7 Tips for Ultimate Trade Show Success

July 14, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized/by Rob Felber

You have spent time speaking to clients and prospects, researching just the right venues for your company to exhibit. Now, you have taken the leap and signed up for a trade show. You (and management) know this will be an investment of your company’s time, money, and effort. You’re staring at the email confirming your booth. Perhaps they are now bombarding you with offers, both free and for a fee. To quote a teenager… “OMG” what have you gotten yourself into.

Breathe…..okay, breathe again.

It is important to carefully plan and research to make the most of the trade show. We’ve outlined the best ways to attract prospects, have a successful trade show exhibition, and provide incentives to prospects, to create a lasting impact!

Location, Location, Location

The location of your booth is important because it determines the amount of visibility your company gains. Most trade shows offer their prime location spots earlier at a higher cost and are offered a few months to a year in advance. Some shows even have a lottery or bidding process (often by seniority). So if you want a prime spot, you’ve got to act early! If you have a smaller budget but want to request a spot with good traffic, here are some places that tend to have good traffic/ visibility. Consider placement by entrances, close to lounges or internet kiosks.

Create a Booth that Stands Out

We touched on this a bit in our blog Trade Show Preparation 101 for Manufacturers but it cannot be stressed enough. Lighting, branding, messaging, and handouts are all things that should be considered to create the ultimate impact with your customers. Check out our blog for a more in depth explanation of things you should consider when designing the visual layout of the booth.

Strategically Choose and Train the People at the Booth

It is important to choose people that are approachable to maintain your booth. Your technical people may be the most knowledgeable about your products and processes, but may not necessarily be the person who should be at the front of the booth greeting people. If you can, have them there to answer more in depth questions but the most energetic and smiley should be at the front of the booth to draw people in. Train the people at the booth before the trade show and give them 3-5 key statements to stress at the trade show which highlights what makes your company so special. Do you have a long history of being family owned? Are you creating cutting edge products? Your PR team can help you develop these key phrases and say a lot in just a few words. Remember, your prospects are busy running from booth to booth. It’s important to get to the point quickly and draw them in!

Contests and Giveaways

People like free stuff. We must caution not to just put out promotional products. You’ll get junk leads, and people just taking stuff for the sake of filling their bags. More importantly, plan a theme based and tie to your value proposition. The goal is “carpet time.” Get them talking and capture their info. Then, you can provide a thank you for stopping by the booth. Plain and simple. It is important to keep in mind what your customers want. Luxury items like an iPad are always popular at events but things as simple as coasters, Post-It’s and pens can draw people in; just make sure it’s the right people for the right reason Make sure the people who enter your contest or giveaway sign up for your newsletter or if you don’t have one, give you contact information. That way, you can follow up with these individuals after the tradeshow and keep them in the loop about what’s happening at your company.

Offering Beverages and Snacks

The trade show attendees are tired and most likely hungry and thirsty. Offering something as simple as free miniature waters to attendees could open the door to further conversation and future sales. These beverages and snacks should all be branded with your logo and taglines. If you can make the snack or beverage related to your product/services, it’s even better. Example: a gardening supplier who gives out rootbeer, with a label that looks like a vegetable root in the dirt. The more creative you can be, the better! Make sure to read your exhibitors rules however. There are often size restrictions on food and beverage, if allowed at all. The show does not want to have you detour them from the day-old $17 salad in the cafeteria they are pushing.

Position Your Company as the Expert in the Industry

Publishing white (technical) papers is a great way to show that you are “in the know”. Topics like the newest trends in the industry, the state of the industry, or a detailed review of your technology are valuable to their prospects. If you can position your company as the expert, your prospects will learn to respect and trust you. Reminder, have your technical people on hand at the trade show if possible. Sales people are great at getting people to visit your booth but your prospects will most likely have more in depth questions about your products or processes. If you can have a engineer to answer your prospects questions, your prospects will be even more impressed with your company’s expertise.

