The document discusses using social media for business-to-business (B2B) marketing and public relations. It addresses common challenges with B2B social media use and provides 10 steps to improve social media strategies, including setting measurable objectives, understanding your audience, targeting relevant online communities, operating a PR program first to generate content, providing useful information, creating killer content, commenting on industry discussions, sharing relevant content, asking for help if needed, and being authentic. The takeaways emphasize using existing materials to drive social media engagement and adding value through informative content.

1. Applying social media to business marketing & PR René Power presentation to Social Media Academy Thursday 24 March 2011

2. The b2b marketing social media challenge Everyone is doing it, I need to But where do I start? Social media is social not business Business buyers remain motivated by supplier websites B2b buyers are influenced differently I don’t have time I don’t have resource It’s not measurable It’s just not relevant to my business

3. Understanding the influence funnel Source: 2010 BUYERsphere survey 2010

4. Business uptake of social media Source www.business.com latest B2B social media benchmarking survey (2009) 50%

5. The b2b social media challenge refined

6. What social media isn’t...

7. What social media is

10. Is it a question of semantics? Q: Isn’t it all just marketing?

11. Twin track social media strategies

35. Takeaways Social media affords huge reach and choice for business Refine, repurpose and repackage your existing material 1. Content drives social media interaction and engagement 2. What press material. brochures, presentations, video, and audio can I repackage now? 3. What can I create that will add value and drive inbound inquiry? Actionable information positions experts and builds trust Research where your audience goes and what they are looking for