B2B social media is tough. Let’s go through what you are facing and solve this common issue together.

You are setting up the social accounts. Others find out and are excited.

Yes! They say. Free advertising – let’s blast out our promotional messages on social.

No, no, no, no, no, no…

I have no idea why this is so common. It’s not like they haven’t been on social before. The minute a company you follow starts posting one promotional message after another onto your timeline, do you actually enjoy that?

Or do you ignore and unfollow?

I know what 99% would do. The remaining one percent still following would be the social media team and company employees.

So let’s get down on approaching B2B social media and how to get everyone on board with you.

First of all, understand that whether it is B2B or B2C, or whatever the latest term, you are still dealing with humans. These actual human beings are NOT looking for your promotional messages on social. In fact, quite the opposite.

What DO you go to social media for? Helpful updates, Information, entertainment, animal pictures -my fav- and videos the list goes on. But we get ads and sponsored posts everywhere, so why would anyone think that organic posts that look and sound like an ad is going to connect with your audience?

Find your audience and address their needs. Remember that your audience does not care about you — at all it’s all about WIIFM (What’s in it for me?). Avinash Kaushik wrote that the north star of content should be helping your audience get promoted.

So offer good information, things that are helpful, be entertaining, whatever it is there are great examples out there. I would keep in mind that being funny is VERY difficult and few do a good job of it (Innocent Drinks comes to mind) But, we can always offer expertise.

So when the boss asks about how you’re promoting the company, let them know the expertise you show is building your credibility. Many sales folks I’ve worked with have learned that once they stopped promoting and started addressing how to solve problems, customers started coming to them instead of the other way around. Teaching IS selling. And this is especially true in the social space.

If you need help running your social media accounts or just need a free consult, contact DemandWeb

For more on DemandWeb: DemandWeb: Data-Driven Marketing Agency Helps Businesses Drive Demand

B2B Social Selling

More and more folks prefer to get information online than engage a salesperson. They search out more objective information from internet recommendations. Three out of four B2B buyers rely on social media to engage with peers about buying decisions. In a recent B2B buyers survey, 53% of the respondents reported that social media plays a role in assessing tools and technologies. AND when making a final selection.

Good time to read up on how B2B social selling works in today’s environment.

How B2B Sales Can Benefit from Social Selling

Outbound B2B sales are becoming less and less effective. In fact, a recent survey found that connecting with a prospect now takes 18 or more phone calls. Callback rates are below 1%, and only 24% of outbound sales emails are ever opened. Meanwhile, 84% of B2B buyers are now starting the purchasing process with a referral. Peer recommendations are now influencing more than 90% of all B2B buying decisions.

[Also read: Business Growth Ideas: Grow Your Business]

Why are more and more buyers avoiding salespeople during the buying process? Sales reps, according to Forrester, tend to prioritize a sales agenda over solving a customer’s problem. If organizations don’t change their outdated thinking and create effective sales models for today’s digital era, Forrester warns that 1 million B2B salespeople will lose their jobs to self-service e-commerce by 2020.

Read the rest of How B2B Sales Can Benefit from Social Selling