Humanizing the Organization
By: Lauren Vargas
I have a fondness for acronyms. Perhaps it is because of my former role in the government, but I can have a conversation using only acronyms. (One day when we meet in person, you can test me.) An acronym is used to simplify long expressions that are difficult to remember or time consuming to say and write. Sometimes acronyms take on a life of their own and become over-simplified to the extreme. I think this is what has become of the B2B versus B2C debate within social media. The acronyms have boxed in the definitions and given no room to stretch legs and creativity in new communication channels.
It is time to start coloring outside the lines of these predetermined beliefs surrounding how B2B and B2C organizations operate within social media. Because, as Jason Falls stated in 13 Essential Social Media Lessons for B2B Marketers from the Masters, it is all about people.
“B2B is more P2P – people to people. The buyer still wants to buy from a trusted friend, not a logo or a company. Making your business more human, putting a name, face and relationship on the relationship goes a long way. United Linens isn’t a company. It’s Scott, the marketing director. I can trust him. Some random linen company? Not so much. That brings B2B down to a level we can all relate to.”
The essence of social media is about breaking down barriers, forging relationships and encouraging a dialog and not a monologue between the organization and the community. As defined by the dictionary, a relationship is “an emotional or other connection between people.” Not between a person and a company avatar. Not between a person and an automated response. People to people.
Organizations do not make decisions to buy one product over another. People within the organization make those decisions based upon research and bias from external relationships formed between themselves and the people representing the other vendor.
So, whether you are seeking B2B or B2C relationships, your organization must reveal characteristics of itself through the workforce and truly embrace three dimensional characters. Can a large B2B organization pull off this type of interaction? IBM is a great example of how a large organization is embracing social media through their workforce.
The principles of B2B versus B2C are not so very different. At the end of the day, it is about establishing and maintaining long term relationships. Is this any different than the house or office call of one vendor to another or chat over coffee? No, it is just another business communication channel and opportunity to humanize the organization.
So, if you have to use an acronym, why not P2P?
Great article Lauren, I am starting to have a lot of success with this approach as a community manager.
Depending on the situation at hand, we have a communications manager that is AMAZING at giving a formal press-style response and other situations I interact with clients in a very informal and personal way. We have found a formula that plays to both our strengths and our users seem to love it.
Many of the cases that come to mind are B2C, but it has been working for B2B as well.
Great article Lauren, I am starting to have a lot of success with this approach as a community manager.
Depending on the situation at hand, we have a communications manager that is AMAZING at giving a formal press-style response and other situations I interact with clients in a very informal and personal way. We have found a formula that plays to both our strengths and our users seem to love it.
Many of the cases that come to mind are B2C, but it has been working for B2B as well.
"B2B is more P2P – people to people" ~ <a rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/vargasl" rel="nofollow">@vargasl post on Humanizing the Organization at <a rel="nofollow" href="http://twitter.com/radian6" rel="nofollow">@radian6 blog http://bit.ly/agRQK1
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mike Brown and Erik Florida, B2Bento at GetIT. B2Bento at GetIT said: "B2B is more P2P – people to people" ~ @vargasl post on Humanizing the Organization at @radian6 blog http://bit.ly/agRQK1 [...]
Nice post Lauren and you're correct, the importance of focusing on people is true if only because people buy from people. Relationships build trust and loyalty through the people involved and that is then shared through other networks and relationships through word of mouth.
Most important isn't your message but the conversation that follows.
Nice post Lauren and you're correct, the importance of focusing on people is true if only because people buy from people. Relationships build trust and loyalty through the people involved and that is then shared through other networks and relationships through word of mouth.
Most important isn't your message but the conversation that follows.
[...] seem like an oxymoronic exercise. But is it? Lauren Vargas from Radian 6 wrote a great post about humanizing the organization from a B2B perspective – but the principles apply to any online or offline relationship – [...]