Laura Ramos Vice President, Principal Analyst G. Oliver Young Senior Analyst Forrester Research Patrick Tripp Product Manager, Tech Industry Consulting Using Buyer Social Behavior To Boost B2B Social Media Success

Agenda Why we’re here today How B2B tech buyers engage socially on the job How knowing buyers’ behavior lets marketers set social media strategy Enlisting Forrester’s help Next steps

Why we’re here today

How B2B tech buyers engage socially on the job

How knowing buyers’ behavior lets marketers set social media strategy

Enlisting Forrester’s help

Next steps

Why we’re here today In the current economy, social media offer new ways to reach and engage hidden B2B technology buyers. But are buyers engaging in social activity while working? Marketers who embrace social media will outdistance competition, build community following, and boost loyalty. We want to provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to set appropriate goals and achieve appropriate results.

In the current economy, social media offer new ways to reach and engage hidden B2B technology buyers.

But are buyers engaging in social activity while working?

Marketers who embrace social media will outdistance competition, build community following, and boost loyalty.

We want to provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to set appropriate goals and achieve appropriate results.

Starting with social tactics spells disaster Social media puts buyers, not marketers, in control. “Build it, they will come” seldom works. Web 2.0 tool choices are secondary — it is better to start with audience first.

Social media puts buyers, not marketers, in control.

“Build it, they will come” seldom works.

Web 2.0 tool choices are secondary — it is better to start with audience first.

Today’s audience: Have not yet set strategy and only experiment with social media Base: 50 Webinar attendees, responding to a pre-Webinar survey What is your current approach to social media strategy?

Forrester’s 4-step approach to set social strategy People Assess your customers’ social activities Objectives Decide what you want to accomplish Strategy Plan for how relationships with customers will change Technology Decide which social technologies to use P O S T

The Social Technographics ™ ladder Groups include people participating in at least one of the activities monthly. Model audience propensity to use social media in business decision making/adoption activity Creators Critics Collectors Joiners Spectators Inactives Publish a blog Publish your own Web pages Upload video you created Upload audio/music you created Write articles or stories and post them Post ratings/reviews of products/services Comment on someone else’s blog Contribute to online forums Contribute to/edit articles in a wiki Use RSS feeds Add “tags” to Web pages or photos “ Vote” for Web sites online Maintain profile on a social networking site Visit social networking sites Read blogs Watch video from other users Listen to podcasts Read online forums Read customer ratings/reviews None of the above

US consumers are participating in more online social activities each year

Today’s audience: Most don’t have substantive information about customer social behavior Base: 50 Webinar attendees, responding to a pre-Webinar survey What do you know about your prospective customers and the way they participate socially online?

Agenda Why we’re here today How B2B tech buyers engage socially on the job How knowing buyers’ behavior lets marketers set social media strategy Enlisting Forrester’s help Next steps

Why we’re here today

How B2B tech buyers engage socially on the job

How knowing buyers’ behavior lets marketers set social media strategy

Enlisting Forrester’s help

Next steps

Respondents from Forrester’s recent B2B survey

Respondents from Forrester’s recent B2B survey (cont.) All respondents had influence over the technology buying process.

The Social Technographics ™ of B2B buyers: by technology category Groups include people participating in at least one of the activities monthly.

The Social Technographics ™ of B2B buyers: by country Groups include people participating in at least one of the activities monthly. What about “on the job” social behavior?

B2B buyers participate less socially in a work context

Groups include people participating in at least one of the activities monthly primarily or in part for business purposes. How B2B buyers participate socially while working: by technology category

How B2B buyers participate socially while working: by country Groups include people participating in at least one of the activities monthly primarily or in part for business purposes.

How B2B buyers participate socially while working: by vendor Groups include people participating in at least one of the activities monthly primarily or in part for business purposes.

