1. 1
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
10REASONS
B2BCOMPANIES
NEEDSOCIAL
MEDIA
2. 2
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
Table of contents
Introduction
1. Break down the silos
2. Create a culture all stakeholders value
3. Strengthen your corporate brand
4. Build lasting business relationships
5. Care about your environment
6. Let the crowd help you improve
7. Identify shortcuts in the supply chain
8. Spot & attract world class talent
9. Make customers happy
10. Don’t cease to exist
About Orca Social
Sources / Further reading
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3. 3
10 reasons B2B companies need social mediaIntroduction
S
ocial media has changed the way the world
communicates. It is now easier than ever to
connect, collaborate and share information
with people from all corners of the world - instantly.
This hyper connection of social networks has
opened up all kinds of opportunities for individuals,
groups and of course businesses.
B2C companies have eagerly embraced those op-
portunities, eager to engage with the millions of
potential customers who use social platforms on
a daily basis. B2B companies on the other hand,
have stood mostly on the sidelines, struggling to
see specifically how a Facebook page or Twitter
handle could really help their business. There al-
ways seemed like more important things to do, so
for the most part, social got pushed to the back-
ground.
In doing so, many B2B companies have distanced
themselves from the enormous opportunities social
provides.
At Orca Social, we believe that this often comes
down to a limited view of what social media is. It is
more than Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram
or Pinterest. It is more than the sum of its platforms
and more than comments, likes or shares.
Fundamentally, it is the result of technology ope—
ning up communication, collaboration and the sha—
ring of information across networks of people.
For this reason, we use the all encompassing term
social technologies to refer to every use of techno—
logy to facilitate this process. From this broader
perspective, the barriers on your thinking begin to
fall and the far reaching benefits of social technolo-
gies for B2B companies reveal themselves.
Our goal with this eBook is to explain why social
technologies will help your business and demons-
trate a few specific ways you can start using them.
One thing is sure, as technology develops, the abi-
lity of your business to adapt to these changes will
be a determining factor of your success.
The world of social technology has much to offer
the B2B world, all it takes is an open mind and a
willingness to take action. ▄
Introduction
4. 4
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
Break down
the silos
#BreakingSilos
The silo’d organisation is like a fully
loaded freight ship in a world of modern
battlecruisers.
1.
5. 5
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#BreakingSilos
T
he pace of change in the modern world has
increased rapidly. How well the departments
of your business communicate with each other
directly impacts your ability to capitalise on oppor-
tunities and stay one step ahead of the competition.
As GE CEO and visionary Jack Welch identified 25
years ago, the silo’d business structure is limiting.
It establishes inefficient communication structures
which lead to painfully slow projects, missed dead-
lines and frustrated employees.1
25 years on and the need is greater than ever to
break down those silos. Efficient communication
and collaboration is a necessity in today’s business
world.
The silo’d organisation is like a fully loaded freight
ship in a world of modern battlecruisers. The tides
are changing and businesses need to adapt.
It’s time for the silos to come down once and for all
and fortunately, social technology is there to help.
How social technologies can help?
In breaking down the silos, it’s important to have a
structure to replace them. If you imagine the busi-
ness silos being filled with water, knocking them
down can lead to a flood of information moving in
every different direction.
Communication is flowing, but there is no structure
in place to support it.
The connected organisation is like an interdepen-
dent system of rivers. To avoid flooding, bottlenecks
or upsetting the balance of the greater ecosystem,
you need the right channels in place to support the
flow of information.
1. Break down the silos
#BreakingSilos
6. 6
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#BreakingSilos
An Enterprise Social Network (ESN) is an excellent
way to do that.
These network style communication platforms pro-
vide a centralised place for teams to communicate
and collaborate in a more fluid and intuitive way.
With individuals and teams communicating fluidly
on a secure intranet, you significantly reduce the
volume of time wasted sorting through unneces-
sary emails. This fact alone can add powerfully to
your company’s productivity.
They also provide a central place for project ma-
nagement across geographical distances and the
transparency of the platforms makes it easy to in-
volve decision makers when quick decisions are
needed.
Case study
Intellect Design Arena— As part of financial services
giant Polaris Group, Intellect Design Arena deve-
loped and implemented UnMail, an ESN that has
been rolled out across the Polaris Group of compa-
nies. It serves as a great case study for the tangible
impact an ESN can have in a business.2 ▄
7. 7
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
2.
Create a culture all
stakeholders value
#CompanyCulture
Many times though, what is needed is a
change in attitude and a fundamental shift
in culture.
8. 8
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#CompanyCulture
G
oogle has not only led the world in ground
breaking innovation, but also developed an
enviable company culture that consistently at-
tracts the world’s best talent.
A stellar company culture begins from within and
projects outwards, which means that after kno-
cking down the silos and opening up communi-
cation flows, your company culture will flow freely
through all corners of the organisation.
Ask yourself: what culture will be flowing through?
In an open and transparent communication struc-
ture, there is nowhere to hide. A company ESN can
very quickly reveal some cultural truths about your
organisation. The distrusting, information hoarding
culture will struggle to adjust to an ESN, which may
lead some to write it off as useless.3
Many times though, what is needed is a change in
attitude and a fundamental shift in culture.
