Adapting to Inbound Marketing for B2B Lead Generation…Are You Ready?

Posted by JasonB on December 15, 2009

Although it may not be your company’s style to “tweet”, Facebook, or blog, you need to think about making yourself accessible to other companies who may benefit from your business, and you theirs.

Inbound marketing is a style of marketing that focuses on getting found by customers. And today, Social Media is a leading tool for inbound marketing.

Why Change Now?
Adapting to the variations in marketing tactics doesn’t mean you have to give up your current marketing strategy, it just means you need to be available through a few social media outlets.
Social media makes your company accessible online gives other companies and opportunity to seek you for your service.

1) Improving B2B Relationships
B2B marketing makes up a significant portion of overall online marketing activity. Roughly one-third of all commercial searches on Google are business to business related; more than 50 percent of Google’s target advertisers are B2B, and almost 38 percent of Yahoo’s target advertisements are B2B related.
Being available online helps your company to extend its lines of communication and stay in close contact with current and potential clients. Using online videos, pictures, and event calendars can help engage possible B2B relationships.

2) Increasing Visibility
When a potential buyers are in the market for a new product, they will often post a question online asking their peers which products are the best. You need to make sure that when that time comes, your name is mentioned first. You never know where your customers are online; LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc. Companies who start or participate in these discussions in an informative and helpful manner get instant credibility and a foot-in-the-door with decision makers.

3) Achieving Maximum ROI
Adapting to inbound marketing will not only increase your visibility online, it will generate more leads for your business. Getting exposure early in the buying cycle will increase your networking opportunities and profitability.

You Don’t Have To Do It Alone…
Social media is always changing so consider having a specialist maintain your sites and work with your company to help determine key steps and strategies. Your specialist can also help you stay ahead of the competition. Specialists can help you:

1) Maintain your social sites.
2) Find relevant conversations pertaining to your company or industry.
3) Author content for your blog and share with online communities.

Many people jump on Google to find the answer to a specific question or to prospect business relationships. Being a part of several key social media sites will help to increase your search engine optimization thus making you more visible online.

It’s time to take the plunge and begin social media marketing to take your business to new heights.