Do you know if your customers are writing blogs, networking on LinkedIn, “tweeting” on Twitter, or commenting in forums and discussion groups? In the Forbes Insights “Rise of the Digital C-Suite” report by Bill Millar, data revealed that more than half of executives under the age of 40 are actively engaged in social media. This rise in adoption has shifted the power to customers as they look to their peers for more information and advice on buying decisions.

Many manufacturers I speak with see social media as something for consumer companies. However, according to Forrester Research’s “The Social Technographics of Business Buyers” report, 91 percent of business-to-business decision makers are taking part in social media; 69 percent do so for business purposes. Additionally, 55 percent have at least one social networking profile and 43 percent are active in creating social media content.

It is no longer a question of whether or not to join the social media movement. It’s about choosing the best strategy for combining social media with more traditional communications tactics to strengthen your company’s brand and stay top-of-mind of buyers.

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