The way of B2B companies in social networks
We work rather closely with large Russian B2B companies . Each of them declares its openness, and rightly so: this is required by the manner of self-representation of public companies all over the world. This, it is logical to assume, means today an active position in social media. Nevertheless, this field of marketing is being mastered by Russian business very slowly and, in my opinion, there are several reasons (I place them in descending order of importance):
1) not enough staff.
The PR department, often also the IR department of a typical industrial giant, usually includes 2-3 people with quite clearly described job descriptions. Keeping a live facebook page or a twitter channel is not a direct responsibility. Well, if someone in the framework of professional zeal starts this job as a special project. But for the regular work of such a motive is usually not enough, and the dedicated employee does not have staffing.
2) not enough organizational skills.
After listening to the numerous SMM events inspired by the speakers, many companies would be happy to turn to face the society through interactive channels, but do not know how to approach this task. Contact a specialized or PR-agency? The price tag is not less than 200 thousand per month. Instruct related professionals who support the site? Those most likely do not know what to do. The search for a solution is made too complicated and comes to naught.
')
3) prefer traditional tools.
Annual report, participation in conferences, publications in industry and occasionally in general business publications - what else is needed for complete happiness? A typical line of reasoning is the PR director of an industrial enterprise. Someone else is enough to sponsor a football team and denim plots on television.
And of course, the site, which is erected as a monument - for centuries.
4) is considered unacceptable for your area of ​​activity
Social networks - for children and idlers. Corporate tasks they do not solve. A very characteristic opinion of “serious” people from “serious” enterprises.
5) insufficient evidence of ROI
This barrier is more typical for the B2C business, but in the corporate segment there are often questions: “what will it give us?”, “How will we justify additional expenses?”
6) financial restrictions
A similar reason, but more prosaic. "We have all the money written, come in next year."
7) fear of receiving a negative response
Ostrich syndrome. Characteristic barrier for Russian business. After all, a negative review, complaint, negative comment, unpleasant truth is a problem for the manager who made such a publication, and not for the company as a whole. Social networks are considered a zone of special, unwarranted risk.
8) fear of breach of confidentiality
Too much opacity, information that is not allowed to be distributed. In many ways, these fears are redundant, but do not forget that we live in a country with rich first wave. These people are always overly scrupulous about privacy issues.
9) fear of damaging the brand / reputation
At the end of the list are exotic barriers, but with which we also encountered. Occasionally, the seriousness of the attitude towards one’s own company is so great that the very fact of its presence in a public space is accepted as damage. Values ​​built on closeness are certainly incompatible with the use of social media.
10) bad previous experience
Despite the fact that 3-4 years ago no one spoke about social networks in the context of the representation of big business, today there are companies that say: we already did it, and we really didn’t like it. In essence, this reason is a combination of the problems listed above, supported by practical experience.
So what to do with it?
a) some barriers just need to go through (3-6). Perhaps this can be influenced, but this influence will be too imperceptible. Over time, the use of social channels will become commonplace, and the items will disappear on their own.
b) some barriers are adjusted by soft work with clients (7-9). Search vector communications through social media - the main task of the agency or consultant. It is not necessary to take sharp steps, it is enough to start with something not very painful for the client, with what he is proud of and that the formal approval of the high management has already passed.
and finally
c) barriers 1 and 2 are perceived by me as purely technical (and at the same time most often encountered).
There is a solution for their elimination: it is necessary to show to interested parties a simple, mechanical way to keep corporate sources in social media alive without hiring additional personnel. Link these sources to the corporate website CMS . Usually, the texts published there are verified to the point, and the process of their approval is established by years of practice. Therefore, entry into the social space will be very painless. The staff is the same people who are involved in your site.
Last week we launched a free DEFA SMP module for general use.
Such a calculation - companies willingly agree to the introduction of a new functional, receive the first pages in social networks, the first feedbacks, slowly get involved and then receive our support and maintenance services.
The module is now designed for CMS Bitrix (do not swear, I know that they do not like it here), in the near future I will also offer it to Dima Vasilyev, and also prepare it for use with any other self-written CMS. Now the module can work with Facebook, Twitter, VKontakte and Odnoklassniki.
In promoting the “socialization” of the corporate sector, we relied not so much on our clients as on professional “webmasters”, who, in fact, are shy before Social Media Marketing even more than the PR departments of large companies. Using privately social tools, they do not even think to offer services to support their customers in social networks. Now they will have some technological tools that will allow expanding the range of services provided, making the SMM market more transparent and competitive.
