SERIOUSLY SOCIAL (Potentially) Startling Information About IT Buyers and Social Media

Social networks now have a powerful effect on IT and software buyers.

But you don’t have to believe us …

Believe your buyers.

Forrester Consulting and Research Now have conducted the most extensive study so far of IT buyers and social networks.

Here’s what they found…

Social Networks have a dramatic impact on the

B2B IT purchasing process.

Check out these stats

of IT Decision Makers visit a social network monthly

88%

of IT Decision Makers use at least one social network for

business purposes

85%

of IT Decision Makers have engaged with a vendor

on a social network

73%

of IT Decision Makers have been influenced

by at least one social network during their decision making

60%

60% of IT decision makers have had their decisions influenced by social networks.

Did you get that?

WHY ARE THEY THERE?

Top 5 Reasons IT Decision Makers Use Social Media for Business

Top 5 Reasons IT Decision Makers Use Social Media for Business

•  Trust: 58% want to learn from trustworthy peers and 39% want to learn from experts

Top 5 Reasons IT Decision Makers Use Social Media for Business

•  Trust: 58% want to learn from trustworthy peers and 39% want to learn from experts

• Efficiency: 40% want to quickly find info

Top 5 Reasons IT Decision Makers Use Social Media for Business

•  Trust: 58% want to learn from trustworthy peers and 39% want to learn from experts

• Efficiency: 40% want to quickly find info

• Relevance: 37% want relevant context to connect with vendors

Top 5 Reasons IT Decision Makers Use Social Media for Business

•  Trust: 58% want to learn from trustworthy peers and 39% want to learn from experts

• Efficiency: 40% want to quickly find info

• Relevance: 37% want relevant context to connect with vendors

• Access: 49% want access to a broader network

MESSAGE TO MARKETERS

You must engage these decision makers with the content they’re looking for in the places they’re looking for it.

You must take social media seriously.

Your buyers do.

But wait.

Before you rush in ….

You don’t have to be everywhere right now.

There’s good news.

Trying to do everything at once could actually make you suck.

Instead, do one thing right.

Start with:

Why?

Because that’s where your buyers are

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LinkedIn Facebook Twitter

More IT Decision Makers Use LinkedIn

In fact,

You’d have a hard time finding an IT decision maker who uses social media but doesn’t use LinkedIn

and …

25% of them plan to use LinkedIn more over the next year.

2.4 Million Technology Managers

5.5 Million C-Level Executives

61,969 Purchasing Agents

right now On LinkedIn

That’s the good news.

Here’s the bad news.

People are piling on by the thousands

Two new members every second

They’re doing it wrong.

And they’re raising the noise level.

HOW TO GET IT RIGHT

To succeed on LinkedIn you need to have a strategy and a plan. If you just jump in and start dabbling, you won’t get around the noise. You will BE the noise.

How to get LinkedIn right

1. Be strategic

No matter how fabulous you are as a person, buyers want something more from you. They want your expertise. They want you to help them. You’ll need content that provides value.

How to get LinkedIn right

1. Be prepared

Great relationships are not built in two seconds. They evolve over time. Try to push too far too fast and you’ll drive people away. Just like in the off-line world.

How to get LinkedIn right

3. Be patient

Your buyers are looking for expertise to help them solve problems and make better buying decisions. Sometimes they need product or service information. Sometimes they don’t.

How to get LinkedIn right

4. Be helpful

Familiarity helps build trust. Find groups your prospects belong to and participate. Post status updates for your connections (but not too many). Start your own group and make it a hub of relevant information and discussions.

How to get LinkedIn right

5. Be active

LinkedIn is not a stand-alone sales or marketing tactic. It’s a place to connect and start relationships. It’s an opportunity to drive qualified traffic to your website; to add prospects to your list. You must be ready to move the relationship along.

How to get LinkedIn right

6. Be ready to move

If you want to know more about harnessing the power of LinkedIn for sales or marketing, click here to check out our blog.

What next?

You might also be interested in joining our LinkedIn group.

Thanks for reading. See you on LinkedIn.

Want some help?

We show IT and software companies how to use LinkedIn to ramp up sales and marketing effectiveness. Maybe we can help you.

Contact us for a free LinkedIn strategy session.