7 . Social Media is King at Trade Shows

You should have a social media marketing plan set before the trade show. Follow the trade show management and all industry editors on social media. Track the trade show’s hashtag and those who use it. This is a great way to connect with people who are attending the trade show. Make sure to “like”, “share”, and “repost” others messeges about the trade show and also “follow” trade show attendees. Social media levels the playing field.. Your competitor may have greater recognition in your industry or have a bigger/better booth, however, social media allows for your company to be on the same platform as your competitors. If you use social media well, you can create as much buzz and visibility as your competitors, which will lead to prospects seeking out your booth at the show.

The Danger of Hashtag Hijacking and How to Prevent It

June 1, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized/by Rob Felber

If you read our blog on hashtags, you know that hashtags are essential in social media and provide your brand’s with the ability to find prospects, develop relationships, and make sales. Although implementing hashtags into your social media is important, a good hashtag can be used in a poor way if individuals “hijack” your hashtag. In this blog, we define hashtag hijacking, discuss the causes of it, and tell you three ways to prevent a major hashtag hijacking scandal that could have a negative impact on your brand.

What is Hashtag Hijacking?

When a hashtag is used for a purpose that was unintended by the creator of the hashtag, negatively impacting your company, event, or brand.

What Causes Hashtag Hijacking?

Internet “Trolls”

The most common type of hashtag hijacking comes from attention seeking people, commonly referred to as “trolls”. You may have seen this on Twitter. People who take a hashtag and distort its meaning to promote some “junk” offer that is completely unrelated to the hashtag. These trolls like to use multiple popular hashtags in their tweets so that they are more likely to get visibility in Twitter searches. The “hijacking” refers to stealing your well intensioned audience and redirecting their attention to their cause.

Businesses typically run into internet trolls when they’ve set up a hashtag for an event or contest. While this can be an annoyance, trolls who abuse hashtags don’t cause major problems. This is because they tend to move on to another hashtag to gain more exposure after just a short time. If the troll is very persistent and does the same activity over and over again, you can report them as spam to Twitter. Twitter defines activities such as posting links with unrelated tweets and posting repeatedly to trending topics to get attention as spam.

“Haters” of Your Brand

The second kind of hashtag hijacking can have a far more serious impact to a brand’s reputation. This occurs when a hashtag is created by a brand to gain positive PR, but is “hijacked” by “haters” of your brand. These negative individuals use hashtags to to attack the business in a nasty, rude or sarcastic way.

Examples of this include the #ILoveWalgreens campaign and #McDStories. Both are examples where people used the hashtags as a platform to vent about their issues with the companies and share their grievances.

Hashtag Hijacking Preventiom

Avoid Controversial Topics

Before creating a hashtag, play devil’s advocate. Think of every possible way this hashtag could be taken out of context and used to your disadvantage.

Make Your Hashtag a Statement NOT an Open Ended Questions

Make your hashtag a statement rather than a question. For example, #MarkSmart is a much better hashtag than #WhyILoveMakersInc. #WhyILoveMarkersInc gives people an open invitation to use sarcasm, so #MarkSmart is a much better option.

Monitor, Monitor, Monitor!

Sometimes even the best thought out hashtags can be taken over by internet trolls or haters. It is important to monitor hashtags and intervene if someone is using your hashtag to trash your brand or “spam” up your hashtag feed

With all Internet activity and negative comments, crisis communications tells us to react quickly, address the issue with sincere interest and try to solve the complainants problem in a fair and transparent manner.

For help with social media strategy and implementation, contact us at (330) 963-3664 or RobFelber@felberpr.com

Trade Show Preparation 101 for Manufacturers

June 1, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized/by Rob Felber

How planning produces results and return on investment

Trade shows and industry conferences provide manufacturers with a platform to show prospects, customers, and industry media their entire line of products and services n a short amount of time. It is important as manufacturers to utilize this opportunity and use it to their advantage. Preparation, like most worthwhile endeavors, is key to increasing profitability and productivity during a trade show. At Felber PR & Marketing, we have years of trade show execution and experience. We’ve compiled the top 5 do’s for ultimate trade show success.