Social technologies can help you on your way to-
wards creating a more open and transparent cul-
ture that the modern world requires. For those or-
ganisations already embodying these values, there
are many more practical ways social technologies
can help.
How social technologies can help?
To consider how social technologies can best help
your company culture, let’s first look at the compa-
ny ESN.
Within every organisation is a wealth of knowledge
and an ESN is a great way to share it across dif-
ferent departments. When used as a platform to
support knowledge sharing initiatives you can ef-
fectively up-skill your team for minimal investment.
These initiatives lead to a sense of empowerment
and engagement in your company culture.
The ESN can also support innovation projects.
Small teams can collaborate via the ESN and ea-
sily share their project either with key stakeholders
or more broadly, updating the wider team on the
project’s progress. This transparency, collaboration
and innovation tend to reinforce positive cultural
values in your organisation.
2. Create a culture all stakeholders value
#CompanyCulture
9. 9
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#CompanyCulture
Though some managers have expressed com-
plaints that teams use the ESN for ‘water cooler’
talk, this kind of occasional social interactions con-
tributes to team morale and contribute to company
culture. Rather than discourage them entirely, it’s
better to establish a virtual ‘water cooler’ within the
ESN so these discussions don’t interrupt dedicated
work channels.
Social technologies can also be a great way to share
your culture with the world, building your brand in
the process.
Sharing natural photos of your team, internal events
or other cultural initiatives through social media
channels such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram
can help to communicate the essence of your com-
pany culture with the public. This helps to reinforce
your cultural values and humanise your company
in the process.
Case study
ABB—As global leaders in power and automation
technologies, ABB committed to their long term vi-
sion to break down silos and enhance collabora-
tion across 100 countries. They understood that the
power of their global impact lay in internal align-
ment within the organisation and ensured they set
very defined goals to get there.
Veronique Vallieres, Internal Communications &
Community Manager, credits the bottom up ap-
proach as a main factor for increasing the user-ship
of their new company ESN.
As early adopters started to invite others from dif-
ferent pockets within the organisation, employees
had a chance to experiment and understand how
to use the ESN for a specific purpose.
In September 2012, the company ran the first full
day digital event for the entire communications
community. Spanning 32 hours and numerous time
zones, this virtual seminar consisted of workshops,
webinars, presentations and case studies, all de-
livered digitally. Users leveraged the ESN to share
their thoughts and provide live commentary during
and after the events of the day.
With over 75,000 employees now using the net-
work, Vallieres believes that ABB are ready to take
it to the next level by integrating additional business
units into the network.
She views the ESN as an important part of realising
the ultimate goal of “an open, responsive organisa-
tion that works together as one ABB”4
. ▄
10. 10
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
3.
Strengthen your
corporate brand
#Branding
“The people that we are connecting with don’t
want to have a conversation with the corporate
brand. People want to have conversations with
people.” — Jos van Haastrecht, DSM.
11. 11
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#Branding
I
n the modern parlance, your brand is the sum to-
tal of every experience anyone has ever had with
your business.
The successful modern organisation lives and
breathes its brand in everything it does. From cus-
tomer service, to client management, to logistics
and everywhere in between, the brand reflects the
company’s values and defines its identity.
Though it’s tempting to depersonalise the B2B
world, it’s important to remember that businesses
are made up of people. More importantly, busines-
ses don’t do business together, people do.
The influence of emotions on decisions has proved
to be just as (if not more) prevalent in the B2B world.
A recent CEB report in conjunction with Google and
Matista revealed that the level of risk involved in
B2B decisions (e.g. losing time, credibility or even
your job) significantly increased the importance a
brand’s trustworthiness. Additionally, it highlighted
that appealing to personal values over business
values gives brands a competitive advantage5
.
The strength of your brand influences how people
feel about your company, which in turn influences
their decision to work with you.
In building your brand, there are a number of op-
portunities in which social technologies can play a
leading role.
How social technologies can help?
For B2B companies, there are often many ques-
tions regarding how they should use social tech-
nologies to strengthen their corporate brand and
unfortunately there is no one size fits all answer.
The most effective execution is a mixture of a clear
brand positioning and effective strategy.
With those in place, social media platforms can be
an excellent way to express your unique brand iden-
tity. Through engaging content and creative story-
telling you can strengthen the value of your brand
and form trusted relationships with your audience.
3. Strengthen your corporate brand
#Branding
12. 12
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#Branding
Who that audience is, depends on your strategy.
You could launch a brand building campaign on
Facebook and Instagram to raise awareness with
the general public, but to engage with potential cli-
ents and those more in the ‘industry’, a channel
like LinkedIn could be a better fit. The right mix
of content and platform depends on your strategic
objectives.
The good news is that you don’t have to do it all
yourself.
Statistically speaking, a mere 135 employees have
the same potential Facebook reach as a brand
page with over 1 million fans6
. Together with an
open, collaborative company culture, this kind of
opportunity to communicate your brand message
to a large audience in an authentic way has enor-
mous potential.
