However, we must not forget how important the Internet has become in purchasing decisions of all kinds. These days, to find information, EVERYONE starts by consulting search engines.
People look online FIRST for solutions to business problems
Businesses search for your products and services the same way consumers search for winter tires, for example. That's why your online presence must be effective, because no matter what happened in the past, Internet marketing can benefit your business.
A recent BDC survey tells us that people making a B2B purchasing decision have completed more than half of their purchasing decision process before ever speaking to a sales agent. That means they’re doing their research beforehand. If you don’t have an effective digital presence, you’re likely at a competitive disadvantage before the phone even rings—or worse, you could be losing out on deals you didn’t know you had a chance of winning.
Your website is nice, but “who are you?”
When you're trying to build business-to-business relationships online, it all comes down to your credibility. That comes from your website as a clearinghouse, and then from everything else that builds your reputation online, including online reviews and social media discussions.
Context is what matters to B2B consumers. So, find out what overseas chinese in canada data matters to them and reflect that in your communications. If the information you’re presenting to them doesn’t interest them, chances are they’ll ignore your business.
Competition is present on the Internet
Besides, if you haven't configured your website around the content and keywords your customers are searching for, your competition most likely already has.
Ask yourself: “Can potential customers find my business online?” “What keywords would they use to do so?” By answering these questions, you can begin to produce content that reflects what your potential customers are looking for.
Social media isn't necessarily limited to Facebook
Many of my B2B clients think that Facebook is the only social media. They tell me, “I sell product X to industrial engineers, so I have no reason to be on Facebook.” Maybe so, but is that audience actually missing from Facebook?
There are other tools in the social media world besides Facebook that allow you to interact with an audience (X, Instagram, Pinterest, for example). They all differ from each other in terms of their purpose and how people use them. Knowing how people use these channels is essential to determining the best approach to communicating with them.
Building Relationships Through LinkedIn
What about LinkedIn as a way to build relationships? A good LinkedIn company page (and good executive profiles) can be a great way to show your value to potential clients. You can share advice and information that is relevant to people in your industry. You can also join specific LinkedIn groups. To use the example of industrial engineers, I found the following groups:
Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE)
Mechanical Design Forum
Automation Engineers
Could you make connections in one of these groups? Well, maybe.
Online contact is as important as non-virtual contact
I was recently speaking with an entrepreneur whose business has grown thanks to web-based customers and who continues to be impressed with each new contact.
He can’t quite grasp that all these people are actually looking for the type of products he sells. While he hasn’t yet refined his digital strategy to match his company’s branding, he now knows he can sell his products to customers online.
Your business can do the same thing. It’s no surprise that potential customers are searching for your products or services. That’s the way business works these days. The question remains: Will people find your business or your competition?
