Here’s a recap of our fave tweets from this week’s informative and insightful chat. We’d love to hear from you! Please feel free to comment below and share your two cents on these questions.
Please welcome our guest @AnhTNguyen. Topic: The B2B Marketer’s Guide to 140 Characters. #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/uAMKTmRb5J
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
We invited our friends from Hootsuite to come on the chat and kick it off by answering one pressing question about Twitter marketing. Let us know if you like this new feature.
Ask @hootsuite: How can Twitter help B2B businesses? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/nF5xbBqGp6
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
1/4| Twitter can help in a number of ways. Firstly, it’s a cost effective way of maintaining communication @madalynsklar #TwitterSmarter
— Hootsuite (@hootsuite) July 14, 2016
2/4| B2B businesses can also use Twitter for content promotion. Get your work on display for others to see! @madalynsklar #TwitterSmarter
— Hootsuite (@hootsuite) July 14, 2016
3/4| Also, B2B businesses can monitor their competition via Twitter to know about changes in their industry ? @MadalynSklar #TwitterSmarter
— Hootsuite (@hootsuite) July 14, 2016
4/4| If you're a B2B business and want more info, check out this relevant blog post ? https://t.co/pT5aOAQV3w @madalynsklar #TwitterSmarter
— Hootsuite (@hootsuite) July 14, 2016
Q1: What is B2B marketing? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/LRvaFy3lQU
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A1a. #B2B marketing is simply the marketing practices of a company that sells products/solutions to other companies. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A1 B2B marketing is communicating how your biz supports and adds values to the outcomes of another biz #TwitterSmarter
— Joynicole Martinez (@JoynicoleM) July 14, 2016
A1a: Marketing your co's product/service to other businesses to support their iniatives & impact their bottom line. #TwitterSmarter
— Michelle Dziuban (@dziubs) July 14, 2016
A1: Business to business marketing is when one business provides a product or service to another business. #TwitterSmarter
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) July 14, 2016
@MadalynSklar A1: B2B marketing is business to business – a paid service that will advance others' professional goals. #TwitterSmarter
— Wilde Agency (@Wilde_Agency) July 14, 2016
A1) B2B Marketing is sharing content to build relationships with other business and provide services. #TwitterSmarter
— Jose Watson (@Josewats) July 14, 2016
A1: B2B is businesses working with other businesses. That is the simpliest way to explain. #TwitterSmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A1) B2B marketing is when you make friends with other businesses because business are people to! #TwitterSmarter
— Nick Jaworski (@NBJaworski) July 14, 2016
A1: B2B marketing isn't just selling your product to another company. It's understanding & helping them achieve their goals. #TwitterSmarter
— Cision (@Cision) July 14, 2016
Re A1 It's important to recognize that B2B happens by relationships between people. At the end of the day it is P2P #twittersmarter
— James Lauffer (@jameslauffer) July 14, 2016
A1: Starting conversations with other brands and or business owners to gain brand exposure #TwitterSmarter
— khepritech (@khepritech) July 14, 2016
Q2: Why should B2B companies include Twitter in their marketing strategy? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/IlTvuOn8BH
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A2a: With 310M active monthly users globally (per Twitter), B2B target audience and prospects can be found among them! #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A2b: Globalization of their brand. Twitter is a popular GLOBAL platform. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A2c. Twitter is a non-stop source of news and info for their community; current and prospective clients. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
YES! And it always boils down to RELATIONSHIPS! #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/HQnRIi3yT8
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
How Facebook And Twitter Fit Into B2B Marketing #TwitterSmarter
https://t.co/CvhbosKVTz— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A2: I think every business regardless of it being B2B or B2C should be on Twitter. Everyone can benefit here. #TwitterSmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A2: I think @Twitter offers the easiest way for businesses to take on real personas. B2B feels like C2C on @Twitter. #twittersmarter
— AK Kerani (@AKKerani) July 14, 2016
A2: Twitter allows B2B companies to be transparent and immediate when it comes to solving their customers concerns #twittersmarter
— Randy Thio (@ideabloke) July 14, 2016
A2 – B2B Marketers can build trusting, empathic relationships with brands directly on Twitter. #twittersmarter
— Sue Duris (@SusynEliseDuris) July 14, 2016
A2: Because if they don't, their competition will. It's that simple. #TwitterSmarter
— Michelle Dziuban (@dziubs) July 14, 2016
A2: If your audience is on Twitter (and they probably are), it's worthwhile to invest your time in the platform. #TwitterSmarter