1) not enough staff.
The PR department, often also the IR department of a typical industrial giant, usually includes 2-3 people with quite clearly described job descriptions. Keeping a live facebook page or a twitter channel is not a direct responsibility. Well, if someone in the framework of professional zeal starts this job as a special project. But for the regular work of such a motive is usually not enough, and the dedicated employee does not have staffing.
2) not enough organizational skills.
After listening to the numerous SMM events inspired by the speakers, many companies would be happy to turn to face the society through interactive channels, but do not know how to approach this task. Contact a specialized or PR-agency? The price tag is not less than 200 thousand per month. Instruct related professionals who support the site? Those most likely do not know what to do. The search for a solution is made too complicated and comes to naught.
')
3) prefer traditional tools.
Annual report, participation in conferences, publications in industry and occasionally in general business publications - what else is needed for complete happiness? A typical line of reasoning is the PR director of an industrial enterprise. Someone else is enough to sponsor a football team and denim plots on television.
And of course, the site, which is erected as a monument - for centuries.
4) is considered unacceptable for your area of ​​activity
Social networks - for children and idlers. Corporate tasks they do not solve. A very characteristic opinion of “serious” people from “serious” enterprises.
5) insufficient evidence of ROI
This barrier is more typical for the B2C business, but in the corporate segment there are often questions: “what will it give us?”, “How will we justify additional expenses?”
6) financial restrictions
A similar reason, but more prosaic. "We have all the money written, come in next year."
7) fear of receiving a negative response
Ostrich syndrome. Characteristic barrier for Russian business. After all, a negative review, complaint, negative comment, unpleasant truth is a problem for the manager who made such a publication, and not for the company as a whole. Social networks are considered a zone of special, unwarranted risk.
8) fear of breach of confidentiality
Too much opacity, information that is not allowed to be distributed. In many ways, these fears are redundant, but do not forget that we live in a country with rich first wave. These people are always overly scrupulous about privacy issues.
9) fear of damaging the brand / reputation
At the end of the list are exotic barriers, but with which we also encountered. Occasionally, the seriousness of the attitude towards one’s own company is so great that the very fact of its presence in a public space is accepted as damage. Values ​​built on closeness are certainly incompatible with the use of social media.
10) bad previous experience
Despite the fact that 3-4 years ago no one spoke about social networks in the context of the representation of big business, today there are companies that say: we already did it, and we really didn’t like it. In essence, this reason is a combination of the problems listed above, supported by practical experience.
So what to do with it?
a) some barriers just need to go through (3-6). Perhaps this can be influenced, but this influence will be too imperceptible. Over time, the use of social channels will become commonplace, and the items will disappear on their own.
b) some barriers are adjusted by soft work with clients (7-9). Search vector communications through social media - the main task of the agency or consultant. It is not necessary to take sharp steps, it is enough to start with something not very painful for the client, with what he is proud of and that the formal approval of the high management has already passed.
and finally
c) barriers 1 and 2 are perceived by me as purely technical (and at the same time most often encountered).
There is a solution for their elimination: it is necessary to show to interested parties a simple, mechanical way to keep corporate sources in social media alive without hiring additional personnel. Link these sources to the corporate website CMS . Usually, the texts published there are verified to the point, and the process of their approval is established by years of practice. Therefore, entry into the social space will be very painless. The staff is the same people who are involved in your site.
Last week we launched a free DEFA SMP module for general use.
Such a calculation - companies willingly agree to the introduction of a new functional, receive the first pages in social networks, the first feedbacks, slowly get involved and then receive our support and maintenance services.
The module is now designed for CMS Bitrix (do not swear, I know that they do not like it here), in the near future I will also offer it to Dima Vasilyev, and also prepare it for use with any other self-written CMS. Now the module can work with Facebook, Twitter, VKontakte and Odnoklassniki.
In promoting the “socialization” of the corporate sector, we relied not so much on our clients as on professional “webmasters”, who, in fact, are shy before Social Media Marketing even more than the PR departments of large companies. Using privately social tools, they do not even think to offer services to support their customers in social networks. Now they will have some technological tools that will allow expanding the range of services provided, making the SMM market more transparent and competitive.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/129251/
All Articles