With the organic reach of social media pages de-
creasing, it is important for companies to be cre-
ative and explore new opportunities to strengthen
their brand. When you consider that 92% of people
will trust recommendations from family and friends,
but only 47% will trust advertising messages from
brands, the opportunities to be explored in social
media are endless.
Case study
Royal DSM—Royal DSM is a perfect example of one
large scale B2B brand getting creative with their
branding.
A global science-based B2B company active in
health, nutrition and materials with 25,000 emplo-
yees and around 10 billion euros in net annual sales,
it spans a staggering array of industrial sectors. In
fact, its span was so broad that it was difficult for
external stakeholders to articulate what DSM actu-
ally did.
After launching a new strap line and positioning in
Feb 2011, the company’s purpose, positioning and
values became clear.
“Bright Science. Brighter Living.” became a plat-
form that helped DSM define its identity on a global
stage.
To support this new positioning DSM established a
presence on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter where
they talked not about their brand, but themes that
connected to their core philosophy and strategy
such as climate change, circular economy, malnu-
trition and health & wellness.
The conversations they created on these platforms
generated social engagement, which was suppor-
ted by activity on influential blogs and publications
like the Huffington Post and The Guardian.
DSM also recognised the opportunity presented by
turning their own employees into brand ambassa-
dors. Rather than including only those in commu-
nications, DSM engaged team members in their
HR, R&D, innovation, manufacturing, marketing
and sales, business development and sourcing de-
partments. These ambassadors engaged in con-
versations with key stakeholders on social media
and gave a human face to such a large corporate
brand. Jos van Haastrecht, the Director Global
Brand, Digital and Communication for DSM adds:
“The people that we are connecting with don’t want
to have a conversation with the corporate brand.
People want to have conversations with people.”
To help measure the success of their branding ef-
forts, DSM measures Brand Value and the Brand
Net Promoter Score (NPS). There is a direct corre-
lation between NPS and top line growth.
13. 13
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#Branding
When asked what advice he would give other
B2B companies looking to strengthen their brand
through social technologies, van Haastrecht has
these three points to share:
1. The company brand is one of the most important
intangible assets, if not the most important a com-
pany has, this also goes for B2B companies.
2. Your brand is really too important to leave to your
marketers alone, the brand should be internalized
in the whole company and across all disciplines. It
comes back in every touch point, so in your pro-
ducts, in your services, in the people, in everything
you do.
3. Every employee with a Twitter account is a po-
tential brand ambassador. Start to unlock the po-
tential of your employees. That is massive, they
can bring a lot more to your brand than you initially
think.
For more information, watch our video inter-
view with Jos van Haastrecht, Director Glo-
bal Brand, Digital and Communication at DSM,
here: bit.ly/OrcaDSM ▄
14. 14
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
Build lasting
business relationships
·4.
#SocialSelling
Armedwiththesuiteofsocialmediatools,we
seetheemergenceofwhatwerefertoasthe
“SocialChallenger”.Theyusesocialmediato
learnabouttheprospectandtheirbusinessand
andengagewiththemnaturally,indoingsothey
managetoputthemselvesbackintotheearly
stagesofthedecisionmakingprocess.
15. 15
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#SocialSelling
T
echnology has changed the way we do busi-
ness. Departments across the whole organi-
sation from marketing to logistics, have had to
adapt to these changes or risk being left behind.
The status quo is in constant evolution and shows
no signs of slowing down. In this world of shifting
sands, it’s crucial for companies to find a bridge bet-
ween the methods of the past and the models of
the future.
This is no more obvious than in the world of B2B
sales.
Though the psychological stages of the sales pro-
cess have remained more or less the same, the dy-
namic has shifted.
Studies show that today’s B2B buyer will be more
than half-way through the purchase process before
ever even speaking to a sales rep. It’s important to
consider the impacts of such a figure7
.
This is a fundamental shift in the sales process and
companies need to adapt to the new landscape.
So what can companies do to involve themselves
in the formative stages of the buying decision? How
can sales teams help inform and guide the deci-
sions of prospects they have no interaction with?
How social technologies can help?
To stay ahead of the curve, the modern sales rep
must make use of the available technologies. In
addition to the staples of his kit bag (cold calling,
email, attending conferences and F2F meetings)
social platforms present a range of new opportuni-
ties that can help the sales team adjust to shifting
times.
Nowadays by the time the prospects speak to
a sales rep they have normally already informed
themselves about the product or service in detail
4. Build lasting business relationships
#SocialSelling
16. 16
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#SocialSelling
and have a defined idea of their needs. Only, some-
times that may not be the right solution. It requires
a certain sales approach to challenge those as-
sumptions and get involved in the early stages of
the sales process.
Research indicates that of the highest performing
sales reps, the “Challenger” does exactly that.8
They are the sales people who see the world a
little differently. They deeply understand a pros-
pect’s business and aren’t afraid to challenge them.
