Having a strong social media presence is no longer an option for freight brokers; it is a need.
Social media for B2B has become an essential method of marketing. It has its leverage in every industry you can think of. While the common B2B marketing tactics include email and website marketing, the power of social media should not be forgotten. It is a missed opportunity when B2B companies don’t take advantage of the perks that comes with social media. It’s a great way to get information out fast to your target audiences.
With the proper digital marketing strategies, your business can assist prospects in researching purchase decisions, improve search engine optimization (SEO), generate leads and drive business. Social media platforms tap into our desire to share our thoughts, feelings and opinions.
Here are 5 tips for effective social media marketing:
1. Establish SMART goals for your social media efforts that aligns with your business’ values.
This means making sure your goals are Specific, Measurable, Action Oriented, Realist, and Time based. A SMART goal has a high chance of being accomplished than a general one.
2. Include LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter in your digital marketing strategy.
Be mindful of over extending your brand on too many social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter will be the most effective social tools for your freight brokering business. LinkedIn is commonly known for relationship building and connecting with business professionals which is vital for B2B companies. LinkedIn also offers targeting advertisement to get your message in from of the right people.
Creating a Facebook business page helps with brand awareness and exposure. It allows for businesses to build communities where they can interact daily with prospects and current customers.
Twitter is also an effective social platform. Didn’t think your industry had an audience? Think again. Twitter helps companies connect with current target audiences, share thought leadership and build brand awareness within a niche-based industry.
Each of these social media platforms also offer their own analytics, giving you the opportunity to really learn more about your audience and how to tailor your message.
3. Figure out what works for your audience:
The “one size fits all” notion doesn’t always apply for every industry and platform. A common slip-up that many businesses make with social media is limiting their content to promotional content only.
For B2B marketing, the 30/60/10 rule should be applied:
- 30% – Owned Content
- 60% – Curated Content
- 10% – Promotional Content
30 percent of what you share should be content you’ve created. Owned content is content that you’ve created and owned by your brand. This can include blogs, photos, slides, videos and any other content you’ve produced, whether it is hosted on your direct website or elsewhere. Because you don’t want to seem self-absorbed, keep in mind that content that you are producing is a direct reflection of your business. If you are only talking about yourself, this limits growth opportunities that can be tapped into.
60 percent of what you share should be content you’ve curated. Curated content is content that is not created by your brand. It includes content that is in some way relevant to your business and industry that your target audience would find interesting. Keep in mind that curated content cannot just be a link to an article and needs to include your commentary and POV.
10 percent of what you share should be a call to action. Promotional content always includes a call-to-action. This percentage is the lowest because too much selling on social platforms can be a turn off to prospects.
4. Stay up to date:
Social media marketing is ever changing. New features and algorithms are constantly being added to LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter and with the access to so much information, educating yourself is easy.
It is important to keep up with the latest trends through subscribing to social media blogs that feature the latest social trends, attending events and conferences and even watching what your competitors are doing within their social media efforts.
Track your marketing techniques to figure out what works and filter out what doesn’t.
5. Build and maintain relationships:
The freight industry is strongly based on reputation and network. The best way to build relationships with your business-to-business customers is to interact with them and show your initiatives.
Respond in a timely manner to comments and questions. Developing and maintaining relationships is essential to the success of freight brokerages.
Social media allows for freight brokers to stay connected to their audience and drive business. If you want to reap the benefits that social media offers be sure to have a well though out plan. A few minutes a day allocated to social media can drastically improve your number of clientele.
About the Author: Factor Finders specializes in finding factoring companies that can fund difficult-to-place deals. Our services help other factoring brokers capitalize on commissions that might otherwise be lost.
If you have a prospective transaction that you cannot find a funder then contact us at FactorFinders.com. We’ll find the factor for you and split commissions 50-50.