If you could choose to do business with a company you knew nothing about or a company you followed on a social media site, which one would you choose?
Most consumers, including B2B customers, are going to select the last option because if they follow a company they have some type of connection or value already established in their mind.
This simple example is one of the reasons I get so many requests for trainings on how to use LinkedIn for marketing in B2B transactions. As humans making decisions, we would rather do business with someone we know and trust than someone we don’t. Businesses are typically not looking for just a one-time purchase, they want to find companies they can continue to do business with and build relationships.
Awareness of the Business
So, you may be thinking, I can see how a professional can establish a relationship online as an expert or authority, or someone with similar interests, but how can a company?
Companies or businesses are not online; it is the employees and the sales force that are the face or online presence of the company. However, companies also have unifying goals, mission statements, are involved in charities, community events and choose specific practices or standards by which they operate. This information creates a company profile online, one which will resonate with other businesses and form the basis of making contact.
Influencing and Leading
There is a difference in LinkedIn than many social networking sites. There is more of an influencer and leader capacity rather than just posting marketing campaigns and promotions. One focus of how to use LinkedIn for marketing should be in establishing your company as an influencer.
Starting a group, posting interesting, informative and timely content, and engaging in the discussions in a professional manner creates a level of leadership and influence. This, in turn, develops your brand and your company brand, making you the resource when another business is looking for your product or service.
Another key consideration often overlooked in how to use LinkedIn for marketing is in the power of spending time reading comments and looking through the most influential and popular posts in the groups. This will give you very real insight into market trends, the information other businesses are looking for, and the connections your connections find valuable. Putting this all together provides great marketing insight and helps to build your marketing strategy over time.
