Take a look at 2016?s most influential brands on Facebook, according to Mavrck: Starbucks, Coca-Cola, MTV and Samsung Mobile top the charts, followed by brands like KFC, Nike and Target. What do these companies have in common" They?re all business-to-consumer.
These days, it?s rare to find a business not trying to make a social media splash. But why is it that B2C companies consistently outpace their business-to-business peers" According to Webbiquity, 88 percent of the B2B crowd uses Facebook?just 8 percent less than their B2C counterparts?so it?s not for lack of trying.
The problem is one of strategy. Because B2C companies like Verizon Communications and Sony Pictures were the early adopters, B2B companies patterned their approaches after their B2C peers. But while B2C marketers don?t need such a targeted approach to draw new business?anyone can enjoy a Coke or crave KFC?B2B marketers can?t take the same top-of-the-funnel strategy. For niche business services, taking a generalized checklist approach to social media simply doesn?t work.
Why resist the checklist"
With a checklist mindset, social media management becomes a series of tasks: posting daily, responding to customers, adding friends and following clients. While there?s nothing inherently wrong with these practices, unless you?re using social as a channel to find target prospects, you’re missing out on revenue.
B2B businesses that don?t use social to target specific leads or gather buying behav...