The practice of integrated goods and services exchange between businesses is business-to-business trade, useful for gaining best possible results for both parties.
There is a vast difference between business-to-business and business-to-customer markets because customers and consumers are not bound by loyalty to any product or business and are free to make independent decisions.
For effective and innovative organizational transformation to take place, it is very essential that collaboration of the workforce is involved.
Especially in the areas of marketing, purchase and goods ordering, decisions that are influential in cost-saving and economizing can be made possible only with integration and interconnection between people who represent a company.
In turn this network of people will integrate and interconnect with peers and acquaintances in other organizations, promoting business-to-business promotions or through existing customer base, which is business-to-customer involvement.
The evolution of social media The uses of social media have expanded by leaps and bounds in the last few years; its usefulness as a business tool is only just being fully explored.
In pure marketing terms, lead generation for business revenue through social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are creating such an impact because of the large audience that is familiar with social media networking - nearly 50% of the US population have Facebook accounts and Twitter usage is growing fast.
LinkedIn is very active among office goers to socialize with acquaintances, talking shop and talking office at the same time.
The Internet era stirred quite a revolution in technological terms but even in its infancy, the extent of its reach and potential as an impactful game changer could be seen, and it has not disappointed.
Where earlier, it was relied upon more as a very dependable tool for information and knowledge gathering; the Internet has taken social media to a completely new level of interaction and provided immense benefits for business-to-business strategies.
Business strategies using Social Media It is common practice for companies and corporations, especially many in consumer services, to offer products and services at competitive prices.
However, the lack of ability to establish significantly mutual benefits on a long term with customers proved to be a huge handicap.
In analysis, it is found that the absence of a 'direct contact point' that can facilitate and ease communication without any blocks is the primary reason that many businesses suffer.
Social networking has provided the way to offer better services to consumers.
This is true especially in the business-to-business concept where social networking has brought two business entities together.
Where social media achieves this is in the unique way of collaboration of exchange of information.
Companies are able to use the information they gather about their customers' choices and preferences through effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) implementation strategies and drive these to the business-to-business scene to effectively create leads that translate into revenues.
Have you ever wondered how is it that you suddenly find some interesting ad links appear on your email account pages or some search tags relating to some information you have looked for or searched earlier? The SEO strategies pick on the key words used in the search and direct the search to links established earlier by companies that quickly seize upon the tech footprint created by the search initiated.
Thus, a company's visibility and awareness increases on the Internet as a result of the additional traffic directed to the company's website.