Brand impression, awareness and engagement – are all part of the 101 rules of a good advertising campaign. So can this be achieved through digital content and how has Social Media impacted the way we promote business? Today B2B businesses are using all forms of digital channels to stay connected with their customer and Linkedin seems to be the hero. Created in 2003 in Co-founder, Reid Hoffman’s living room, today Linkedin has over 830 million members across 200 countries. (https://about.linkedin.com/).
Are the seven steps of sales a thing of the past?
As the world becomes more connected, businesses need to have a clear USP (Unique Value Proposition) and that’s when social media can play a big role in delivering brand personality and messages. ‘The digital era of sales is now based on a purchase-consumption loop, a non-linear framework’.(Cortez, Dastidar 2021 p.93)
Content can be more than an introduction it can be a way to show your expertise and way of thinking and this should directly reflect the brand’s personality and values. ‘With so much information at hand, the customer is more informed, enabling a narrower consideration set’ (Vieira et al., 2019, p. 1100).
While advertising your product or service is an option for content it is less credible on a platform such as Linkedin. It should be a soft sell approach to generate credible qualified buyers and followers, helping to define brand perception and positioning. Tony Engleman, Creative Director from www.johnnyboyproductions.com.au says in the Podcast Interview below, ‘today the sales cycle is longer and sales funnels have changed, it’s all about showing the value through all areas of the customer journey ‘ (Engleman 2022).
What is considered compelling content?
Depending on how engaging and relevant the post is you will get different outcomes – Like, Share, Follow. ‘Followers are the lifeblood of a B2B service firm since they are the company’s biggest digital fans’ (Bump, P 2020 blog.hubspot.com).
The most effective content inspires a reaction and leaves an impression. Businesses can build content that demonstrates their values and purpose which is part of their brand story.
‘The content achieves meaning only through the viewer’s interpretation and, thus, new knowledge is created’ Cortez, Dastidar 2021 p.94). Content needs to be memorable and relevant enough for the user to want to post it and therefore endorse/comment about it.
So what are the limitations of LinkedIn and what is the future?
The limitation is the length of time it can take to get a more intimate dialogue with a prospect. What used to be the 30-second elevator pitch is now three seconds of reading a post or a video reel. It also requires strategic planning and continual monitoring to get the best marketing results.
Due to limited resources to manage the digital engagement and moderating of posts and conversations, LinkedIn is still under-valued in most businesses. ‘Only 10% of marketers say they’re investing in LinkedIn. While LinkedIn’s lead conversion rates are 3X higher than other major ad platforms, including Google Ads.’ (LinkedIn) (Bump, P 2021 blog.hubspot.com).’
The future trends for LinkedIn will be more compelling messaging in user content. It seems user content is becoming more personal and authentic and this is something customers are beginning to value when engaging with a business. They want to know the people behind the company, not just the service offered.
To learn more about the impacts of LinkedIn Sales and marketing for B2B, listen to my podcast below with content creator Tony Engleman.https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F1333787440&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&color=ff5500
Liz Mercogliano · Podcast interview with Tony Engleman – The impact of LinkedIn sales and marketing for B2B businesses
References
Bump, P. (2020). 24 LinkedIn stats that marketers need to know in 2020. Retrieved on October 2020 from https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/.
Bump, P (2021) 31 LinkedIn Stats That Marketers Need to Know in 2021 Written by Pamela Bump https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/linkedin-stats
Mora Cortez R, Ghosh Dastidar A. A longitudinal study of B2B customer engagement in LinkedIn: The role of brand personality. Journal of Business Research. 2022;145:92-105. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.02.086
Engleman, T. (2022) Podcast Interview (Mercogliano L )(Host), August 23rd 2022, The impact of LinkedIn sales and marketing for B2B businesses {Podcast To Be Honest Shirley)
LinkedIn – (https://about.linkedin.com/).
Vieira, V.A., de Almeida, M.I.S., Agnihotri, R. et al. In pursuit of an effective B2B digital marketing strategy in an emerging market. J. of the Acad. Mark. Sci. 47, 1085–1108 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-019-00687-1
Media
<a href=”https://www.freepik.com/vectors/contact-list“>Contact list vector created by freepik – www.freepik.com</a>
https://brand.linkedin.com/content/brand/global/en_us/index/visual-identity/logo
Conceptual Framework. (Cortez, Dastidar 2021 p.93)
LoFi Hip Hop Music by Coma-Media from Pixabay