buzzwords. Use key events as sources for stories.
- Customer Successes – This should be an easy one. Tell how you solved a problem for a customer and even give a quote or two.
- Employee Activities – People like to do business with people they know, like and trust. Put a face with a name of those in CS or those who are writing for your social accounts. Let them tell their stories and what they are passionate about.
- Community Support – Every company does something locally. We support and do a tool drive for our local Habitat for Humanity. Let your customers see another side of you and what’s important.
Those are my thoughts on how to use storytelling. Do you have any interesting ones you’d like to share?
by tradesmeninsights | Jun 12, 2012 | Marketing Tips, Social Marketing, Traditional Marketing
We live in a 10 second sound bite world where everything needs to be done NOW.
If we take that attitude, especially in sales, new customers are going to be hard to come by. People buy from those they know, like and trust. That’s not an overnight thing in most cases. Patience truly is a virtue when it comes to selling.
It’s usually a process, and depending on what you’re buying, it may have more stages and take longer. No matter if it’s face-to-face or online, there’s a process most of us go through when purchasing something, whether it’s at work or home.
Most companies have identified the stages customers need to go through before making a purchase. Our challenge is finding out up front where they are in that process and then start moving them through the steps at their pace, not ours.
The key is being able to help them through the process without scaring them off. Here are a few suggestions on what might help:
- Make it about them and their issues (customer centric).
- Take baby steps in asking them questions to get them to the development stage in the process.
- Get info back to them that relates to the particular request with a possible solution and ask them another question to continue to engage them.
- The more tailored the information, the better chances are of having them buy from you when the time is right.
Those are some of the things we try to do to woo new customers. What are you doing?
by tradesmeninsights | Jun 6, 2012 | Marketing Tips, Social Marketing
Does your company have a social media strategy for your social media efforts? Most companies have jumped on the bandwagon but appear to be shooting from the hip with no strategy or measurements in place.
Companies are going about social strategy backwards, by first concentrating on the tools and technologies instead of focusing on what they want to achieve. My understanding of social media and how to monetize it was greatly expedited because my rifled focus on applying it for new business.
A survey conducted by marketing firm Digital Brand Expressions found that 78 percent of client companies responding to their survey said they use social media, but only 41 percent said they have a strategic plan in place to direct their social media efforts.
Other key findings from this survey that should be of interest:
- Of the companies that have no plan in place, 88% agree that it is important.
- Of those companies that work from some plan, 94% said that marketing activities are included in the plan.
- 71% of those with a plan said their Marketing Department is the group with the primary responsibility for creating and maintaining the firm’s social media presence.
- Of the planners, 71% indicate they use social media for public relations communications, while 55% said that they used social media for sales-related activities. A surprisingly small percentage (16%) say their HR team is using social media for recruiting, employee retention, training and development, etc. and 26% use it for customer service.
- Social media efforts are being led primarily by Marketing (71%) and PR (29%) departments.
- Even among those with a plan, few (29%) have written policies and communications protocols in place, leaving the organization exposed to problems arising out of employees communicating in ways that inadvertently hurt, rather than help, their company brands.
“It’s fairly well established that social media is a channel that businesses must participate in, leaving CEOs with the new challenge of planning and implementing brand aligned initiatives enterprise-wide,” said Veronica Fielding, president and CEO of Digital Brand Expressions.
Click on the link to download a PDF copy of: Corporate Social Media Report
Your purpose should dictate strategy and the tactics used for reaching desired goals.
by tradesmeninsights | Jun 5, 2012 | Marketing Tips, Marketing Tools, Social Marketing
Manufacturers should get on the bandwagon and start using social media. You can be afraid of it and then you’re missing lots of opportunities to tell your story and generate interest in your company and what you do.
This guest post was provided by Dean Vella who writes about social media training and Internet marketing for University Alliance, a division of Bisk Education Inc. and talks about ways you can get started. Enjoy.
