Okay first of all let me confirm again, TueTwiew stands for Tuesday Twitter Interviews. I have personally decided to dedicate 1 hour on Tuesdays interviewing some of the thought leaders in the Indian or Global Social Media context directly on Twitter. #TueTwiew allows people to ask questions directly to the delegate of the evening at the same time they can contribute their thoughts using hashtag. The context of today’s session was Indian B2B Social Media Context with Jessie Paul. Jessie is one of my most favorite Indian marketers, I adore her since my employee days at CMO Axis. Jessie who has previously head marketing and branding division of leading IT companies now owns Paul Writer Marketing Advisory – that hosts some of the most premium marketing events in the country today. Jessie is also an author of best seller – No Money Marketing.

Please read the conversations raised on Twitter:

 1: Myself: Based on your experience how is B2B Social Media Marketing scenario in India? Are brands really taking it seriously? #TueTwiew

Jessie‘s Response: 

• Yes, B2B brands are on social media. But probably more LinkedIn or Slideshare than Facebook or Twitter
  
• Another much-ignored aspect of B2B is the use of YouTube for demos and thought leadership
  
• I should add that I’m B2B too, and social media works for me 🙂
  
• But whether it is B2B or B2C, the important thing is that the firm should be social, otherwise ‘social media” becomes propaganda
  

2: Based on above conversation a question from Malhar Barai: How about webinars? Should that be a focus? Example: Hubspot is using it actively for lead generation

Jessie‘s Response:

• Have not seen many folks successful with webinars in B2B in India. 100 is max, and most run at <20
• Yes, Hubspot do, but how many attendees do they get from India? And then sales? worldwide, yes, webinars work 1/2
  
• I think Indians still prefer a more structured learning environment, not many offices are equipped for webinars #TueTwiew

3. Myself: Where does Social Media fit in B2B organisation’s marketing mix? What could be possible objectives? #TueTwiew

Jessie’s Response:

•  As B2B buyers to social media, the impact will increase. Right now the demographics of users are a bit skewed to youth
  
• B2B buyers are the same as B2C buyers – it is just that they spend someone else’s money. So objectives of B2B SoMe is the same
  

 4. Myself: How & Y is it important to consider Social Publishing Tools such as Youtube, Slideshare, blog in B2B SM context?

• Jessie: it would also depend on the particular “search cycle” for your vertical. do they ask on Twitter? or Slideshare?
  

5. Myself: Still, isn’t it important 2 be more active on Social Publishing front for a B2B organization? content richness helps?

• Jessie: Look, if you’re selling steel, I doubt if many of your buyers are hanging out on Twitter to learn about you. More likely the steel buyer is hanging around IndiaMart or Alibaba and you need to focus there. Not 1 size 4 all

6. Myself: when it comes 2 social networking sites such as LinkedIn,FB & Twitter which is ur favorite pick from B2B context?

• Jessie: LinkedIn for mining relationships, Twitter for engagement, FB for new leads
  

7. Myself: How about Twitter and LinkedIn for creating database and considering it for one to one marketing? Possible?

• Jessie: I think Tweeple might hate it if you farmed your followers, and LinkedIn no longer allows you to export contacts >6000
  

8. Question from Gracelyne: Is B2B marketing limited to just content & event marketing on social media? #TueTwiew Ur views?

Jessie‘s Response: 

• Nope. Can also include co-creation – e.g. Eli Lilly’s Innocentive,  Also crowdsourcing eg Happiest Minds Logo etc
• B2B doesn’t have to be boring. And when a B2B becomes as big as Dell or IBM it is same as B2C, no? #TueTwiew

9. Myself: Many b2b brands have still not claimed their LinkedIn Company Page or are not maintaining the same, your take?

Jessie‘s Response: 

• I haven’t done much either. I think LinkedIn needs to make life easier for non-recrutiment type business users
  
• Killing off Events and Answers, preventing export of big databases, these were not good for B2B mktg (LinkedIn)
  
• Myself: Must say! LinkedIn Company pages are doing just fabulous & with integration of LinkedIn today they are even more Wow!
  

10. Question from Shamrez Zack: Aren’t you disappointed at the lack of integration between LI & Slideshare? Expected them to change the face of B2B social marketing.

• Jessie: Slideshare seems ignored. But then it doesn’t fit in with LinkedIn’s emphasis on enabling recruiters not marketers
  

11. Question from Malhar: I see G as a important cog in the social wheel. Google is building entire ecosystem around social

• Jessie: “building” is the operating word. i noticed that flipkart and first cry have pictures of my last searches in ads and that’s not social, but the tech is a great marketing asset whoever owns it
  
• Myself:  Well, G+ fabulous if company believes in SEO and wants great traffic for their Corporate blog.
  

12. Question from Haroon Bijli: Email as opposed to social, more effective in terms of spread, leads, incoming traffic, queries?

• Jessie: should add that in India, web leads driven by google adwords are also very effective. oh, yes, in India, print newsletters are very popular, followed by the e-newsletters
  
• Myself: Yes, if they are opted in, information oriented and not very promotional. Newsletters are great.
  

13. Myself:  In India are IT companies more prominent on B2B social media space than other industrial and serious sectors?

• Jessie: IT cos are more prominent because they are targeting buyers outside India. Other sectors present to talk to media & ngos

14. Myself: When it comes to budgeting where should the money go.. Advertising or content content & content on Social Media?

Jessie‘s Response: 

• 1st for investment would be to build your “own” channels e.g. newsletter, website, app etc,
•  then 2nd to drive traffic here
• 3rd priority for investment would be “nurture program” as otherwise leads will languish in limbo. (I love alliteration).  
  

15. Myself: Apart from @paulwriter which is ur most favorite b2b brand in Indian social media context?.

• Jessie: Dell and godaddy
  

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The session went on for 1 hour between 4.00 PM to 5.00 PM with around 8-10 contributors and many spectators. My next #TueTwiew is going to be on next Tuesday on Social Media Influencers – Indian Context.

Image Source: OutlookIndia