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) July 14, 2016
@MadalynSklar A2: Twitter makes it easy to foster community within your industry + keep track of up-and-coming trends. #TwitterSmarter
— Wilde Agency (@Wilde_Agency) July 14, 2016
A2 Although many B2B marketers may think their buyers aren't using twitter, I've seen twitter be a solid lead gen channel. #TwitterSmarter
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) July 14, 2016
A2: Twitter is one of the few truly open social networks, optimal for discovery & sentiment monitoring #twitterSmarter
— Stacey DePolo (@sdepolo) July 14, 2016
A2: Using Twitter can help B2B companies build a #tribe! #Winelover Twitter friends retweet, expanding everyone's brand! #TwitterSmarter
— Wine Antics (@WineAntics) July 14, 2016
Q3: Why have B2B companies found Twitter marketing challenging? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/CZR2JVivQa
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A3a: These companies find it challenging because they often think Twitter is only for B2C, not for B2B. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A3b. Also challenging to get buy in from B2B execs because they don't understand Twitter or think it's just for B2C. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A3c: 85% of B2B marketers use Twitter, many not consistently due to lack of confidence in the platform or know-how. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A3d: Unsure of how to target decision maker(s). Unsure how to generate and qualify leads via Twitter. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
Four Main Challenges to B2B Marketing #TwitterSmarterhttps://t.co/zUy33PO6J8
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A3: Because they tend to use it as a megaphone, applying old-school marketing tricks to Twitter doesn't work. #twittersmarter
— Randy Thio (@ideabloke) July 14, 2016
A3, B2B find it difficult because they don't *think* they can track lead gen and don't value conversations as a KPI #TwitterSmarter
— Vincenzo Landino (@vincenzolandino) July 14, 2016
A3: They broadcast more than they engage. Understanding & supporting your audience takes precedence over your own agenda. #TwitterSmarter
— Cision (@Cision) July 14, 2016
A3: I think businesses struggle to know how much to interact and how much to streamline their profile. I say interact more. #TwitterSmarter
— AK Kerani (@AKKerani) July 14, 2016
A3: Well I think if you market too aggressively you use your audience who's simply looking for relevant content. #TwitterSmarter
— AK Kerani (@AKKerani) July 14, 2016
A3: Twitter is a full time job and a lot of corporations sluff it off to outsiders who don't fully get the company culture. #TwitterSmarter
— AK Kerani (@AKKerani) July 14, 2016
@MadalynSklar A3: If you focus too much on leads + advancing your brand, your feed begins to feel like one long sales pitch. #TwitterSmarter
— Wilde Agency (@Wilde_Agency) July 14, 2016
A3: As with any social media site, it can be lack of knowledge and understanding of how to really work it & benefit. #TwitterSmarter 1/2
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A3: Typically B2B's want to see big results. But first you have to master Twitter. Make it work. #TwitterSmarter 2/2
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A3 Unlimited strategic paths on Twitter, I think the challenge is in deciding your path @MadalynSklar #twittersmarter
— Dan Wedin (@danwedin) July 14, 2016
A3) Twitter users expect higher engagement and real-time response. That can be intimidating. #TwitterSmarter
— Jose Watson (@Josewats) July 14, 2016
A3 – they want instant gratification. Listen/engage/help first, then promote would enable more success than promote first. #twittersmarter
— Sue Duris (@SusynEliseDuris) July 14, 2016
Q4: How is B2B Twitter marketing similar to B2C (business to consumer) companies? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/rgy2vmrrtD
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A4a. They both: increase brand awareness; amplify brand messaging; provide customer svc support. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A4b. Helpful, informative, educational content relevant to the specific audience should be shared whether B2B or B2C. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A4c. Appropriate humorous and fun content is a plus! 🙂 #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
5 Ways Your B2B Brand Should Think Like a B2C on Social #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/Q1IVhMs8Ca
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
You are absolutely right! Many B2B forget that the buyers in company are still human beings. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/NUr0mPzG44
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A4 because on Twitter, B2B is still person to person, just like B2C #twittersmarter
— Dan Wedin (@danwedin) July 14, 2016
A4. If you treat the people correctly, you win for better in both business to business and business to consumer #twittersmarter
— Cheval John (@chevd80) July 14, 2016
A4) Whether B2B or B2C it's all about people 2 people. That never changes. #TwitterSmarter
— Jose Watson (@Josewats) July 14, 2016
A4: Is there really any difference? With each it’s about relationship bldg, no? #twittersmarter
— Dr. Robin Johnson (@SavvyOD) July 14, 2016
A4: Exactly. Sometimes B2B folks forget how to talk to real people. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/jCV9Qjtwgs
— Gary Karr (@garykarr) July 14, 2016
A4: a little long but 140 wasn't enough #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/kBjY0cfgRv
— Vincenzo Landino (@vincenzolandino) July 14, 2016
A4: To me, it's the same marketing approach: listen, learn, engage, share, engage some more. #TwitterSmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
Q5: How does B2B Twitter marketing differ from B2C? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/9IIviQyK5z
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A5a: The difference is audience – clients are other businesses. Decision makers for those companies are still individuals! #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A5b: Should ALL B2B use Twitter? There are no absolutes. Is their audience there? That’s the deciding factor. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A5: With #B2B, there's a cool understanding that we're both companies with goals and #marketing agendas. It's more focused. #TwitterSmarter
— AK Kerani (@AKKerani) July 14, 2016
A5: I'm going to echo what @AnhTNguyen has already said. Your audience is different. Know your audience. Always. #TwitterSmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
@MadalynSklar A5: B2C has a huge target audience compared to B2B. B2B is about honing in on a smaller, targeted audience #TwitterSmarter
— Rebecca Rees (@ReesReb) July 14, 2016
A5 a Biz may have 3-5 accts. Focus on engaging the 1 or 2 that are relevant to your goals. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/KyipZkXndD
— Joynicole Martinez (@JoynicoleM) July 14, 2016
A5 Effective B2B twitter content has solid WIIF (what's in it for me). #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/6bjmN28GFU
— Erika Heald (@SFerika) July 14, 2016
@MadalynSklar A5: In B2B marketing, there's more of a responsibility to demonstrate your expertise on Twitter. #TwitterSmarter
— Wilde Agency (@Wilde_Agency) July 14, 2016
A5 – Sales cycle, that's why relationship dev is key. That's why that has to come before content dev. #contentmarketing #twittersmarter
— Sue Duris (@SusynEliseDuris) July 14, 2016
@MadalynSklar A5 agree with @ReesReb – w B2B you need to show industry-specific knowledge/expertise (in <140 chars!) #TwitterSmarter
— HChungSo (@HChungSo) July 14, 2016
A5: Focus is on a different audience. Message & pitch is completely different @MadalynSklar #Twittersmarter
— Dr. Shruti Kapoor (@kapoors_s) July 14, 2016
Q6: How can B2B companies humanize their brand on Twitter? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/dMmmfRPBTy
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A6a: Foregoing the ‘corporate speak.’ Twitter is part of SoMe and brands often forget the ‘social’ convo part. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A6b: Being responsive. Replying to tweets in a timely manner. Replying, period. Use humor and fun when appropriate. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A6c: Knowing their audience, sharing content/information on things audience cares about. Eg, social causes. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A6d: Make sure company leaders are on social and are the human face of the brand! #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
Key – empower!! B2B often fearful of this but the shift is happening! #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/lNel44vFI3
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
a6) be professional, while also being personal. Have real conversations! #twittersmarter
— ThinkTank (@Think_Tank_Mktg) July 14, 2016
@MadalynSklar A6: Admit mistakes, show they care, ask for help, listen more, apologise instead of deny #TwitterSmarter
— Carrie Eddins (@blondepreneur) July 14, 2016
A6: Share, RT, like. Realize you're only human, born to make mistaaaaakes. #TwitterSmarter #TwitterKaraoke https://t.co/2TX08Okdfq
— Gary Karr (@garykarr) July 14, 2016
A6) Humanizing a brand is the struggle of many businesses. The basic way just be social. #TwitterSmarter
— Jose Watson (@Josewats) July 14, 2016
A6: I love how brands like @hootsuite and @buffer let employees do takeovers. We get to see the PEOPLE behind the logo. #TwitterSmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A6: Show the team behind the logo. Allow your audience to get to know you! #TwitterSmarter
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) July 14, 2016
A6) here's the secret I tend to employ: combine storytelling with #analytics. #TwitterSmarter
— ★Dave_RareVictory (@RareVicRec) July 14, 2016
@madalynsklar A6) "Behind the scenes" content is a fun way to humanize the brand. Show who your company is made up of ? #TwitterSmarter
— Hootsuite (@hootsuite) July 14, 2016
Q7: Should B2B company execs be on Twitter? Why or why not? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/3QzTqnHX6K
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A7a: YES. B2B execs should be on Twitter! They're the face of the company and the highest-level brand ambassador. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A7b: Social media is integral to better communicate and connect with their key stakeholders, the community, and clients. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A7c: Having active, engaged execs–from C-suite, to Directors, to high level mgrs–enhances the reputation of the company. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