Choose the Right People to Work the Trade Show
Managing your company’s booth is a full-time, non-stop job. It is essential that your booth is never left unattended so bring at least 2 people to a trade show. Make sure whoever you assign to represent your brand at the trade show is outgoing and friendly. A smile can make a world of a difference and get people to come to your booth and ask questions.
Post Consistent Social Media Before and During the Trade Show
Take advantage of social media to boost your company awareness. Post “teaser” videos and photos before the trade show to let people know that you are attending. This will not only create awareness but also help get people interested in your products. During the show, use the event’s hashtag, as well as popular trending hashtags ,to gain more exposure. Need a primer on Hashtags? Click here. Also, this may seem self-explanatory but don’t forget to put your booth number in your posts! People need to be able to locate your booth.

Maintaining a Presence Both Online and Offline
It seems that every year, more and more trade shows in specific industry niches are back-to-back or during the same week. Because of this, some of your target audience may not be able to attend the trade show you’re in which you are exhibiting. It is crucial to create a social media presence that makes those who cannot attend the trade show feel like they are physically there because some of your target audience may be unable to come due to scheduling conflicts. Content from the show, such as pictures, videos, product demo videos, and slideshows should be made visible on social media or your company’s blog. If possible, take pictures with those who visit your booth, especially if they are media that cover your niche audience. Then post the pictures using the event’s hashtag, the person in the picture’s Twitter handle and an industry hashtag or two if you have room, to gain the utmost exposure possible.

Create a Visually Appealing Booth
The more visually appealing your booth is, the more attention and traffic you’ll get. It’s as simple as that. Your products should always be the focal point of your booth, so put them at the front at make sure they stand out. Utilize lighting and keep in mind the appropriate colors to showcase your products in the best way possible. If your company has received media coverage, show it off at your booth. This will allow for prospects and other media to see what you’ve accomplished and get a better understanding of your position in the industry. You can even offer reprints of prominent articles and case studies as show handouts. Consider technical or “white papers” as handouts as well to qualified prospects.

Post Event Follow Ups are Crucial
Trade show follow up is just as important as the actual execution of the trade show. Keep track of all business cards you’ve gotten and connect with these individuals on LinkedIn and Twitter. Just like any pre-show promotion to drive traffic, having a memory invoking reminder of their visit will separate your company for all those who never bother to follow up at all.
Consider repairing templates ahead of time for thank you messages to those you spoke with you. This will save you a lot of time in the long run. Use the template and add a personal touch to each message about what you spoke about to the individual you are writing. This will help for you to spark additional conversations with your target audience.
Trades shows can be very overwhelming but with proper short-term and long-term planning, you can see major results.

These steps are easy to incorporate and allow you to manage prospects easier and sell you products with confidence because you are prepared.

If you would like to find out more about creating a trade show social media plan and optimizing your time a trade show, contact Rob Felber at Robfelber@felberpr.com or (330) 963-3664

Social Media in Business: A Millennial’s Perspective

May 14, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized/by Rob Felber

Our blog this week is from Kiersten Dietrick, a graduating senior from Gilmour Academy who has shadowed us at Felber PR & Marketing for the last week. We thought that her perspective on social media would give good insight to our clients on the importance of social media in the modern business world.

As an 18-year old living in modern-day America, I’d say I have a lot of firsthand experience with social media and how it affects the way the people communicate across the world. Even though I mainly use it to share pictures, read news, and keep up with friends, I’ve seen how it has changed the world of marketing, advertising, and business. I’ve even witnessed my high school adapt to the digital age by creating accounts on various social networking sites, and it is obvious that social media is an excellent way for companies, organizations, and people in general to be able to reach out to larger audiences.

While businesses and advertisers used to rely heavily on television or radio advertisements to boost awareness of their products or services, they now are creating more awareness of their brands through online social media, particularly Facebook and Twitter. Since society has recently been turning their attention more towards social media, becoming active online can help companies stay relevant in the public eye. Not only have these websites been utilized by everyone ranging from children to professionals, society’s increasing use of smartphones and other mobile technology allow social media to be virtually everywhere. We live in an age where, even though modern conveniences like television and radio are still widely used, people are probably just as likely (if not more likely) to be constantly checking Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and companies need to take advantage of this simple yet incredibly efficient technology.

