Why Should a B2B Sales Company Have a Facebook Page?
Let's start off by saying that the B in "B2B" does not stand for boring. B2B companies often have a stigma of being boring and a bit drab compared to B2C businesses. Newsflash: it doesn't have to be that way!
There are a many, many key reasons why I believe that B2B companies can greatly benefit from having a company Facebook page. I'll highlight just a few main points.
1. To be found.
If you'd like more information on a company, nine times out of ten what do you do? You search for them online, whether through Google or Bing. And let's hope that you find the company website above the fold of your browser. Well, what else shows up besides the company website? Information that is related to the company, such as social profiles! If there are any other nerds out there reading this, then you know that Google has made a plethora of updates over the past years, from including social media information in search results to Hummingbird, where conversational searches are returning better and more accurate results which quite possibly include social profiles. In addition to searching within a general search engine, most younger generations now search for companies on - that's right - Facebook. If you're not found then let's face it, you may be missing out, whether it be in sales or in hiring.
2. To show that you're more than a logo and a great reputation: You're also human!
Having a great reputation is a wonderful thing, but times have changed. It pays to show it! It has been proven that images boost interactions and engagement because of the emotion (or lack thereof) it generates from the viewer. If you state that your company is highly involved in charity work, well... Show it! Include some photos! Having a Facebook account is great to show off your company for who you really are. We at AG have a very friendly culture. You can always walk into the lunch room, find it packed with coworkers and easily sit next to any single person and have a great conversational lunch. AG enjoys promoting a positive company culture so if someone checks us out on Facebook hopefully they'll perceive AG in the same light. It is a great vehicle to help companies convey their culture and highlight their added value outside of the 9-5 duties.
3. It's a great platform to engage with customers and prospects.
Does your company generate useful content? Outside of your website, where else do you share it? Can you share your content and interact with people? On Facebook, you can! Use the platform as a way to listen to customers and prospects, and when possible, jump in and help. Help them answer a question, help them find useful content on something they're looking into, or engage with them by leaving a post or comment. Now playing devil's advocate, let's think about what would happen if you didn't have a company Facebook account. Customers and prospects are enviably engaging without you, you're missing out! What if a customer is vocal about being dissatisfied with your product or service and you're no where to be found in order to correct and amend the situation? What if a business posted something that would infer that they're looking into a new solution? You could have then contacted the necessary people at that company early on in their decision making process and maybe made a sale. You'd be missing out on that type of communication and interaction. Whether you're on Facebook or not, those types of interactions are taking place. Better to be present within the conversation, good or bad, then absent all together!
Social media isn't going anywhere anytime soon so unless you plan on hopping into your time machine, why not embrace the open communication and use it to your company's advantage? Be found online, show the world how great your company is, and interact with people in your industry, your customers, and prospects. Granted, it does take some time, but being in the know is worth it!