Peers and colleagues continue to have the most impact

However impact varies with the decision-making phase

Agenda Why we’re here today How B2B tech buyers engage socially on the job How knowing buyers’ behavior lets marketers set social media strategy Enlisting Forrester’s help Next steps

Why we’re here today

How B2B tech buyers engage socially on the job

How knowing buyers’ behavior lets marketers set social media strategy

Enlisting Forrester’s help

Next steps

Today’s audience: economy makes online/ social approaches attractive How has the current economy changed your plans regarding social media? Base: 50 Webinar attendees, responding to a pre-Webinar survey

Achieving social media success depends on aligning business objectives with audience Faster deployments at new customers Existing customers create new business capacity Professional services SPREADING Deliver products faster to market Increased loyalty, increased advocacy Development, Product Marketing EMBRACING Reduced support costs Higher customer satisfaction Less churn Customer service, technical support SUPPORTING Increased velocity of messages in market Increased recommendation, promotion, advocacy Higher trust, brand trust perception Sales ENERGIZING Changes in reach, impressions, brand awareness Increased share of voice Higher quality of responses to offers Marketing, education TALKING Customer insight Improved segmentation Reduced pain; alignment of offering with need Research LISTENING Success metrics Functional Alignment B2B Social Objectives

Faster deployments at new customers

Existing customers create new business capacity

Deliver products faster to market

Increased loyalty, increased advocacy

Reduced support costs

Higher customer satisfaction

Less churn

Increased velocity of messages in market

Increased recommendation, promotion, advocacy

Higher trust, brand trust perception

Changes in reach, impressions, brand awareness

Increased share of voice

Higher quality of responses to offers

Customer insight

Improved segmentation

Reduced pain; alignment of offering with need

Social participation profile of potential HW buyers 33-year-old female with 2-5 years in current senior IT role 5,000 person firm Business services industry If non-IT, more likely to be less senior than IT counterparts Over-indexed on Creator profile When making technology purchase decisions: More likely to trust familiar information sources than new ones Less likely to say that social media plays an increasingly important role than other profiles in same category

33-year-old female with 2-5 years in current senior IT role

5,000 person firm

Business services industry

If non-IT, more likely to be less senior than IT counterparts

Over-indexed on Creator profile

When making technology purchase decisions:

More likely to trust familiar information sources than new ones

Less likely to say that social media plays an increasingly important role than other profiles in same category

Cisco launched iPrize contest to woo innovators

What does this mean for business marketers? Online activity changes B2B marketing practices permanently. Social Technographics ® is one important tool for understanding buyer social behavior. Uncovering differences in customer’s behavior while working versus personal use helps hone strategy. Integrating traditional and online tactics is essential as the groundswell of social activity grows.

Online activity changes B2B marketing practices permanently.

Social Technographics ® is one important tool for understanding buyer social behavior.

Uncovering differences in customer’s behavior while working versus personal use helps hone strategy.

Integrating traditional and online tactics is essential as the groundswell of social activity grows.

Recommendations To integrate social media into the B2B marketing mix, start with audience, not the tactics or tools. Understand how social behavior changes: With different buyer segments At different stages in the buying process Use this insight to craft winning social strategy Build marketing skills that leapfrog competitors after economy turns around Build community following, participation Involve customers and engender loyalty Redefine B2B marketing’s mission and purpose

To integrate social media into the B2B marketing mix, start with audience, not the tactics or tools.

Understand how social behavior changes:

With different buyer segments

At different stages in the buying process

Use this insight to craft winning social strategy

Build marketing skills that leapfrog competitors after economy turns around

Build community following, participation

Involve customers and engender loyalty

Redefine B2B marketing’s mission and purpose

Agenda Why we’re here today How B2B tech buyers engage socially on the job How knowing buyers’ behavior lets marketers set social media strategy Enlisting Forrester’s help Next steps

Why we’re here today

How B2B tech buyers engage socially on the job

How knowing buyers’ behavior lets marketers set social media strategy

Enlisting Forrester’s help

Next steps

Tech Vendor Strategy and Marketing Lifecycle Plan & Develop Market & Sell Measure & Refine Strategize Forrester Best Practice & Market Insights