Perhaps a big reason why social media has taken off in recent years is because it fits our modern society, which over the years has become increasingly more fast-paced and attuned to multitasking. The United States is a prime example of this, where people are constantly running around and do not have time to sit around and read their news. Social media provides people with a quick method of reading the most up and coming news and developments, even with their tight schedules. With just a couple taps of the finger, people have fast access to almost any information they could need.

Take sports fans, for example. Personally, I love my favorite hockey team, and would watch them play every night if I could. But as a high school senior wrapping up my final semester, sometimes that’s just not feasible – having those late-night games on while I’m trying to cram for finals is a recipe for disaster. However, social media has certainly come through for me in those situations. I may not be able to watch a game, but following my team’s Twitter account as well as the accounts of various reporters and beat writers gives me play-by-play updates and summaries of everything I missed. Watching a highlights video on Facebook, although admittedly not as fun as actually viewing the game, still tells me everything I need to know – and does it in just a few minutes as opposed to a few hours.

Thanks to the widespread use of social media, information can be spread more quickly, efficiently, and effectively than ever before. This is because it allows everyone to have easy access to the same information regardless of things like distance or location. Just one tweet, Facebook post, or YouTube video has the potential to reach millions of people. How else would mega pop star Justin Bieber go from just an average kid to the heartthrob of 12-year-old girls everywhere in such a short amount of time? Bieber was discovered by a marketing executive of a record label through videos he posted to his YouTube account. The connection allowed Bieber to promote himself and get his talent noticed on a larger scale. It just goes to show that connections are everything in the digital age – if the right people find you and like what you have to offer, chances are they can help you gain the publicity you’re looking for.

Although social media is prevalent and provides a method for people connecting with one another in a quicker and more efficient manner, it has not made other forms of communication obsolete. Companies can still reap the benefits of using traditional advertising, such as radio, television, mail, telephone, and even face-to-face interaction to market themselves. Social media, however, something that has undeniably revolutionized the way people interact with each other on many different levels, and especially in the world of marketing, is something that should be taken advantage of. With that, here are some tips on how you can use this technology to its full potential:

Stay “In the Loop” With What People Are Saying

Another huge benefit of social media is that it allows us to track what people say about people, events, and a plethora of other topics. When marketing or advertising, especially to a certain audience, it’s extremely important to have a decent understanding of the people you’re trying to reach. Tracking “hashtags” on Facebook and Twitter is an easy and effective way to keep up with how the public feels about a certain topic. Word-of-mouth goes a long way these days, and something as simple as a referral or retweet from a popular account can be a great way to get exposure. Knowing what tags people are likely to search through and tagging your posts or tweets appropriately can help maximize the exposure you’ll get in that regard.

Present Yourself Appropriately and Efficiently

One of the main reasons social media has become so successful is because it doesn’t require a large sacrifice of time or effort to be effective. Companies trying to put themselves out there shouldn’t lose sight of this when trying to build themselves up in the digital world. In general, the more complicated or time-consuming a website is, the less likely people are going to want to take the time to sift through all the unnecessary information. Keeping posts as short and sweet as possible while still communicating the necessary information is the best way to effectively reach people. Additionally, aesthetic appeal is something that shouldn’t be ignored. TV commercials make use of catchy jingles, bright colors, and humor to grab people’s attention while at the same time presenting the information they want to present. If your website, blog, or social media account follows that same ideology, you’ll be more likely to attract and keep people’s attention.

Find the Right Contacts

In recent years especially, we have seen plenty of examples of how videos, events, and even people can go completely viral in short periods of time. Sharing things on social media often has a snowball effect – one person sends something to someone else, that person shares it with two other people, and before you know it, whatever they were talking about could end up being discussed all around the world. This process can be sped up if someone with a large following decides to share something. Companies should be on the lookout for opportunities that could allow themselves to be seen by someone who could help them gain a lot of exposure, and by putting themselves out there as much as possible, they could increase the possibility of being discovered by more and more people.

