Searching through Twitter I came across an intriguing post by Josh Bernoff (Forrester Analyst, author, and blogger).  New research: B2B buyers have very high social participation.

I think that we’re past the point now where people deny the importance of the web in the selling process, but for those still in doubt you have to read these statistics.

Social Technographics of Technology Decision Makers

Some statistical highlights:

So, the bottom line - if you want to engage the decision makers in your target customers you need to be using social media.

There are different platforms and tools for different purposes.  Your challenge is to build marketing processes around these platforms and leverage the tools available:

1. Xuropa: it’s the only online community dedicated to electronic design.  Professionals, products, companies, news, and the tools to build your own community within Xuropa.
   - Register your products so decision makers can find them.
   - Ask your existing customers to write quick reviews or rate your products - this is important to help prospects find you and immediately get a valid and objective opinion of your product.
   - If you really want to engage your customers, provide an Online Lab where they can try the products out for themselves!
2. LinkedIn: participating in groups would be useful, but this is mostly used by people looking for jobs or contract work.  I don’t see too much product or technology disussion here.
3. FaceBook: A social network ostensibly.  Not much in the way of serious technology discussion that I’ve seen.  However, still an opportunity to engage.
4. Blog: You need to be positioning your company and products within the context of your customers.  Answer questions that they would ask, like “why would I use this technology?”, and “what problem does this technology solve”.  Don’t come at your blog from a marketing pitch perspective.  That won’t help you from an engagement or an SEO perspective.
5. Twitter: That is an “interesting” way to engage that I’m still trying to get the handle of myself.  It has helped me a number of times, but it’s a tough thing to systemize currently given the limitations of the tools available.

It’s not too late to get started…but you have to get started!  Now!

Posted under Features, Xuropa, industry, marketing