Head to head: The best way to use social media

John Dobbin, principal, Nexus IT and Communications Solutions

Social media, especially Twitter, is a positive addition to research, marketing and customer service functions when done properly. Like anything, success comes from good execution. For social media, this means integrating it into your everyday practice. It is a conversation. No, it is multiple conversations - like at a party. And to get anything out of it you must be willing to jump in and out of conversations and make a contribution several times a day. A lot of people are not very good at this. They come across like robots on Twitter, and when nobody talks back to them they give up.

For those who can let down their barriers, be real and have a chat, the rewards are great. You meet like-minded people from all over the world who will share an interesting link, make introductions or pass on a referral. It is of course fundamentally another networking forum, but a networking forum that is constantly going on and with lot more people than can fit into a function room.

Bruce Rasmussen, principal, Carpe Diem Consulting

The key is to recognise that buyers don't start buying when we want to start selling - and they want to search and talk to their peers before they talk with us.

So, marketers: Stop doing disjointed, one-off "push" campaigns. Use social media to (a) listen to buyers where they hang out; (b) interpret the issues they're having to build solutions and sales intelligence; (c) monitor and act on their experiences with you; and (d) follow the buyers' journey with expert content, giving them quality ideas in the buying process.

Salespeople: Use the platforms to discover and connect with buyers and add value by updating them regularly. (a) Find new prospects via social media searches and referrals, which your network will give if you are trustworthy and keep adding value. (b) Listen online to hear the "sales triggers" that might indicate opportunity such as change of company/role, merger, having a problem etc. (c) Research prior to prospect meetings to be well prepared. (d) Seek recommendations to build your reputation. The tools are easy.