Continue to Make Use of Traditional Media

While social media is a great tool for reaching large audiences, other forms of media can help maximize publicity when used in conjunction with social networking. Commercials on radios or TVs can be a great way to initially encourage someone to visit your website, blog, or account. There’s also still immense value in communicating through print, telephone, or even face-to-face. Social media can’t replace all these traditional methods, but it can definitely enhance them when used properly.

Hashtag 101 for B2B Manufacturers

May 7, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized/by Rob Felber

Using #’s for Ultimate Business Exposure

In our last two blogs we focused on using social media to create sales and our 8 step checklist to consider before posting to social media. In this blog, we’re going to focus on a very important topic of social media marketing: #hashtags. If you aren’t using hashtags strategically or aren’t using them at all, you are missing major opportunities to grow your brand. We’ve outlined the 4 types of hashtags you should use to gain exposure on social media and build relationships with your target audience.

What is a Hashtag?

Hashtags are a word, or group of words after the # sign (for example, #education, #neohio, #cleveland, etc.) Hashtags are used to group thoughts, comments, posts, practically anything around a particular topic.

4 Key Hashtags for B2B Manufacturers

Trending Hashtag
Brand Hashtag
Content Hashtag
Event Hashtag

1. Trending Hashtags
A trending hashtag is a hashtag that includes a popular topic. These “trending hashtag” are constantly changing in real time and a top 10 trend can evaporate as soon as it starts

Examples of this are #superbowl and #hometownfair

When you see a related trend to your business, engage with the prospects and customers that are using that hashtag. Using that trending hashtags gives you the potential to get your message visible to an enormous audience.

Make sure that you do not overload your audience with trending hashtags. Posting to too many trends, especially when they aren’t related to your business, is seen as annoying and can turn your fans off of following you.

How to find trending hashtags:
Trends on Twitter are on the left hand side of your Twitter feed. You can also customize your trends based upon your geographic location or the individuals who you follow. These trends can be implemented into Facebook and LinkedIn. In our experience, if it’s trending on Twitter, it’s trending on those platforms too. Also, the Google Plus’ “What’s Hot” section shows all the latest trends.

2. Brand Hashtags

A brand hashtag is typically the name of your business or a short tagline that you use for your business. It is important to make sure that yours is unique and distinguishable. Involve people in using the hashtag so that your brand is marketed through social media. Before implementing a brand hashtag, here’s a few things you should do.

Check the hashtag on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to make sure it doesn’t already exist.
Keep it short!! For example, our tagline is #wegetmanufacturing which is short, simple, and to the point. Felber PR using #marketingforb2bmanufacturers would be too much.
Make sure its easy to spell and memorable. You want for people to remember it and use it!
Once you make your brand hashtag, make sure you use it consistently to create brand awareness.
One note of caution. If you are a smaller enterprise, ABC Welding for example, you probably do not have enough followers to start using something so specific.

3. Content Hashtags

A Content hashtag is a hashtag that isn’t necessarily trending and isn’t branded. It is a common hashtag used related to the post’s topic. Using content hashtags improves the SEO of your post and gets your posts seen by more people who are look for or using the hashtag.

Examples of this are #manufacturing, #3dprinting, and #architecture

Event Hashtags

An Event hashtag is a hashtag used specifically for an event. For example, the RAPID 3D Printing conference is using the #rapid2015 for their event this year.

Event hashtags are essential to use if you are attending a trade show! It allows your target audience who is also attending the event to see that you are coming. This allows for your brand to gain exposure during the event and can spark further conversation with prospects. Follow the event’s Twitter and engage in the hashtag that they use to promote the event. If you would like to find out more about creating a trade show social media plan and optimizing your time a trade show, contact Rob Felber at Robfelber@felberpr.com or (330) 963-3664

8 Questions to Consider Before Posting on Social Media

April 21, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized/by Rob Felber

Before you hit the send button to post a status or send a tweet, are you sure your message is sound? It is easy to mindlessly send something on social media without thinking twice. All the dashboards and apps make posting simple, sometimes ‘too’ simple. Posting content or sharing on social media without consideration of guidelines necessary for utmost value and engagement from your prospects could hurt your company in the long run.

