we are B-to-B and we don’t need marketing

“Smart companies see marketing as an integral part of doing business — a necessity no less important than the company email system, their computers, or their office lease,” said Sean Jackson, CFO Copyblogger to its CMO Sonia Simone back in 2011.

This is the best explanation I have ever read that articulates the true role of marketing and you should read the whole article.  At Minerva, we are ALL IN on this movement that is redefining marketing.

The most successful efforts will not only recognize the value of marketing differently, but will integrate it with their public relations, content development, email, and social media outreach.  And they will ignite a culture of communications that runs throughout the operations of the company.

If you go through our website, you will not find a mention of ROI anywhere. We don’t make that promise, because that is not what we what we are responsible for. What we do is understand where your business is going and align the strategy that can make this a reality.  We believe that the integration of these platforms matters just as much for our business-to-business clients as it does for business-to-consumer clients, maybe more.

According to a recent study from the Harvard Business Review, while “79% of the 2,100 companies surveyed are either using or planning to use social media channels, a measly 12% of those firms feel that they are using them effectively.”

Kicking off your company’s social media is not a simple task and involves real risks.  When a company reaches out to us to help launch their social media, we often discover that their communications functions operate in silos and what is actually missing is a strategy, integration and a plan.

Bottom line, anyone can post something to Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+ and the rest.  For a business that markets to other businesses, this has to be a deliberate and thoughtful engagement.

• What vendors’ services can you highlight to enhance your relationship?
• How can you celebrate your employees’ successes to improve culture?
• What projects can you promote to timely connect to your business development?
• What writer is searching for the story you are developing?
• How can the city your business is moving into learn the type of corporate citizen you will be?
• How can you spread the message about your company’s charitable cause to a larger audience?

Just like you get a little excited when there is a like on your personal Facebook, a retweet on Twitter or a +1 on Google+, so do your vendors, partners, reporters and communities.  We all want to be acknowledged.

For the companies willing to do the work, this movement has a ripple affect that WILL drive business and generate profit.  But it takes time, perseverance and commitment.  It’s a movement.  Want in?