To say that social media has taken the B2B marketing world by storm is an understatement. Without a doubt, being in the foodservice business and not being on social media is a huge missed opportunity. With that being said, social media shouldn't be the only form of a B2B marketing strategy.
Yes, that's even true today in an online world that is nearly entirely dominated by sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. While all of these sites certainly have the potential to help generate leads and educate potential clients, putting all your eggs in the social media basket with no other marketing strategy involved can hurt, not help.
Now, we're not anti-social media. In fact, we've seen firsthand how having a well-rounded social media strategy can bring in well-qualified SQLs. And it's a very inexpensive and quick way for a marketing manager or director to be able to get the company's message out to the masses. The problem is that whatever is created on social media and the contacts made, you don't have control over it.
Imagine if your marketing team only used social media to post about new products, opportunities, and contact methods on social media channels. If something were to happen, your company would immediately lose access to your sales content and the people you interact with, and the idea that something might happen isn't obscure. Multiple times over the past few years, social media channels went offline with no notice leaving business owners stranded if they were using social media to create and close sales. There's also the possibility that your account could get shut down for a reason you don't understand. Again, this is done without warning, and in some cases, you have no way to contact someone to get it immediately resolved.
There are several ways to step away from a sole reliance on social media as your B2B marketing strategy. For starters, whatever you put on social media or create with social media sites, be sure to keep a copy of it for yourself as well. The easiest way to do this is by using HubSpot. HubSpot isn't only for sales teams. It's a great way for your marketing team to easily schedule posts so all content is saved, easily accessed, and able to be used on other parts of your inbound marketing strategy.
Next, make sure that there is always a link on your social media posts to direct people back to your website. Posting images is great, but posting images that have links for potential clients to click for more information is even better. That way, you're pushing potential clients to your home base and not to your Facebook or Instagram pages, which can corrupt the selling process.
Once on your company's website, make sure that the navigation process is seamless and simple for visitors to use. They should want to stay on your site and have no trouble finding whatever they’re looking for. Make the experience as pleasant as possible by offering up useful information via blog posts, podcasts, and videos. Also, consider having a chatbot handle the most common questions your business sees. The chatbot doesn't require having someone physically answer every question. With automation, it will lead the potential customer down an answer path, which can also free up phone lines or work while teams are sleeping or completing a sale.
Lastly, consider traditional marketing strategies, such as email newsletters or hosting events either in person or online. These ways to attract customers still work and can get your business out in front of customers. Emails can be targeted based on the places the recipient has visited on your website or where they are in the buyer's journey, making it more personalized. And events can get your current and future customers in front of the equipment you want them to purchase.
By having a complete marketing campaign put together that incorporates social media, you'll be the owner of your leads and content, allowing your business to develop and grow.