We’ve taken in account our own experience with social media content creation and management, as well as taken inspiration from Forbes Social Media Etiquette:12 Step Checklist and Social Media Marketing Checklist to create an 8 question social media checklist that every social media post should be evaluated upon.

The Social Media Checklist

Is the message informative or interesting?
Is the post, tweet, or update too wordy?
Does the URL work?
Did I use the right industry keywords, trends, and hashtags to maximize views?
Have I posted too frequently today?
Did I proofread and use spell check?
Would I feel comfortable with anyone seeing this?
Did I incorporate an image, video, infographic, etc?

Is the message informative or interesting?

We’ve found that the most valuable social media content is either informative or interesting. Your goal is to create or share content that will get the target audience to like, share, or comment under your post. Companies that use social media as a tool to inform or entertain the audience are much more likely to engage with prospects. Engagement with your prospects is key for creating leads and sales down the line. To determine if your post is informative or interesting, here are some things to consider.

Is the content interesting enough for prospects to comment on or share?
Will others care about it or is it only me?
Is there added value for prospects reading this post?

2. Is it too wordy?

There’s been plenty of research on the perfect length for social media posts. Generally these lengths are ideal:

Twitter
- 71 to 100 characters

Facebook
- 40 to 55 characters – We’ve seen longer posts do well in certain situations but typically, stick to a shorter format. It will be refreshing to your prospects who are accustomed to being bombarded by long posts on Facebook.

Google+
- 60 characters

We recommend these lengths because in most cases, the shorter and more concise the post, the more likely it is to be shared. This is especially important on Twitter because if you post a tweet of 100 or less characters, the person retweeting can also write their own input. Also, shorter lengths make your prospects more likely to read your posts when scrolling through their feed.

3. Does the URL work?

Always double check to make sure your link works. This is key, otherwise you will appear to your prospects like you are not detail oriented. Also, it is important to evaluate whether or not the link is appropriate for the message you are trying to send. Does it add value to your prospect? If not, don’t post it!

4. Did I use the right industry keywords, trends, and hashtags to maximize views?

In many ways this question must answer this: Things to keep in mind:

Is this post too ambiguous?
Will my prospects understand my message?
Am I using too many abbreviations in this post?
Am I utilizing current trends and industry keywords?
Am I using appropriate hashtags?
- Using too many hashtags or irrelevant hashtags can make you sound like a teenager. It’s best to stick to using trends and industry terms.

5. Have I posted too frequently today?

Social media frequency and keeping a consistent social media presence is important for developing and maintaining relationships with prospects and customers. However, if you post too much, you can annoy your followers. The topic of the appropriate amount of your social media posts is highly researched and here are the findings:

Twitter
- 3-5 times per day

Facebook
- 2 times per day

LinkedIn
- 1 time per day
Google+
- 3 times per day
Pinterest
- 5 times per day
Instagram
- 1-2 times per day

6. Did I spell check and proofread?

It happens to all of us. You accidentally put “there” instead of “their” or forget a letter. This of course looks sloppy to your prospects so always spell check before posting.

A trick we do in our office is reading our social media content aloud before posting. Many times, your ears can pick up on things that your eyes cannot, so use them!

7. Would I feel comfortable with anyone seeing this?

This is a very important question to consider. Once you post something on social media, it’s there for life. A company’s sharing history can be searched and found easily. Also, screen shots can be taken of content immediately, so make sure you think before you post. Here are some questions to consider:

Could this post potentially offend someone?
Is this well thought out or am I writing this in the heat of the moment?
How would I feel seeing this post/tweet/update in a month, a 6 months, a year, etc?
Does the post/tweet/update I’m sending fit with the organization’s guidelines, brand and marketing strategy?

8. Did I incorporate an image, video, infographic, etc?

Visuals are the most important factor in social media, according to research by Wishpond and Hubspot. If there is a way to incorporate images, videos, infographics in your posts, do it. 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual. Visuals are processed 60,000 x’s faster in the brain than text, meaning when your prospects are scrolling through social media, they are much more likely to interpret and retain the information provided in your visuals, than information in written messages.

