Highlights and Insights from January’s Brews & Brands

Our first Brews & Brands session of 2020 focused on social media.  What follows are just a few of the valuable insights and ideas shared during this month’s session.  Since most of the participants represented B2B companies, much of the focus was on maximizing LinkedIn.

Setting Goals

Everyone emphasized the importance of setting goals for social media.  Goals ranged from 2 – 5 posts per week (low volume / high quality) to 3 – 10 posts per week for a business page, to 3 posts per day for one company.  One goal we all loved was to generate at least one inbound engagement every week.  Think about your inbound goals.

In addition to a numerical goal, it’s important to know your overall objective.  One example shared was to humanize a financial brand.  Everyone agreed that you have to use analytics to know who’s looking at your content and which kinds of posts are performing well.

Content Creation

While it’s fine to share relevant content from other sources, everyone stressed that you need to forego the easy way out and create your own content.  Video is quickly becoming the medium of choice.  And while you want yours to feel professional, don’t wait until it’s perfect or you’ll never start.

One attendee has had lots of success with LinkedIn messages.  Compare the number of LinkedIn messages you receive to the number of emails you get.  Because we get so few of them compared to email, a LinkedIn message is much more likely to be read.  The keys?  Keep your message short like an elevator pitch.  How are you going to help them?  How have you helped someone they know?  

And as any good Storybrand Guide would tell you, look for ways to make your customer or prospect the hero.  Customer videos and interviews are a great way to do this, and tend to get a lot of views.  Content is more important than polish, but strive toward both.  Above all, be authentic.

Giveaways can work well for B2C companies.  Tips and tricks make more sense for B2B prospects.

Tools

These are just some of the tools our attendees are using.

To get more out of LinkedIn, use Hootsuite Amplify.

For video email, use BombBomb.  One attendee uses this to send clients a video after a meeting rather than a traditional email – and they love it.

To build your following, use eLink Pro with LinkedIn Navigator.   One user in the group added 500 followers in 6 weeks.

Also consider Highspot.  If someone views a post, you can send them a request to connect.

To manage online contests or giveaways, you might use Rafflecopter.

And while you certainly should never call him a tool, all agreed that you should follow Gary Vaynerchuk on LinkedIn.

Other Tips

Salespeople – include your phone number in your profile.  If you don’t, you’ve created a barrier to inbound calls from prospects.

Truly engage with other people’s posts, especially from people or companies you hope to work with or want as followers.  Like them, share them and make meaningful comments.

Beware of influencers.  Are their followers the people you want, and are they doing what you want?

Next Month

Want to be a part of this monthly meeting of the minds for marketers?  Visit www.brewsandbrands.com to find out more and register for the next session on Thursday, February 13 at 3:30 pm.

Thanks again to the new home of Brews & Brands, Against the Grain Brewery, for being such accommodating hosts.

And thanks for reading what is officially the longest Marketing Minute ever.