Social media campaigns have grown in staggering numbers over the past few years, with business-to-business (B2B) manufacturers among the companies now using this relatively new method of marketing to develop their businesses.
A recent survey by Forrester Research found that B2B marketing budgets are expected to increase an average of 6.8% in 2012. Manufacturing firms projected a 7% increase, up from 4% in 2011.
Social media offers companies the opportunity to distribute their brand message far and wide at faster-than-ever speed. There are pitfalls, however. The viral nature of social media means that companies can quickly lose control of their message. Once that control is relinquished, it can be extremely difficult to regain.
B2B Manufacturers and Social Media
Whether it’s through Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter, B2B manufacturers are using social media networks to notify recipients about developments in the industry, offer advice on how best to use their products and answer customer questions. As a result, manufacturers are discovering that they now can connect directly with end users in addition to their business partners.
This can create a myriad of benefits. B2B manufacturing companies can acquire information first-hand from their users and business contacts. That provides them with tangible information from a variety of sources that can be leveraged into product development and innovations.
Social media campaigns also can help B2B manufacturers give a “face” to their organization. For example, with an estimated 800 million users, Facebook offers access to a massive, and potentially untapped, consumer base.
An Effective Strategy
Among the first steps in developing a social media campaign is to understand how the platform is different from traditional marketing methods. As previously mentioned, the spontaneous nature of social media makes it tricky – if not impossible – to control the message, the recipients or the timing of the dissemination of information.
Manufacturing companies can consider these factors before implementing a social media initiative:
- Where are the customers?
Knowing which social network your users or customers prefer – whether it’s Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Google+ – is the first step in entering the social media fray.
- Monitor carefully
As much as it is critical to spread information about your organization, it’s just as imperative to carefully and consistently monitor the feedback from users and customers. As such, social media is more about the conversation than it is about the message. It’s important to identify those employees who have the social media training, knowledge and savvy to monitor feedback and post answers to questions and comments.
- Use tools
One of the major benefits of social media is the array of technology and tools it puts at a company’s disposal. Videos, links, blogs, podcasts and photo sharing – firms can use each of these components to share more information about their company with their customers. The interactive nature of the technology makes this a two-way relationship.There certainly are challenges with social media campaigns in terms of controlling the message. Despite those potential stumbling blocks, there is immense potential for B2B manufacturers and other companies to build new partnerships and attract new clients and customers through social media.
by tradesmeninsights | May 30, 2012 | Marketing Tips, Traditional Marketing
With all the marketing activities we are all doing today, we sometimes forget to review some of the old standbys like your website to make sure it’s current.
Today we have a guest post from Derek Singleton from Software Advice, a company that helps companies pick the right software whether it’s for an application or industry. Derek has been a guest blogger before and it’s always good to get someone else’s insights. Enjoy.
Graphic courtesy of: Thomas Industrial Network, Industrial Purchasing Barometer
The industrial buying market is undergoing changes. An industry that once relied purely on traditional marketing to generate sales leads is now moving online. Survey results released by the Thomas Industrial Network recently found that 9 out of 10 industrial buyers research and evaluate their purchases online today.
As more industrial buying activity moves online, manufacturers will need to focus on building their online presence. In order to make the most of the increase in online activity, manufacturers need to create a website that meets buyer expectations at each step of the purchasing cycle:
1. Discovery – Site visitors are just starting their research process and are trying to find companies that make what they need.
2. Research – Visitors are looking for information on product specs, operations procedures and materials used.
3. Sourcing – Individuals are ready to see detailed pricing and want schematics to ensure that your product works with what they’re building.
4. Procurement – This will usually happen offline.
Beyond modeling a website that guides visitors through the sales cycle, there are four other areas manufacturers should focus on to improve their websites.
- Show Off Your Facility & Processes – It’s important to use your website to show off what differentiates you from the competition. If you have a clean, modern looking facility, then you should show it off with pictures or a video tour. If you’ve received awards or other accolades, let visitors know about it.