Using images on your Tweets increase the likelihood to be retweeted by 150 %
Tweets with images get 89% more favorites than those without
Posts with images receive 94% page views than those without
Businesses who market with infographics grow in traffic an average of 12% more than those who don’t
Videos on landing pages increases average page conversion rates by 86%

Using a social media checklist is a great way to create awareness of what you are posting and how you are portraying your business. It is a easy step that can help you create a social media presence that is in line with the image you want to portray to your prospects and customers. Simply print out our 8 question checklist and review it when you’re about to post, tweet, or share.

For help with social media strategy and implementation, contact us at (330) 963-3664 or RobFelber@felberpr.com

Social Media to Drive B2B Sales

February 13, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized/by Rob Felber

Consumer brands have been using social media for years. Collecting likes, creating conversations, providing incentives, and creating contests to engage the customers with the brand. Meanwhile, B2B brands have not been as quick to join the social media bandwagon. In the B2B workplace, social media is just as important as it is with B2C. However, B2B social media comes with its own unique set of challenges. It must go beyond gaining more followers, getting likes, and engaging in simple conversations. It’s all about building lasting relationships.

Create a stream of continuous social engagement.

The first step to a successful B2B social media campaign is getting over the idea that posting once or twice a week is engaging your target audience. It is important to maintain a stream of continuous engagement. One touch to your target audience will not suffice. It is essential to have a continuous conversation and nurture the prospective client through the sales cycle. This process cannot happen with one 90-day campaign. Instead, plot out a series of engagements throughout the calendar year. This gives your prospects time to get to know you and warm up to your business and the products you sell.

Be where your buyer is.

When you consider creating a social media strategy, it is unwise to think about a single network like Facebook or LinkedIn. It is important to keep in mind that your prospects are everywhere, and your social media campaign should cater to that. No matter what social media platforms you use, the brand experience should be consistent. Also, going mobile is key. People are browsing the internet, reading emails, and interacting on social media on their cell phones more frequently with every year. It is important that your campaign is not only mobile accessible, but appears and feels like it was made for mobile. Bad mobile experiences cause prospect drop out.

Attract B2B prospects with B2B incentives.

Attracting B2B prospects is different than B2C prospects. Social campaigns during their inception were focused on the B2C market, and involved extensive giveaways and product deals. These of course don’t work well in the B2B environment. B2B environments are less transactional and take more time to cultivate. Incentives or discounts allow for you to see results immediately, whereas in the B2B environment, the buy occurs later. This is because B2B’s typically are working on a more extensive and complex sales cycle, which requires a good amount of education to the potential buyer. By posting and sharing relevant and interesting content, you are building a sense of trust and reliability with your customer. Your customer will grow to respect you as a knowledgeable person in the field and will be more likely to make a sale down the line.

Measurement and Return on Investment

Let’s face it: tracking is key. You track your calls, forms on your website, and your purchases. It is essential to track your social media efforts as well! That way, you can adjust according to how your target audience responds. In social media, it’s not about hits. It’s about conversions. Nothing happens until someone sells something. In our next addition, we will speak more in depth about the importance of utilizing analytics in your social media plan.

Social media campaigns are the best way of creating better-qualified leads in the B2B environment. By implementing a social media strategy, businesses can gather data on their prospects and current clients and tweak digital marketing efforts if necessary. This allows for B2B’s to adapt to what their customer base wants and needs. That way, B2B’s have the time necessary to cultivate lasting relationships with potential customers and conduct more sales down the line.

Social Media for Manufacturers: Worth the Hype?

February 13, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized/by Rob Felber

Let’s be honest: the typical customer of a manufacturer isn’t the most social media savvy person on the internet. Still, we know that social media is a necessary part of the modern business world, but it is really worth all the hype? The answer is yes, but only if it is used wisely.

