B2B Facebook – Not Just for Friends Anymore!
Facebook has over half a billion users – and its numbers are continuing to grow, grow, grow.
Sure, engaging with friends, sharing fun photos and chatting in real-time through Facebook have become regular practices for millions of individuals. But as the numbers of B2B (business-to-business) companies using Facebook grow, it’s becoming increasingly clear that “friends” can also be business prospects.
If your B2B business is ready to plunge into Facebook for branding and marketing, here are some tips to help you – and your brand — make the most of this unique opportunity:
1. Become a valuable resource to your industry. Facebook businesses are spending time on the site to make connections and learn more about the industry. Rather than taking a “Look at me! Look at me!” approach that many B2B marketers mistakenly make, the best way to catch your prospects’ eyes is to give them the information that they actually need. Use your Facebook page to keep your prospects updated on news that is important to them – whether it’s business news, industry case studies or blog posts from other businesses.
2. Adopt a friendly attitude. Despite its B2B capabilities, Facebook is still a place for friends. It’s very appropriate to break out of your shell a little on Facebook and develop a personality. Your page is there to give a face to your company – make sure it’s friendly and approachable. Even if your brand image is rather professional, you can still find ways to make your page friendly and personally appealing.
3. Interact with your community. The great thing about social networking is that it opens up your conversations and transforms them from a one-sided broadcasts to two-sided exchanges. You’ll lose out on this benefit if you do nothing but post on your wall. Ask and answer questions. Post polls. Comment on stories and reach out to comment on the pages of others. As long as you can balance social networking tasks with the rest of your marketing tasks, involvement in your Facebook community will be a “win-win.”
Armed with these tips for Facebook marketing, you and your brand will still be among the first to fully tap into the B2B marketing opportunities and potential of the giant social networking site.
We’ve witnessed a number of relatively advanced, engaging social internet marketing campaigns on facebook. Techcrunch conduct a routine update displaying some of the top facebook promotional pages people discover.