Simple answer – you can!
Longer answer – you can, but with different expectations…
As those of us who have been using social media for awhile know, the true value of social media platforms like Twitter doesn’t lie in the tangible metrics. Twitter’s sole purpose isn’t sales, but active participation in real-time information sharing. But of course, demonstrating value and return on investment of using social media networks as business tools is a concern for many healthcare B2B companies as the movement into new media trends upward in our industry. Is it possible to fill both needs?
In what I deem to be a highly-noteworthy “Twitter Success Story,” Dell, a top PC manufacturer worldwide, has generated around $3 million in the last two years through Twitter. This comes from actively tweeting and offering Twitter-specific discounts, rebates and offers that direct followers to the Dell Outlet Web site. Granted, Dell’s Twitter sales account for less than a sliver of its multi-billion-dollar annual sales, but its success in attracting buyers shows healthcare technology companies that money can be made through the micro-blogging service.
Okay, so now you’re probably saying “I’m not Dell.” Well, even if you’re not a mega-tech-powerhouse and world-renowned brand like Dell, developing and integrating an effective Twitter B2B business strategy is something that any company should be able to do if you have the key components. But to be fair, your goals and plan must align with your own company, brand, industry, product, etc. but most importantly your CLIENTS. Your healthcare clients might not care about news of the new sales director you hired, but they might care more about a discount on your product or service, a Webinar you’re hosting, product demos or a conference you’ll be attending.
And before you embark on your social commerce mission, it is important to define your business goals and what you hope to achieve (maybe not $3 million worth of goals). Do you want to gain X number of followers, expand business network to X number of people, sell $X of product, provide tech support to X number of people, etc.? Or just connect with clients, build your brand and send out real-time information? With an internal and external team put into place to strategically map out your social media goals, objectives and tactics, you may be the company people are soon discussing as a “Twitter Success Story.”
