I work with b2b and b2g firms – manufacturers, IT companies, systems integrators, security firms.
When it comes to social media marketing a couple things stand out:
Everyone knows they should be using social media – LinkedIn, Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, etc. — to grow their business.
BUT
Practically no one wants to do it.
Even companies that do a great job with their website, or search engine advertising (not to mention more traditional b2b / b2g marketing like tradeshows or PR) are reluctant to use these platforms. Which is a bit odd when you consider that in the b2C world, marketing is social media marketing (if you don’t believe me, check out the market caps of the top social media firms).
So why are b2b and b2g firms hesitating? Channeling my inner b2b CEO, I think the thought process goes something like this:
“none of my best customers are asking me to do social media marketing”
“I don’t use [fill in the blank social media platform] – I’ll bet no one else does either”
“I’m a business manager dammit, I don’t have time for this cat-meme BS”
“every social media “expert” I talk to says I have to buy some special software program just to manage my social media AND then I have to hire my teenage [fill in the blank: son, daughter, nephew, niece, college intern] to be my social media manager”
In other words:
What can I do that is simple (less than 15 minutes of daily effort) and highly cost effective?
And oh, by the way, just get to the point – tell me what to do – because I’m busy.
Easy Social Media Marketing Hack #1: “Social Media-ize Your Product / Service Benefit Statements on LinkedIn
Step 1. Find your product / service benefit statements. Somewhere, in a print brochure or on your website, you’ve taken the trouble to define the unique benefits of at least one of your products or services (if not, you have much bigger issues than social media marketing to deal with).
Step 2. Copy and paste your favorite benefit . Do NOT choose more than ONE benefit. This is social media. Everything must be “chunkable”. Highlighting just ONE benefit will really get people to pay attention. Add a little intro copy. “Did you know the Acme Excellotron does [fill in name of benefit statement]”
Step 3. Pat yourself on the back! You have created “marketing content“. You will now use this marketing content on LinkedIn (I know you have a LinkedIn account already).
Step 4. Post your new benefit statement – ideally with an image of your product — on LinkedIn as an update. If you are ambitious, post it in your LinkedIn groups. If you are really ambitious, you can then tweet out the LinkedIn update from LinkedIn to the rest of the universe.
Step 5. Set a date in your Outlook calendar for next week for when you will put out your SECOND favorite benefit.
Wasn’t that easy? You are on your way to social media greatness. No teenage nephew required.
