Data show B2B marketers are active on social networks. Are you?

A follow-up to an earlier post about social media and other Web 2.0 tools, and why it’s important for b2b marketers to be testing those waters.

Some new data from Forrester Research shows that B2B buyers have very high social participation, according to a new post on Forrester’s blog.

Key quote from that entry:

“What does this mean for you? If you're a B2B marketer and you're not using social technologies in your marketing, it means you're late.”

So, how do you catch up?

For starters, as we’ve said before, join the conversation. And it is a conversation—not a one-way communication where a hard sell is appropriate or effective.

Social networks are dynamic communities. You can and should help shape the discussions, but you can’t completely direct them. For example, Forrester recommends facilitating the sharing of technical information related to your products and services among customers.

This freer-flowing dialog can foster a closer connection to and a better understanding of your customers than was ever possible without the Internet.