Jay LeonardThe basic components of good B2C social media communications hold true for B2B as well: Be present on a dependable basis, Be 
truthful, Provide value, Listen and Participate in community. But there is an additional factor that, while important for B2C, is absolutely essential for B2B: Build a trusted relationship.
The individual consumer might make (and later regret) an impulse purchase to buy an off-brand flat-screen TV based on tweet about a sale. They’d be out some money. But the individual businessperson could lose their job if they chose the wrong company to install an enterprise software system. That decision could cause the company to flounder, or even fail. In short, there’s a lot on the line for the businessperson who’s making the decision to enter into a purchasing relationship with your company.
Which is why B2B customers often select a less-than-ideal product or pay a higher price. They compromise on price or quality in order to work with a company they feel will meet delivery dates, handle installation (if necessary), provide service, and stand behind the product. Offering a better product or price won’t get you the sale if there is no relationship for the customer to trust. For a social media program to support B2B sales, it needs to focus on activities that build and nurture relationships. These include:
- Supporting customers round-the-clock with online forums moderated by company staff or brand advocates.
- Offering timely updates, via Twitter or blogs, during special events or crises.
- Recognizing customer success stories through blog posts, tweets, and web pages.
- Amplifying customer messages by following, liking, and sharing their blogs, Facebook pages, and LinkedIn pages. (This includes following not only company social media content, but also the tweet streams and LinkedIn pages of key decision makers and product users at the company.)
- Joining LinkedIn groups and other online forums led or moderated by your target customers and making significant contributions to these communities.
On one hand, social media makes it incredibly easy to shine the light on B2B customers, provide them with top-notch support, and strengthen relationships. On the other hand, social media is raising customer expectations about the level of interaction and support your company can provide.
I’ll write more in future posts about how to engage people throughout your company in order to meet those expectations. In the mean time check out our blog for more articles on B2B social media.
This article was written for Business 2 Community by Jay Leonard.
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I agree with your statement that the best way to close a deal is if you earn your prospect customers trust. I believe there is no perfect product or service. So customers will only patronize your brand if you prove to them that they can rely on you when those imperfections strikes in.