Why marketers enlist Forrester’s help Assurance that social marketing strategy aligns with end-user behaviors Supply-side insights B2B Tech Marketing research panel Best practice interviews with leading tech vendors 5,000 vendor briefings annually Demand side, end-user perspective Social Technographics of B2B Buyers Survey of 1,217 IT/Bus. professionals across multiple industries and geographies Custom survey capabilities Social Media Optimization Forrester’s POST methodology Best practice and case study library Confidence that social marketing strategy differentiates from competitors Proven methodologies Marketer’s goal Forrester’s unique value Most importantly, the combination of all three from one firm

Supply-side insights

B2B Tech Marketing research panel

Best practice interviews with leading tech vendors

5,000 vendor briefings annually

Demand side, end-user perspective

Social Technographics of B2B Buyers

Survey of 1,217 IT/Bus. professionals across multiple industries and geographies

Custom survey capabilities

Social Media Optimization

Forrester’s POST methodology

Best practice and case study library

How Forrester helps marketers improve their social media strategies Strategy development (POST methodology) Optimizing the B2B marketing mix Measuring results Social profiling of target buyers and influencers Social media strategy components Social Media Strategy Primer (1-2 hours) Social Media Strategy Development/Enhancement (customized project) Social Media Strategy Workshop (one day) Delivery options Depth, customization and investment Engagement type *Components can be commissioned separately

How We’re Helping Clients Large global technology and services firm looking to understand: What are the social behaviors of their customers? What social technologies should they be using? What are the best practices for leveraging and implementing specific social media technologies? A global professional association commissioned Forrester to investigate: How to develop a social media strategy roadmap? Partner on social media or build their own? What are the social media profiles of their customers?

Large global technology and services firm looking to understand:

What are the social behaviors of their customers?

What social technologies should they be using?

What are the best practices for leveraging and implementing specific social media technologies?

A global professional association commissioned Forrester to investigate:

How to develop a social media strategy roadmap?

Partner on social media or build their own?

What are the social media profiles of their customers?

Agenda Why we’re here today How B2B tech buyers engage socially on the job How knowing buyers’ behavior lets marketers set social media strategy Enlisting Forrester’s help Next steps

Why we’re here today

How B2B tech buyers engage socially on the job

How knowing buyers’ behavior lets marketers set social media strategy

Enlisting Forrester’s help

Next steps

Next steps Read the recent research: Community Marketing Boosts B2B Marketing’s Value During Tough Economic Times, February 2008 How To Avoid B2B Marketing Obsolescence: Community Marketing Transforms The Marketing Role, January 2008 Making Social Media Work In B2B Marketing, October 2008 Objectives: The Key To Creating A Social Strategy: Introducing the POST Method: People, Objectives, Strategy, and Technology , October 2007 If you haven’t started, begin getting your feet wet If you’ve already started, make sure strategies and tactics align with your customers’ social behavior and willingness to engage in community marketing. If you’d like additional guidance, reach out to your peers, colleagues, or Forrester.

Read the recent research:

Community Marketing Boosts B2B Marketing’s Value During Tough Economic Times, February 2008

How To Avoid B2B Marketing Obsolescence: Community Marketing Transforms The Marketing Role, January 2008

Making Social Media Work In B2B Marketing, October 2008

Objectives: The Key To Creating A Social Strategy: Introducing the POST Method: People, Objectives, Strategy, and Technology , October 2007

If you haven’t started, begin getting your feet wet

If you’ve already started, make sure strategies and tactics align with your customers’ social behavior and willingness to engage in community marketing.

If you’d like additional guidance, reach out to your peers, colleagues, or Forrester.

Q & A

Thank you Laura Ramos Oliver Young +1 650.581.3830 + 1 650.581.3855 [email_address] [email_address] @lauraramos @oliveryoung b2bmarketingpost.com blog.strategicheading.com Patrick Tripp +1 617.613.6216 [email_address] @ptripp www.forrester.com