It’s undeniable that the majority of casual internet users spend a huge chunk of their time on social media where they try to connect with friends and family, check out new memes, and get updated with the latest real or fake news. It has amassed considerable power, turning itself into a useful marketing tool that can reach a vast and diverse audience. With users expected to grow to an estimated 2.77 billion this year, social media has well-established itself to be a key marketing powerhouse for its ability to connect people from all over the world. This has encouraged businesses to adapt and exploit this digital marketing channel through users’ online behavior with favorable results. The main goal of businesses in utilizing social media sites such as Facebook is to generate leads and turn them into conversions. There are methods to effectively use this channel to your business’s advantage, specifically when starting a dialogue with prospective B2B clients to nail those conversions and eventually turn in a profit. Unlike traditional or other digital marketing tactics, social media opens the door for a two-way conversation, making it an ideal companion of content marketing, particularly for business startups. Starting a meaningful dialogue might pose a challenge, but you can achieve this with these important tips. Run a Contest Contests run on social media can deliver that much-needed boost in most marketing initiatives by expanding your brand’s reach, promoting brand recognition, and increasing B2B lead generation. There may be various types of contests that you can run through social media postings. But, it’s recommended to play some kind of sweepstakes or giveaway where your prospects can only qualify if the mechanics include providing their contact information. Keep in mind that your contest and promotions have to be tailored to what your target market will appreciate, or you’ll risk ending up with low-quality leads. Offer a Free Trial Freebies are often eye-catching, so offer a free-mium version of your product and promoting it via social media. This strategy not only generates leads on its own but also expands the reach of your campaign by starting a dialogue with your target audience and amplifying your success. Offering a free trial proves that you value your customers while improving adoption rates. This also helps you find out how well your product is doing in the market. If your product is good, it’s going to sell itself. In fact, companies that offer best-in-class software report a 60% conversion rate after offering a free trial. The key here is to include aspects that allow users to see the benefits of your product without giving them the entire set of features. B2B companies can use this approach and achieve the most success when using LinkedIn, where professionals are both used to seeing conspicuous ads and actively looking for products and services. Linkedin has become a popular social media platform for businesses. It is not only meant to interact with people in the field but it is also one way to generate a relationship with key people. Conduct a Study You can use social media to facilitate and promote a research study by asking your target audience important questions about their daily activities, pain points, tools they use and other facts that can help your brand cater to their needs. Always collect their contact information as a requirement of the study. This method helps you achieve three goals: (1) collect contact information of your potential customers, (2) gain important insights about your prospects and target audience, and (3) acquire user-generated content to base statistics on for future reference. Implement a Social Listening Strategy Social listening is not generally thought of as a lead generation strategy, but it could be when used the right way. You don’t have to wait for prospects to come to you or seek out your product, but instead, you can listen to prospects engaging in conversation about your brand. Offer your product as a resource when you find contacts that are ready to purchase or try your product. Here are three ways to do this effectively. 1. Set up Google Alerts Create a Google Alert and set it up to receive emails every time Google finds a mention of your brand, your industry, or your competitors. Google Alerts is a powerful tool to monitor brands that are similar to yours. This is commonly used by marketers who want to track what their competitors are doing. 2. Monitor Hashtags Be on the lookout for keywords and hashtags on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn using their search feature. Include not only mentions of your brand, but also keywords that tell you a prospect is ready to make a purchase. It is ideal to do research first on popular topics related to your industry. It is a way to consider the voice of your prospective customers. 3. Use a Social Media Management Tool Social media management tools have since had an upgrade, so their function isn’t limited to just scheduling our posts. Many have features that include advanced tracking capabilities that help you listen to what your customers are talking about, track competitors, and automate social media reports. They’re pretty nifty when you want to use social media to your advantage. If you can shed out a budget, it is ideal to invest in this kind of tools that are proven helpful. If your goal is lead generation, brand management, networking, establishing your business as the thought leader in your industry, or all of these, social media is where it all can happen. It all begins with a dialogue, so start fine-tuning your methods and engaging your prospects the right way to grow your business.