February 24, 2014
The way consumers purchase products has changed. The internet, and particularly social media, has transformed the ways in which consumers buy and research products.
No longer do you simply walk into a shop and purchase a product you have never used before. Consumers are researching the product online: reading reviews, comparing price points, consulting blogs and forums… In fact, the average consumer consults 10.4 sources during the buying process.
When it comes to B2B marketing, we know the decision makers are using social media –72% of B2B buyers use social media during the buying process – to research companies, ascertain what they need, and eventually make the decision and purchase.
For B2B marketers to succeed, there needs to be collaboration. A mixture of platforms need to be used (whether it’s LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter or email marketing), but without collaboration between sales and marketing, true success cannot be achieved.
Whether it’s the marketing team sharing useful content with sales to follow up with prospects or sales sharing customer feedback with the marketing team, collaboration between all areas of the business is essential to generate, nurture and convert quality leads.
For more information on driving sales through social media, check out the infographic by Introhive below: