5 best ways in which Enterprises can use Social Media to build business

Ecademy’s Chairman Thomas Power says people come to the Social Media for two basic reasons – 1) to collect people 2) to collect knowledge. True. People come to the Social Media to know more people and to gather more information. Just give them that, you rule the Social Media world.

Companies like Dell, Zappos, JetBlue and a few others have perfectly executed this Social Media formula. However, if you look closely, these companies sell directly to customers and hence whatever they do or say catch up like wild fire.

What about businesses that sell to businesses? Does a B2B company have the same winning-edge of these direct-sellers? Is it possible for a software solutions provider to attract such huge Social Media attention? The answer is a big YES! Enterprises can harness the power of Social Media to win clients.

It works like this – when you build a large Social Media network, you are not just noticed by thousands of ordinary people, but also your potential clients. Mass acknowledgment of your expertise and industry knowledge builds trust and feel-good opinion about you in your industry. Ultimately, your Social Media success will win you those big deals you have always been looking for.

Here are 5 best ways in which Enterprises can use Social Media to build their business network:

1. Reputation is IMPORTANT. Build a reputation of expertise in your social network. Let people know what you know and what you do. Give people relevant, appropriate and important information. Blog, twitter about your company’s insight into the latest trends in your industry. Make your blog posts and tweets interesting as well as relevant to your subscribers/followers. Make people think and believe that you are one of the best in your field. If your potential customer happens to visit your website, they are sure to notice your active blog or vibrant Twitter account. Seeing your online reputation, they would be inclined to come to an authentic and reliable service provider like you.

2. Build your network. Engage People. What use is a company blog that has below 2,000 subscribers or a Twitter account that has just 1000+ followers? You are nowhere in the Social Media. The larger your network, the greater your chances of winning new clients and plum projects. Build your network as big as you can. The more you engage people, the more people come to you. Try to research on what your customers may want. If you are pitching for a big client, find out what they are talking out to their customers. Know what their customers want from them. When you analyze these, you would be able to come up with the perfect solution for your potential client. Your pitch will carry more weight when you prove, stating people’s social chatter, why your client’s current solution does not work and why your new one will work.

3. Be human. Be authentic. People like people, not companies. Business relationships are, at the core, between people, by people. So, be transparent and authentic. Don’t market or promote yourself. People hate marketing. Remember Seth Godin’s “All Marketers Are Liars”. Engage people in dialogue. Appreciate a contact’s Ecademy or LinkedIn profile. Let them know you have high regard for them. If you are pitching for a company’s project, try to connect with the senior executives there.

4. Learn from competitors, but out-do them. It is always good to learn from your competitors. Find out how your competitors establish their presence online. Seek out for blogs, forums, social communities in your industry and start networking through them. Almost everyone is swearing by the Social Media and you would be left out if you don’t follow where people go and what people seek. Connect with commentators in your blog. Network with industry experts, track the latest trends and always be on the hunt for exciting people and business opportunities.

5. Keep networking. Never stop. You never know when a contact will turn into your business partner, marketing manager or advocate. It does not matter which tool you use, but networking is crucial for building business through Social Media. If you think your social media campaign is not working your way, stop. Analyze your methods. Measure your reputation. Gauge how many people you have come to know through the social media so far. Learn from expert articles, blogs or e-books. But, never, never give up. Social Media is a perennial river. You cannot achieve anything by taking one or two dips. You need to learn to swim.