Posted by: markhunter
in Blogs on Jun 30, 2010
People continue to say how cold-calling is dead and how in today's environment, it no longer can be cost justified. The answer in my book is both "yes" and "no." Let me deal with the "no" first.
Posted by: susanjcartwright
in Blogs on Jan 22, 2010
I've just written a report in response to feedback kindly provided by workshop delegates at my ‘Introduction to Social Media’ workshops held in December last year.
Posted by: susanjcartwright
in Blogs on Jan 22, 2010
Posted by: Docnet
in Blogs on Jan 20, 2010
The question is, ‘Is it really worth the effort?’
Perhaps you're an avid Twitter, Facebook and blog-user in your private time, or maybe you have only the faintest notion what those phrases mean. Whichever camp you're in, you're probably wondering how (or even if) social media can be usefully applied to a B2B company. We're here to show you how it can.
Some B2Bs can be remarkably hard on themselves, claiming they're not interesting enough to command a social media following. Others dismiss it as a drain of productivity; a waste of time, sceptical of social media's ability to generate actual finances.
So why bother?
For an initial expenditure of next to nothing, you get access to an entirely new audience to communicate with; social media is also remarkably easy to use.
* Start Making Friends - Start by inviting and searching for existing contacts and develop it from there: invite the prospects you meet at networking events and business opportunities you acquire through marketing. Publicise your social media accounts on your web site; your email and marketing collateral, and provide an incentive to join to get a healthy following. Then use your accounts to develop promising business opportunities and increase your PR & networking potential.
* Keep It Efficient - Because it's free, social media only costs you the time you put into it. Thankfully, it doesn't have to cost much: most of the main social media sites now integrate with each other, meaning you can update one account and have the rest update automatically. Broadcasting your news across social media suddenly shrinks from a fifty minute chore to five minute job.
* Know Where To Go - You only need to use the main social media sites to achieve a satisfyingly broad coverage (Facebook, Twitter, Del.Ic.Ious, Technorati and LinkedIn are the big five). Keep it simple though: build social media around your business, not the other way round. Docnet doesn't have a Facebook page because we don’t find it relevant, but our staff use Twitter, Del.Ic.Ious and LinkedIn to spread news, attract interest and develop business opportunities. Pick and choose the channels you prefer, and add more later on if the need arises.
* Get Known - Finally, in the world of B2B sales where competition is fierce and differentiation hard to come by, having a social media presence automatically singles you out as a different breed of business from the rest. It will also help you to publicise how ethical, environmentally-friendly, innovative, efficient and approachable you are by using it parallel to traditional PR and advertising efforts. This will ensure maximum coverage for minimum cost.
And if you still need persuading that social media can help your business? Speak to Docnet for a thorough, truthful diagnosis of your online marketing needs.
Posted by: Docnet
in Blogs on Jan 13, 2010
The lines between social media and search engine optimisation are blurred with one often directly influencing the other. This leaves some business leaders worrying whether they’re losing a clear perspective on their activities in these areas.
If you count yourself among this crowd, don’t be hard on yourself: the very fact that search engine optimisation and social media are in some ways interchangeable is more of a benefit than a hindrance to you. By investing time and money into one, you’ll actually achieve results in both.
If you’re still doubtful whether social media is worthwhile, think about it this way:
* The higher your profile in social media (with Facebook fans and Twitter followers) the more likely your stories will be picked up and ‘catch fire’, so to speak. They can then spread far and wide in just a few hours. Widespread interest means more links and more links means better search rankings for you.
* You can help this process along by using your personal social media accounts to publicise the news. So can your team. Provide an incentive for them to spread the message and get your stories mentioned on as many other people’s Twitter accounts and blogs as possible. This will also aid your search engine optimisation efforts.
Make sure you and your team is briefed on the search phrases you want to be ranked most highly for, and direct your social media activities around this knowledge.
Lines don’t always have to be sharply defined – allow the effects of social media and SEO to cross-over and your online presence will develop much faster.
Posted by: Docnet
in Blogs on Nov 10, 2009
Brand awareness is a valuable asset – but what is your brand being associated with online? Are your social media efforts simply about having a presence in the community, so that you don’t appear behind the times?
