What a year it's been…

A year of ups and downs, stops and starts (and stop agains...!). 

• The clank and creak of industrial wheels heaving back into life, only to be slowed down again.
• The whoops of celebration that industry events and exhibitions are back on…only to be hit with uncertainty…again.
• The relief of checking in and sitting on an aeroplane to travel and see clients in different countries…only for travel restrictions to come back into force.

For the team at Crux, it’s been a busy year and as I reflect and record the learning from the year, a few things stand out.

The main headline I’ve scribbled at the top of my messy note is…

People are starting to get it…

What does that mean? 

Let me give you an example.

We are a business improvement consultancy that helps businesses improve their situation by using Social Media strategically…

In 2020, 62% of our business came from inbound…

“Hi (Crux team), I read your blog or watched your video on Social Selling & Influence and wondered if we could have a chat…?”

The very start of an inbound process.

In 2021, 73% of our business has come from inbound.

This tells us that more businesspeople are showing interested in becoming Social Organisations, and it tells us our message is reaching further.

But there is something else…. something deeper.

In 2020 the typical early-stage interaction was like this…

“Hi, we read your blog on Social Selling & Influence and realise we done know anything about this and would like to speak with you…”

People are starting to get it.

A typical 2021 early state interaction was more like this…

“Hi, we read your blog on Social Selling & Influence and would like to speak with you. We have been doing some research this year and have been examining our own digital transformation, to which we now have plan.  We have also been researching the concepts of Social Selling & Influence and no understand we need to get out team up to speed”.

A huge step change...

I’m not saying all our early-stage interactions in 2021 were to this level of understanding, some businesses are still in the dark but, there has been a maturity and understanding shift as business leaders start to get to grips with this business transformation imperative.

Another take way from this year is…

Influence, Influence, Influence

You and your team should be the leading technical and commercial influencers in your sectors. You might not like that term as its associated with Youtubers and Tik Tok’ers but, its important you see past this and put your arms around it. 

You might have been in engineering roles you whole working life…. you might be the Managing Director of a project management organisation, the CEO of a software start up, the Financial Director of an ESG consultancy, the HR manager of construction company…

You can and should be the most respected influencer in your specialist topic on the internet and so should your colleagues.

When we run Social Media audits on our client’s competition, we find that the competition is generally sleeping…there is early mover advantage to be had.

So, how do you build influence? How you don’t build it is by posting corporate adverts on your Social feeds…. start thinking about taking over your sector with well written Thought Leadership content.

Why?

The 2021 LinkedIn-Edelman B2B thought leadership impact report is an excellent report which saw Edelman and LinkedIn collaborate on the fourth annual B2B Thought Leadership Impact Study to examine how thought leadership influences perception and buying behaviours among B2B decision-makers (link below).

The report says…

"64% of buyers say that and organisation thought leadership content is a more trustworthy basis for assessing its capabilities and competency than its marketing materials and products sheets".

It then goes on to say

“63% of buyers also say that thought leadership is important in providing proof that an organisation genuinely understands or can solve your business challenges”.

This is where we need to be aiming, it doesn’t come easily. There is no afternoon ‘LinkedIn Training’ course that can teach this…this takes expertise and understanding.

This is about improving business performance for the long term…not tinkering around with content to see what ‘works.

Be guided by data and results

We have seen so many organisations hamstrung by a decision maker who just don’t get it.

We present the industry data, we show previous clients results in the same sector, their own internal team is ready to go and engaged…. but for whatever reason they sit on it.

We’ve heard it all:

• “I just don’t think our clients are on Social Media” – They are…we can prove it.
• “We are traditional company and like to do things traditionally” – You just told us you haven’t made forecast in 2 years and are struggling for next year pipeline.
• “I don’t like putting our heads above the parapet, if we are too visible, people can take pot shots...” - Right now you are completely invisible, and you’ve shrunk your workforce…you haven’t put a new logo on the board in 2 years…

You may not get this; you may feel uncomfortable as you don’t understand it yet…really examine the data make informed decisions. 

As a business leader you may not like Social Media, but I’m sure you like ebitda and growth…

If you need create more space for commercial interaction you need 3 things:

Access to markets - Credibility in those markets - Meaningful connection with your prospects

Every organisation should be looking at this for 2021/22…if they are in the B2B space and haven’t put Social Media at the heart of the conversation, there is a huge point missed.

Digital Dominance

Often, we meet management teams who stat by telling us that they think they “should get better at LinkedIn” …we always asking them to stop thinking like this as its misleading.

People think Social Selling is posting content.  Social Selling & Influence requires broader thinking, it’s about being strategic with Social Media to affect a long-term business improvement. 

Its not about tinkering about with Linkedin…it’s about driving multiple results across social media for different aspects of the plan.

When Google, Yahoo or Bing is asked a question that you need to be answer to…. it’s not just your website that may or may not pop up somewhere on the first few pages…. it’s all of your team’s content, profiles and digital presence that dominate that space.

Would you like your business to be the Digitally Dominant force in your sector…? Who wouldn’t…?

We cant do this with the marketing team alone....we need your team - Social Selling and Influence is a team sport.

There you have it, my 3 main Strategic Social Media takeaways for 2021…

Influence, Influence, Influence

Be guided by data and results

Digital Dominance

So, as we bring this year to a close and move to the next, we wish everyone a very Happy New year and, a year this is filled with digital progress, development and success.

...and remember, as a business leader you may not like Social Media, but I’m sure you like ebitda and growth…

I'm looking forward to more contact that starts.... "Hi Eric, Id like to discuss how we become a Social Organisation...".

People are starting to get it…

Live Social '22

CruxDLA Ignite

  /