- Create a Product Catalog – The product catalog is a great way to provide visitors with an easy way to navigate the products you make. It shouldn’t, however, simply be an electronic version of a print catalog. In the online world, buyers expect to be able to compare multiple products side-by-side. Your website should allow for this so visitors can narrow their options quickly.
- Provide Detailed Product Specs and Schematics – Beyond product comparisons, buyers these days want to see detailed information on each product. It’s essential that photographs, detailed measurements, product tolerances, and schematics are provided for each product so they can move further along the sourcing process. Not providing this information can result in the visitor leaving your website.
- Create Downloadable CAD Files – A final element to include in your website is the downloadable CAD file. Providing visitors with access to these files is a great way to speed up a purchase as it allows visitors to determine with greater precision whether your product meets their needs.
Naturally, content is only part of the equation. This content needs to be coupled with calls to action (CTAs) to convert visitors into leads. One critical CTA that works well for manufacturers is the request for more information. By balancing a website with the right content and CTAs, manufacturers can generate more leads online.
To see a few examples of how these web elements are being put to use on manufacturer websites, visit Software Advice, a site that reviews manufacturing software. You can find more detailed information at: Manufacturers, Listen Up: 5 Tips to Convert Your Web Traffic.
by tradesmeninsights | May 29, 2012 | Marketing Tips, Social Marketing
LinkedIn 277% More Effective for Lead Generation Than Facebook and Twitter.
In a study conducted by Hubspot, LinkedIn generated the highest visitor-to-lead conversion rate at 2.74%, almost 3 times higher (277%) than both Twitter (.69%) and Facebook (.77%).
200 million leads were generated on LinkedIn last year, according to their Advertising Chief, Jim Lister.
LinkedIn is an important social media platform for new business that helps you to:
- Re-establish older connections with past colleagues and clients.
- Find new connections and seek referrals.
- Request and share recommendations.
- Maintain top-of-mind awareness with prospects through status updates.
- Gather the right kind of intelligence to make better targeting decisions.
- Find and follow client and prospective clients using LinkedIn’s advanced search features. You can find people or companies in your geographic location, or within a particular industry or niche.
LinkedIn has been the “dark horse” of the social media platforms. This is partly because it is a difficult platform to master and networking isn’t easy. But LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, is stepping up improvements.
LinkedIn attracts dedicated users who are serious about business. Here are 12 LinkedIn improvements that will help you connect:
- More than two million businesses with company pages are now allowed to post status updates to their followers. Watch for prospect’s company status updates and engage with them.
- Targeted updates enable you to target your company’s status updates to specific followers so they can deliver the most relevant content to the most appropriate audiences.
- To help facilitate conversations, a new polling feature has been added to LinkedIn Groups that’s designed to get a quick read on an issue.
- Users can now create a custom group, very similar to a regular group, except you’ll be able to customize a space on the right side of the page. You can add video, integrate your blog, Twitter feeds or other RSS feeds. You can also easily add a poll, from which you can ask your group members questions.
- An option available with a premium account is the ability to send InMails, or private emails through the LinkedIn network. Whether you know a person or not, you can contact anyone on the LinkedIn network, even if you don’t know them.
- New Group Search helps you to find the right conversation faster among the 1.2 million groups.
- The upgraded People You May Know feature makes it even easier to find and connect with people in your network.
- LinkedIn Alumni makes it easier for you to tap into this important personal network and review relevant associations.
- LinkedIn’s Follow Company button can now be added to their websites, making it easier for any consumer to begin following companies of interest.
- Your LinkedIn Profile now puts more emphasis on Skills and Expertise. This means you can showcase your abilities to easily connect with people who have similar skills or with companies looking for specific expertise.
- A new tab on your page called Follower Statistics, will add a new layer of reporting to the Page Statistics.
- You can now embed a YouTube video on your companies overview page as well as on each individual service page.
