Social media represents for business a range of web-based software components that when packaged together can offer the experience and value of a non-stop virtual trade show. It’s a way for suppliers and vendors to meet clients and prospects, show off assets and exchange information, all in a neutral space using common tools that everyone understands.

Specific social media benefits for B2B businesses include:

• Being part of the conversation: Social media is as more about connection and interaction than it is about content–what we used to call “networking” before it acquired such a digital connotation. Prospects, customers, vendors, and industry press are all engaged together on numerous social media platforms. Is your voice in the mix?

• Technology expertise & leadership: Any business with an offering or a value proposition involving technology has a mandate to foster a presence in leading-edge communication platforms. Not only does it support brand positioning, it enables access to others who share similar interests and influence.

• Buzz leads to consideration: The word-of-mouth once generated by trade press, conventions, and water coolers is becoming increasingly electronic. And a little bit of hype is valuable not just because it gets your name in the game, but because it leads to consideration.

• Lead sourcing: With the right tools and methods, a social networking platform can be used to identify, cultivate, and qualify leads. There are software tools already in development designed to help businesses automate this process within social media.

• Cost: Expertise and participation has more impact in social media than dollars, which is an attractive proposition just about now. But the fact that the barrier to entry in social media is low means that competition will be high.

Many businesses have already established a presence in social media, whether it’s a Facebook page or a LinkedIn profile or a YouTube channel. But it is important to remember that presence alone is inert; the purpose of social media is to dialogue and engage.

Gigante Vaz has developed a program of services that help B2B brands maximize their opportunities in social media. Following a comprehensive analysis of your goals, opportunities, and current initiatives in the channel, we work to help you:

• Develop sharable content: text, video, audio, image
• Adopt and offer effective sharing tools and methods
• Develop & optimize brand satellites – content, engagement, communications, connections
• Perpetuate outreach: targeted locations for regular participation and content submission
• Perform regular tracking and analysis: Benchmarks, goals, milestones
• Implement lead management methods and metrics