Where the traditional style approach asks the client
what their problems are, the challenger tells them
upfront. But for them to be able to do that effective-
ly, they need the right information and tools.
Armed with the suite of social media tools, we see
the emergence of what we refer to as the “Social
Challenger”. They use social media to learn about
the prospect and their business and and engage
with them naturally, in doing so they manage to put
themselves back into the early stages of the deci-
sion making process.
In modern times, the sales person needs to think
more like a marketer, just as increasingly detailed
metrics has forced the marketer to think more like
a salesman.
This continued blurring of borders and development
of broader skill sets, puts social media tools firmly
in the savvy salesman’s kit bag as they transition to
the emerging social selling model.
Here are just a few ways the B2B salesperson can
use social platforms as part of their social selling
strategy.
Case study
Danske Bank— In 2014 Danske Bank took a unique
approach to the challenge of building their pre-
sence and reach on social media.
After identifying that 74% of decision makers and
most of their customers were active on LinkedIn,
they dug a little deeper. They discovered that Dans-
ke Bank employees received over 30,000 unique
visits to their LinkedIn profiles per month, far more
than that of the Danske Bank LinkedIn page itself.
They identified the opportunity to position key team
members as social ambassadors who could build
their authority in the social space and attract new
leads.
Beginning with a small pilot of 35 employees, Dans-
ke Bank launched their Social Business Ambassa-
dor program. Through a series of workshops they
up skilled the employees in social media to elevate
their profiles to a professional level. The employees
increased their activity on the platform, sharing va-
luable content with their networks and beyond. The
vision was that this could open dialogue and build
relationships with prospects.
Supported by a social listening team who provided
information and insights about new prospects, the
social ambassadors were able to establish genuine
dialogue which was then supported by marketing
efforts. In the 8 week pilot, 464 pieces of content
were shared with a total of 75,000 impressions and
CTR of 4.7%. More importantly a total of 787 new
business connections were formed. A great result
and an excellent example of a creative use of so-
cial media in the sales process. ▄
17. 17
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#SocialSelling
SocialSelling
18. 18
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
·5.
Care about
your environment
#CSR
With transparency comes the need for
authenticity and people want to see
companies supporting causes that align
with their values and vision, not simply
donating out of a sense of obligation.
19. 19
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#CSR
I
n a world of increasing transparency, it is more im-
portant than ever for companies to demonstrate
that they are about more than just profits.The tol-
erance for one dimensional companies is fast dwin-
dling in both the consumer and B2B space. People
hold brands up to a high standard and those that
prove their genuine commitment to a cause, rise
above the competition.
As the importance of Corporate Social Responsibi-
lity (CSR) initiatives grows, it is also becoming clear
that a successful CSR program requires more than
just money.
With transparency comes the need for authenti-
city and people want to see companies supporting
causes that align with their values and vision, not
simply donating out of a sense of obligation.
Authentic CSR initiatives not only contribute posi-
tively to the world, but also improves your brand’s
image. As your customers stand to benefit by the
positive association of working with a socially res-
ponsible company, this positive brand value be be
a valuable point of difference.
How social technologies can help?
For a CSR initiative to reach its full potential, it’s
important to ensure that news of your positive work
is getting out there. Through exposure you gain
awareness for your cause, which has a positive
flow on effect for the rest of your business.
When it comes to communicating these kind of sto-
ries, social media is a simple and cost effective way
to engage with your audience online.
Your CSR initiatives can be an excellent source
of content for your social media strategy that can
improve positive brand association and even bring
in new leads. It is important to remember however
that social media is a social platform. It must be
5. Care about your environment
#CSR
20. 20
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#CSR
approached from the viewpoint of generating dis-
cussions, connections and engagement, not simply
broadcasting what you want to say.
In that light, it helps to consider the human aspect
of your CSR initiatives and encourage your CSR
and marketing teams to work together to develop
compelling stories that could be turned into social
media content.
In addition to just reporting or sharing stories about
your CSR activities, social technologies can also
provide a way for your CSR teams to quickly iden-
tify any issues (e.g. via social listening) and com-
municate more easily via the company ESN as they
work on the projects.
How your company engages in conversations on
issues on social media is also extremely important.
By freely engaging in a relevant discussion or sim-
ply hosting it on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn you
demonstrate that you have nothing to hide and are
not afraid to engage with your audience.
Case study
Kimberley Clark Professional—Kimberley-Clark Profes-
sional are a leader in the industrial supplies industry
and are known for their food processing compliant
wipes and other innovative washroom solutions.
Not only are they a leader in their industry, but
through the establishment of their charitable foun-
dation, also a leader in CSR initiatives.
In 2009 they embarked on a journey to protect na-
tural forest resources worldwide. Partnering with
Greenpeace, the Forest Stewardship Council and
the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Kimberley-Clark
aimed to ensure that every step in the process of
sourcing fibre for their wipes was sustainable.
Perfectly aligned with the company’s vision, this
commitment got a lot of attention through Twitter
conversations for the B2B side of the business. In
1 hour the company was mentioned 990 times, re-
sulting in 7.8 million impressions and a total reach
of 1.2 million. As a result the website traffic shot up
by 150% and their sustainability report was seen by
17,200 people as the story made its way into media
outlets such as Adage and The Guardian.
Kimberly Tartavull, social media content marketing
manager at Kimberley-Clark Professional adds:
“The key takeaway was that something as inno-
vative and digital as a Twitter chat that normally
we would only consider from a B2C perspective
worked in a B2B space. We were able to send the
right message at the right time to the right people.
We were able not only have an open conversation
with customers about forest conservation, but also
bring awareness to our other sustainability initia-
tives to attract more followers”9
. ▄
21. 21
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
·6.
Let the crowd
help you improve
#CrowdSourcing
It’s important to remember that data is only
as good as what you do with it. Determining
how the information will move through the
organisation and whose responsibility it is
will be a determining factor in the success.
22. 22
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#CrowdSourcing
W
ith 90% of the world’s data having been
generated in the last two years alone, it be-
comes clear that we are well and truly in the
age of big data.10
But as the volume of raw data increases, the va-
lue lies not in the data alone, but in the insights
that can be gleaned from it. As increasingly large
amounts of people use social media to communi-
cate their thoughts and opinions, businesses have
a potentially vast resource of market insights at
their fingertips.
From brand and reputation management, to cus-
tomer service, to proactive crisis management and
even product development, the ability of your busi-
ness to tune into these voices is becoming increa-
singly important.
However with billions of voices all talking at the
same time, it’s often hard to make sense through
the noise. Or as IT pioneer Mitchell Kapoor puts it
“getting information off the internet is like taking a
drink from a fire hydrant”.
To avoid this data overwhelm, it’s important to be-
gin with a well thought out social listening strategy.
When combined with the right tools and processes,
social listening can have a powerful impact on your
business and help you turn data into insights and
insights into action.
How social technologies can help?
Social Listening—Social Listening refers to the pro-
cess of monitoring social media platforms in order
to gain a better understanding of what people are
saying.
There are a number of social listening platforms,
from free online tools to the comprehensive enter-
6. Let the crowd help you improve
#CrowdSourcing
23. 23
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#CrowdSourcing
Case study
AkzoNobel—AkzoNobel, a Dutch based manufactu-
ring company active in healthcare products, coa-
tings and chemicals, prove how social technologies
can be used to drive crowd sourced innovations in
a B2B business.
They recognise that no one company or individual
has all of the best ideas, which is why they cre-
ated a platform in which they encouraged people
to submit their own ideas and innovations. Their
Open Space website shares their vision and focus
with the audience and provides a form for people to
submit their proposals. Though encouraged to sub-
mit proposals around AkzoNobel’s key focus areas,
users are given the freedom to submit proposals
under additional areas as well.
The platform represents the open and innovative
culture of AkzoNobel who seek to “develop an open
dialog with the best thinkers, scientists, engineers
and inventors to enhance [their] shared capability
to build a better world based on principles of sus-
tainability and social responsibility”12
. ▄
prise solutions such as Oracle Social Cloud (SRM),
Brandwatch, and Radian6.
Before you dive right in though, it’s important to be
clear about your objectives and have a clear stra-
tegy in place.
Your social listening strategy should incorporate
stakeholders from all areas of your organisation
and support your overall objectives. Sales, mar-
keting, HR, customer service, communications and
R&D can all benefit from having real time insights
from the audience.
It’s important to remember that data is only as
good as what you do with it. Determining how the
information will move through the organisation and
whose responsibility it is will be a determining fac-
tor in the success.
Community—After you have started to listen, buil-
ding a community of your own on social media is
not only a natural next step, but also beneficial for
your brand and ultimately your business.
Whilst platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or
LinkedIn are important and valuable in a commu-
nity driven social media strategy, it’s important to
remember that they own the platforms and can de-
termine the context in which your content is seen if
it is seen at all.
Developing your own community using Lithium or
Jive can be enormously beneficial, and as the $7.5m
p.a that National Instruments saved on call deflec-
tion demonstrates, even financially advantageous.11
24. 24
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
·7.
Identify shortcuts
in the supply chain
#SupplyChain
Allowing your business partners to integrate
into your ESN and use it to communicate with
your own teams can also lead to shortcuts in
the supply chain and an overall optimisation
of the process.
25. 25
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#SupplyChain
T
he supply chain is in many ways one the most
important parts of the B2B company. Your cus-
tomers depend on you for the smooth opera-
tion of their own business, and any issues in the
supply chain can very quickly lead to headaches
for everyone involved.
Often, the impact of these issues could have been
mitigated if they had been known about sooner.
The speed and accuracy of information puts the
power back in your hands. How quickly you can re-
act internally determines how quickly you can react
externally.
With advanced knowledge of any potential hiccups
in the supply chain, you are in a position to proac-
tively inform clients of a situation and more impor-
tantly, go to them with a solution.
Having the right structures and processes in place
to facilitate fast communication leads to greater
operational efficiencies and greater agility in your
supply chain.
Information is power, and especially when it comes
to your supply chain, social technologies can put
that power in your hands.
How social technologies can help?
Fast and clear communication is key. For companies
with larger supply chains across wide geographical
areas, the fast and integrated flow of information
between different departments is invaluable.
The company ESN is a fantastic way to connect
disparate groups in the supply chain in an easy,
open and intuitive communication platform. A chain
is only as strong as its weakest link and a small is-
sue on one side of the globe can have a huge ripple
effect.
7. Identify shortcuts in the supply chain
#SupplyChain
26. 26
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#SupplyChain
In the same vein, allowing your business partners
to integrate into your ESN and use it to communi-
cate with your own teams can also lead to short-
cuts in the supply chain and an overall optimisation
of the process.
Social technologies also present a great way to
share updates in any supply chain issues with your
clients. It’s possible to set-up a dedicated service
Twitter account update clients on the status of
their service, or even the progress of a shipment.
Prompt distribution of this information can drastical-
ly reduce customer service calls.
By incorporating issues relevant to your supply
chain in your social listening strategy you can pre-
empt issues and capitalise on opportunities. Con-
sidering making adjustments to the supply chain is
notoriously difficult and time consuming, advance
knowledge of potential challenges or opportunities
gives you a distinct competitive edge.
Social listening can also reveal insights from cus-
tomers, prospects and conversations that can lead
to refinements in the supply chain. In some cases,
this can even lead to integrating your customers
into the supply chain itself with the effect of foste-
ring a greater sense of loyalty and ownership.
B2B use of social technologies in the supply chain
is relatively new, which means there is a big op-
portunity for the early adopters willing to lead the
charge.
Case Study
SAP Global—As a market leader in enterprise appli-
cation software, SAP is a leader in the develop-
ment of business technology. To help lead that de-
velopment, SAP have found ways to include their
customers and partners in the early stages of their
supply chain.
By setting up the SAP Co-Innovation Lab (COIL),
SAP seek to “innovate [and] solve complex busi-
ness problems and support better-run businesses
everywhere”.
The COIL network is a place for companies within
the SAP ecosystem to work with a broad range of
SAP development and business teams to innovate
and work on new developments. This helps SAP
ensure they focus their development resources on
the right products and features and by involving
their partners are able to find efficiencies in their
supply chain.
It has in a way become a testing ground incorpo-
rating the thoughts and feedback from key part-
ners before rolling out product developments more
broadly. The “project activities emphasize a rich
collaboration with partners, leveraging complemen-
tary hardware and software to pursue proof of con-
cept, interoperability, integration, and performance
of new ecosystem-based solutions”13
. ▄
27. 27
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
8.
Spot & attract
world class talent
#SocialSourcing
“Integrity is a key component of our success.
When targeting world-class talent via social
media, we only communicate based on values
we truly believe in. That is why we don’t
believe in concentrating our efforts on certain
campaigns but rather rely on living our values
permanently.” — Charles Schmidt, Krones AG.
28. 28
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#SocialSourcing
N
ever forget that hiring is the most important
thing you do. People say this, but then they
delegate hiring to recruiters. Everyone —
EVERYONE! — should invest time in hiring” — Eric
Schmidt, Executive Chairman, Alphabet Inc (aka
Google).14
Attracting and keeping the best talent for your or-
ganisation is one of the most important things you
can do. Just like in the sporting world, the ability of
an organisation to attract the star players can mean
the difference between winning the championship,
or lingering somewhere down the ladder as an also
ran.
The best quality talent however, are in high demand.
According to the 2014 annual Jobvite study into re-
cruitment, 69% of recruiters expected competition
to increase in 2015, which illustrates that now more
than ever businesses need to be committed and
creative if they want to get the best people.15
Partnering with recruiters however can be an ex-
pensive venture, especially when attracting high
end talent. And with 93% of recruiters indicating
that they use social media as part of their recruit-
ment strategy, it’s time to start bringing some of that
recruitment in house for some serious cost savings.
The reason they are using social media so heavily
is because it works. In fact 73% of recruiters have
indicated that they have hired someone through
social media.
Let’s have a look at how exactly are they using it
and what you could start doing today to start attract
the best talent into your business.
How social technologies can help?
Social media has proved to be revolutionary in the
recruitment process.
8. Spot & attract world class talent
#SocialSourcing
29. 29
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#SocialSourcing
According to the Jobvite 2014 recruitment survey,
the three main platforms most used by recruiters
are LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter with each plat-
form playing an important role in the overall recruit-
ment strategy.
LinkedIn is by and large the most valuable tool when
it comes to actively identifying and approaching the
best talent. Apart from searching for candidates by
titles and industries, the shift of LinkedIn towards a
truly social network, allows you to find candidates
through groups, discussions and mutual connections.
Facebook and Twitter on the other hand present
different opportunities. Apart from actively vetting
potential candidates, they are great platforms to
share your company culture and distribute job va-
cancies through targeted networks. With the best
candidates wanting more than money, it should be
no surprise that 73% of brands are highlighting cul-
ture to attract talent.
