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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cisco launched iPrize contest to
woo innovators

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

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

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

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 <ul><li>Supply-side insights </li></ul><ul><ul><li>B2B Tech Marketing research panel </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Best practice interviews with leading tech vendors </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>5,000 vendor briefings annually </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Demand side, end-user perspective </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Social Technographics of B2B Buyers </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Survey of 1,217 IT/Bus. professionals across multiple industries and geographies </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Custom survey capabilities </li></ul></ul><ul><li>Social Media Optimization </li></ul><ul><ul><li>Forrester’s POST methodology </li></ul></ul><ul><ul><li>Best practice and case study library </li></ul></ul>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

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

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

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

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