Why every #B2B CEO should be on social media #TwitterSmarterhttps://t.co/CIYnth79Jk
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A7. However, they should have some company guidelines on how the executives should use twitter for better #twittersmarter
— Cheval John (@chevd80) July 14, 2016
A7: Yes! I feel strongly that corp execs should be highly visible on Twitter. They are THE brand ambassador. Show it! #TwitterSmarter
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
@MadalynSklar A7: The presence of B2B execs on Twitter is another way to humanize your brand, as well. #TwitterSmarter
— Wilde Agency (@Wilde_Agency) July 14, 2016
A7: Absolutely. It invites your audience in behind the scenes (& the logo). Our CEO, @petergranat is on Twitter! #TwitterSmarter
— Cision (@Cision) July 14, 2016
A7: You bet! As long as there is CONSISTENCY & it makes sense! Don't just get on Twitter to be there – have a purpose! #TwitterSmarter
— Michelle Dziuban (@dziubs) July 14, 2016
A7: Richard Branson is a great example of an exec who does SoMe right. #twittersmarter
— Dr. Robin Johnson (@SavvyOD) July 14, 2016
A7 Yes #Executives w/ strong #personalbrand on @twitter have a better chance of being better leaders #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/lBz5IiQ862
— Steve Morozumi (@SFenthusiast) July 14, 2016
A7: They absolutely should be bec its a great way for them to connect with their customers & be transparent @MadalynSklar #Twittersmarter
— Dr. Shruti Kapoor (@kapoors_s) July 14, 2016
Q8: What advice would you give to B2B marketers getting started on Twitter? #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/fIaRetvNhQ
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A8a. Know your audience and what segment of your audience is on Twitter. Craft + share industry-relevant content. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A8b. Can’t say this enough – BE HELPFUL! Share content that provides info, education, and is relevant. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A8c. Don’t sound like a corporate robot and don’t be afraid to use humor when appropriate. #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A8d. Educate execs + employees on how Twitter can benefit the company and the brand. They'll get it if you show them! #TwitterSmarter
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
Twitter Strategies for the B2B Marketer #TwitterSmarterhttps://t.co/PGwEYM3Rn1
— Anh Nguyen (@AnhTNguyen) July 14, 2016
A8: Be patient. Crawl, walk, run, fly. ROI may come slowly. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/bjDEk5LUoQ
— Gary Karr (@garykarr) July 14, 2016
A8: Use @twitter to research businesses in your network. If 85 % of #B2B companies are there, there's a lot to find. #TwitterSmarter
— AK Kerani (@AKKerani) July 14, 2016
A8: I would recommend learning as much about Twitter as possible. Oh and by the way, I teach that. #TwitterSmarter pic.twitter.com/wTM1pzEq7X
— Madalyn Sklar (@MadalynSklar) July 14, 2016
A8. Be authentic with your audience and share valuable content that will solve your customers problems for better #twittersmarter
— Cheval John (@chevd80) July 14, 2016
A8) Don't start blindly. Research your audience/tribe, join in on conversations and add value through engaging content. #TwitterSmarter
— Jose Watson (@Josewats) July 14, 2016
A8)Do your research, know their biz better than the sales guys, &show screenshots of your work (analytics / engagement stats)#TwitterSmarter
— ★Dave_RareVictory (@RareVicRec) July 14, 2016
@MadalynSklar A8: We'd give B2B marketers the same advice we'd give anyone else: https://t.co/uHFeNkScov #TwitterSmarter #ShamelessPlug
— Wilde Agency (@Wilde_Agency) July 14, 2016
A8: It doesn't have to all be about pushing content right away. Lay low & gather info about how people in your network act. #TwitterSmarter
— AK Kerani (@AKKerani) July 14, 2016
A8: When it comes to posting, be consistent. Focus on establishing relationships and building trust with your audience. #TwitterSmarter
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) July 14, 2016
@MadalynSklar A8: Start small, pick a few topics to focus on, and get involved in the conversation, answer business Q's #TwitterSmarter
— Rebecca Rees (@ReesReb) July 14, 2016
A8: I join a lot of chats, and I try to invite my audience to join with me beforehand so I'm helping them out. #TwitterSmarter
— AK Kerani (@AKKerani) July 14, 2016
A8: learn what your competition is doing, build a strategy & develop a voice. Then engage, build relationships and have fun! #TwitterSmarter
— Heather Found (@HeatherFound) July 14, 2016
A8. #Consulting may be an advantage w/ ideal clients in #B2B due to better focus on clients' part. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/GWvZKkdNbg
— Steve Morozumi (@SFenthusiast) July 14, 2016
For more tips, advice and resources to help you master Twitter and grow your business be sure to follow me at @MadalynSklar. I’m also available for one-on-one and group coaching and consulting. Get details here.
Be sure to join us every Thursday on Twitter at 1pm ET at hashtag #TwitterSmarter.