“Integrity is a key component of our success. When
targeting world-class talent via social media, we
only communicate based on values we truly believe
in. That is why we don’t believe in concentrating
our efforts on certain campaigns but rather rely on
living our values permanently.“ — Charles Schmidt,
Corporate Social Media Officer at Krones AG.
Listen to Maria Seywald, Social Media Coordina-
tor at Krones AG, to find out more about how they
leverage social technologies to spot & attract world
class talent. Just click here: bit.ly/OrcaKrones
Case Study
SODEXO—The US arm of French B2B company So-
dexo, who specialise in ‘quality of life’ services, pro-
vide a great example of how social media can be
used effectively for employer branding and recruiting.
With their dedicated career site as the hub, So-
dexo use variety of social platforms as part of their
broader digital recruitment strategy, focusing on the
human side of their business.
Through Facebook, Sodexo share natural photos
of their employees in their day to day job and build
up a picture of the passion of the people in the
company. Their careers Twitter account shares job
opportunities but more importantly engages people
in discussions and answers questions. They are si-
milarly active on LinkedIn and even have an active
YouTube channel which again highlights the people
working within their company.
This successful interplay of social media chan-
nels led to an estimated $300,000 p.a saving on
recruitment costs. Since launching their social me-
dia strategy, Sodexo also reported an increase of
182% of traffic to their careers site and with 45% of
Sodexo candidates indicating they have used the
company’s social platforms, the strategy is clearly
working.
By communicating their culture through their em-
ployees using photos, videos and text, Sodexo has
built a community of people who are interested in
working for them. This engaged community comes
to deeply understand the company’s culture and va-
lues and thus are more likely to fit right into the com-
pany should they find an appropriate position.16 ▄
30. 30
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
9.
Make
customers happy
#Happiness
People may not remember exactly what
you did or what you said, but they always
remember how you made them feel.
31. 31
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#Happiness
O
ur philosophy is delivering happiness to cus-
tomers and employees. People may not re-
member exactly what you did or what you
said, but they always remember how you made
them feel.” —Tony Hsieh, CEO at Zappos
Every business wants happy customers. The hap-
pier your customers are, the more loyal they will be
and the more likely they are to refer you to others.
Though often viewed through a B2C lens, customer
satisfaction is equally, if not more important for B2B
companies. A B2C company could lose a customer
or two without any noticeable consequence, but for
a B2B, losing two key clients can spell disaster.
Customers nowadays can be fickle and expect not
only excellent customer service from companies,
but also added value in other areas. Companies
that commit to adding value to their customers and
making them feel good, help to build a much stron-
ger association with their brand and gain a comp-
titive edge.
Developing value add initiatives that help your cus-
tomers achieve their goals, can put your brand at
the centre of their success and lead to improved
customer loyalty and satisfaction.
In addition to playing a role in customer service,
social technologies can play a key role in accompli-
shing these broader customer satisfaction initiatives.
How social technologies can help
For a variety of reasons, social technologies haven’t
quite reached the same level of integration and
relevance in delivering customer service in the B2B
world as they have in B2C.
In saying that, B2B companies with large online
user bases, such as many Software as a Service
(SaaS) companies may find that an active social
media presence can help resolve customer service
issues quickly and improve brand sentiment in the
process.
9. Make customers happy
#Happiness
32. 32
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#Happiness
Though some B2B brands, such as Ford, have
dedicated customer service Twitter accounts the
real value of social technologies for B2B brands is
in establishing a community for their customers.17
By understanding the broader goals of your cus-
tomers and creating a community based platform
that helps them reach it, you add real value to their
business and their lives. By delivering great con-
tent and facilitating discussions and interactions
between your customer base, you become a valua-
ble part of their journey and more than just another
brand.
Customer happiness is a key driver of loyalty and
social technologies can help you get there.
Case Study
American Express—American Express has long been
harnessing the power of social media. Though also
a B2C brand, American Express has a strong his-
tory with business customers due to their attractive
reward schemes and high quality customer service.
Their OPEN series of cards and services are de-
signed specifically to suit the needs of small busi-
ness owners and to support this community, AMEX
established the OPEN forum.
From the dedicated OPEN forum website, Ameri-
can Express offers a wealth of excellent content for
the small business owner. By allowing small busi-
ness owners to communicate with each other, they
have managed to establish a small business owner
community with themselves at the centre.
Supporting this dedicated OPEN forum website, is
a broad social media presence on Twitter, Face-
book, LinkedIn, Youtube & Tumblr. Through a mix
of written, video and visual content, AMEX have ef-
fectively driven awareness to their OPEN services
and also provided a valuable resource for their cus-
tomers who now feel part of a broader supportive
community.
In 2011 and 2012, AMEX ran a “Big Break for Small
Business” competition which offered a main prize of
$25,000 and a one on one session with Facebook
to develop a social media strategy that works. With
runners up receiving Facebook advertising credits,
the 2011 competition achieved 11,000 entries and
proved to be a very valuable lead generator, with a
30% increase in sales.
By going over and above and using social to deliver
excellent useful content to their audience, AMEX
managed to increase customer sentiment whilst
also building their brand and attracting new leads.18 ▄
33. 33
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
10.
