For some B2B companies, including social media in the overall marketing mix makes a lot of sense, as many business professionals are already using social media.  Using this tactic as part of the marketing mix is like any other aspect – you must first determine objectives, strategy, and key performance indicators.  However, there are some unique aspects to social media that you need to keep in mind:

1.  Build up your presence with content. Content is king! Create content for your customers that they can use – whether it be a whitepaper they can pass on to their colleagues, a graph they can use in a presentation, or a quick fact they can retweet. Give them something of value and they will share your brand name and content. You should be using existing material and repurposing it for your needs.

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B2B and B2C marketers have both been using social media as an advertising tool. A recent survey done by E-marketer took a look at how the two categories use social media differently. Each has their own objectives that drive those differences.

Because the sales cycle of a B2B product is longer than a B2C product it makes sense that they are utilizing tactics that will help build leads and CRM. Social media tactics that are working for them include blogging, participating in third-party sites, and monitoring company mentions. Several of these tactics are helpful when trying to engage or stay in front of the audience over a long period of time.

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