Facebook

Facebook at first may seem like a tough sell for manufacturers because the most successful company pages are typically B2C businesses. Since Facebook is a non-professional and personal network, it isn’t the first place people think to go when buying machinery, however, Facebook should not be ruled out by manufacturers. Facebook has a great influence over a business’ ability to drive traffic and also give the business a more “human” touch.

By creating a Company Facebook page, businesses can be found in simple searches. Likes on Facebook help determine how easy it is to find your company in Google searches. Facebook is also a great tool to follow industry partners, competitors, and potential customers. Posting regularly and building online rapport with your target audience is a way to give a more trustworthy, human face to your company .

Google+

Google+ is an incredible tool that allows businesses to enhance their search results by using social credentials and gaining influence. By posting articles to the company’s page, you can enhance your ranking on Google and your search listing. The key to making yourself stand out from your competitors is posting visual content. It’s true that pictures speak louder than words and visuals, especially personalized images, can greatly enhance your popularity online. Google+ Communities is an excellent platform to interact with the target audience and your industry. Through Google+ Communities you can participate in discussions, gain insight on competitors and your industry, and form relationships.

Twitter

Twitter is arguably the most influential micro-blogging platform in the world. Utilizing Twitter gives manufacturers a means of engaging with millions of Twitter users worldwide. Twitter is a great way for manufacturers to reach out to members of the niche industries in which they belong. It is easy to engage with the target audience by sharing relevant content and interacting with the them directly. By using hashtags, you can tag your tweets to specific conversations and subjects, making your company more noticeable online. Also, you can search hashtags and find potential clients, leaders in the industry, and trade groups to follow.

LinkedIn by far the most influential way for manufacturers to connect with their target audience. Creating a company page is an easy process that takes little time. Invite your marketing, sales, and other employees to join the company page. Your employees are your brand ambassadors and will help you market your company and drive traffic to your company page. Once your company page is up and running, it is important engage in industry groups. Make sure that you are participating in discussions and sharing relevant and engaging content on your page. There should be a balance between post about your company and relevant industry content. Nobody wants to be bombarded with a company continuously promoting themselves.

Social media is an integral part of any inbound marketing strategy. Utilizing social media allows manufacturers to stay up to date on their industry and generate sales leads. It also gives manufacturers an easy and inexpensive means of reaching out the target audience. Through the use of social media, manufacturers can build relationships and create lifelong customers, allowing their businesses to continue to grow.

Are Your Prospects Puppets?

September 14, 2014/0 Comments/in Uncategorized/by Rob Felber

When was the last time you gut-checked your marketing strategy with the question “What do we want them to do?” Think about your strategy. Whether you are using traditional push techniques such as direct mail and print advertising or pull tactics such as search engine optimization and trade shows, do you really know what you want your prospect to do when the interact with your promotion? What behavior are you expecting (desiring)?

Of course our prospects are not puppets (mine certainly would take offense to the characterization). I use the analogy to demonstrate that you are in control of your marketing plan (the strings) and when you pull them you want (and should) expect a planned reaction. Often I hear “we want sales or we want leads.”

Yes, in business we need to complete sales. Think hard about your sales process. You will rarely make the sale at a trade conference, but you can certainly begin the relationship. Your goal may be simply “we want pre-identified and pre-targeted attendees at a conference to come to our booth for a demonstration.” Hence, the dance begins. Then, you can book a follow up engagement, another step in the process and ultimately lead them where you want them to go.

Another example is social media pull. Is your goal to drive sales through the website or simply to further develop prospects by having them opt-in to your content? Content is king. You know you have good material but you need to have an audience for content to achieve your goal. To keep your name recognition high, you want them to opt-in to your emails and other communications. Ask yourself again; when we use this particular tactic, what do we want to happen? Your choice of marketing tactics and the measurement for success will now be much clearer.

What would I like you to do? If you find this article valuable, please share with two of your colleagues.

Rob Felber – President

Felber PR & Marketing

Seminar: Establishing a Culture of Profitability for Manufacturing, Distribution and Construction Companies

May 9, 2014/0 Comments/in Speaking Events, Uncategorized/by Rob Felber