Rich Occhionero's Library tagged social →  View Popular

Some highlights from this research (start by looking at the right two
columns):

• 91% of these technology decision-makers were Spectators -- the highest
  number I've ever seen in a Social Technographics Profile. This means you can
  count on the fact that your buyers are reading blogs, watching user generated
  video, and participating in other social media. Note that 69% of them said they
  were using this technology for business purposes.
  
• Only 5% are non-participants (Inactives).
  
• 55% of these decision-makers were in social networks (Joiners) -- despite as
  mature businesspeople and not college students, you'd think they'd be
  participating a lot less.
  
• 43% are creating media (blogs, uploading videos or articles, etc.) and 58%
  are Critics, reacting to content they see in social formats. Again the numbers
  are very high compared to other groups we've surveyed, and again the level of
  participation for business purposes is also very high.
• Note that buyers use social technology but don't rate it highly in terms of
  its influence on their buying decisions. This, despite the fact that count on
  peers' opinions to make decisions. I think this reflects that people haven't
  gotten used to this sort of information as a key input in buying decisions. This
  will change, especially as better applications come on line.
  
• Social applications should be integrated into other marketing. For example,
  National Instruments
  makes technical content from its customer community central in its marketing
  activity -- this is a model other B2B sellers should follow.
  
• Reach out to people by role -- people with the same job description form
  natural communities. This is a technique IBM SOA marketer Sandy
  Carter has described in her book "The
  Language of Marketing 2.0"