Don’t cease
to exist
#DontCeaseToExist
As the waves of change keep rolling in,
only those companies who keep their eyes
on the horizon will be able to navigate them
successfully. Those who don’t may find
themselves capsized, struggling to get back
on track as the next wave approaches.
34. 34
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#DontCeaseToExist
R
apid developments in technology have resul-
ted in much longer life expectancies for the
people of the world, but that same develop-
ment has the exact opposite effect on businesses.
According to Steven Denning writing in Forbes
magazine, in 1955 the average life expectancy of a
firm in the Fortune 500 was around 75 years. Today
it’s only 15 and getting smaller each year.19
The rapid pace of technological development has
rocked the foundations of the business world.
New technologies disrupt the status quo, sending
waves through industries that unsettle incumbents
and make space for new players. As the waves of
change keep rolling in, only those companies who
keep their eyes on the horizon will be able to navi-
gate them successfully. Those who don’t may find
themselves capsized, struggling to get back on
track as the next wave approaches. Change can-
not be stopped and as its speed increases expo-
nentially, you need to be willing to adapt. Quickly.
To quote Jack Welch, ex CEO of GE, companies
should “change before you have to”.
According to Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, we
are now in Web 3.0, also known as the “Social
Web”. The culture of sharing, collaborating and
connecting has not only revolutionised the inter-
net, but disrupted whole industries. The success of
companies like AirBnB and Uber demonstrate the
important role social technologies have played in
this disruption and it’s only a matter of time before
the B2B world is impacted in a similar way.
Being prepared for the disruption means under-
standing and embracing the technologies of the
day, whilst also staying abreast of new trends. The
competitive edge belongs to the innovators and
early adopters so keep an open mind and incor-
porate new technologies and ways of thinking into
your business.
Rather than resist the changes, anticipate them,
embrace them. Better yet make them.
B2B businesses in 2015 simply can’t afford to ig-
nore social technologies any longer. The good
news is that, the majority of the B2B world hasn’t
caught on to the benefits. The opportunity is still
huge for those ready to take it. Social technologies
have revolutionised the way the world communi-
cates and the majority of B2Bs are lagging behind.
Reason 10 is the reason for the other 9 Reasons.
Only companies who are willing to embrace change
and adapt to new technologies will survive in the
modern world. ▄
10. Don’t cease to exist
#DontCeaseToExist
35. Although B2B companies have not yet fully embraced the power of social technologies to the same extent
as those in the B2C world, the opportunities are enormous. Whether you have written it off completely, or
not been entirely convinced that it’s right for your company, here are 10 reasons to convince you that now
is the time to take action.
10REASONSWHYB2BCOMPANIESNEEDSOCIALMEDIA
35
10 reasons B2B companies need social media
37. 37
10 reasons B2B companies need social media#Happiness
About Orca Social
Our Philosophy
Enabling social from within.— Orca Social is a new kind of
social media consultancy. Based on a membership
model Orca Social’s aim is to enable B2B compa-
nies to do social from within. Why? Because by do-
ing it in-house you ensure that it’s trustworthy, low-
cost, real-time, passionate and part of the company
culture.
Our Team
ED MAJOR | Operations & Tech— Ed is no stranger to so-
cial media start-ups having been part of the team
which set up Vitrue in EMEA in 2012. Vitrue was
eventually sold to Oracle, which led to Ed running
the sales of Oracles social technology in the Be-
nelux and the Nordics. Ed first learnt of the idea of
shared practice consultancy whilst working at CEB
from 2007-2009.
JONATHAN WICHMANN | Content & Strategy— Jonathan
brought Maersk Line to social media fame as a
one-man band within the company. Has won inter-
national awards as well as acquired critical acclaim
from e.g. McKinsey Quarterly, Forbes.com and Al-
timeter Group. MA in Literature. Journalist, copy-
writer, videographer and concept developer. Also a
published author.
BEN KOLP | Member Services— As a millennial, Ben Kolp
was born with a natural interest and understanding
of social media, which he first showed in his master
thesis on the subject “Social Media in CRM”. He
joined Orca Social after 5 years at Oracle where he
worked as a Senior Social Solution Specialist with
customers across EMEA.
CHI KWAN TAO | Business Development Assistant— Chi Kwan
studied at the Rotterdam University of Applied
Sciences, where she focused on international business
and languages. She was key to this eBook in terms of
researching various reasons on why B2B companies
need to focus more on social technologies.
Creative Minds
ADRIAN STEWART | Writer— Adrian has worked in Stra-
tegy, Account Management & Marketing in several
agency roles for clients such as Red Bull, Activi-
sion, DE Coffee, Nestle & Sony and after recent-
ly moving from Sydney to Berlin, he has decided
to put his skills to work in the world of freelancing.
Adrian took ownership of the copywriting process
for this eBook.
BRIGADA ESTUDIO | Graphic & Editorial Design Studio— Briga-
da is a graphic & editorial design studio in Spain
and they was in charge of the graphical and edito-
rial design for this eBook.
