In This Article
    Add a header to begin generating the table of contents

    Stay In-the-Know with Our Quarterly Publication, The Channel.

    the channel

    11 Crucial Niche Social Network Rules for Building Product Marketers – Part 2

    Remember, think of these networks like a coffee shop or bar for the trade.

    In a previous post, we covered the first 6 rules for participating in a building products niche social network, and here’s the remaining 5:

    1. DON’T participate only in discussions that can lead to you talking about your company’s products. I can’t emphasize this enough – everything shouldn’t lead back to your products. Everything should lead back to helping solve a challenge for another member of the network.
    2. DO use the network for research purposes, within reason. While talking about your products all the time is boring, giving network members a chance to give their opinion, try a prototype of a product or provide insight in another way is a great way to be involved, and many members will likely jump at the chance.
    3. DON’T believe this is a short-term initiative. If your company is going to participate, it needs to be a commitment – the best of these networks have been around for a decade or more, with many members involved throughout. Over time, you’ll learn more, become more trusted and, ultimately, get more return than if you only participate when there’s a new product to launch, or whenever you feel like it.
    4. DO have a plan in place for handling complaints or attacks. The US Air Force (a surprisingly progressive organization from a social standpoint) has their “Rules of Engagement” in an easy-to-follow diagram that is a great model for any company – see it by clicking here.
    5. DON’T forget that, like many things in life & business, 20% of the people do 80% of the work. By that, I mean every network has its core group that provides the best information, participates the most and stays involved the longest. If you have to prioritize responding and who to discuss with, those are the most important.

    Further Reading:

    About The Author

    Elton Mayfield

    Elton's career spans media, production, digital and building industry expertise. His diverse experience makes him nimble, innovative, and curious – always pushing the envelope to create extraordinary work that delivers real results for our clients.

    Leave a Comment

    Recent Posts

    Measuring the Success of Your Marketing Campaign

    ERC23-106Whitepaper_MockUp
    er marketing logo

    We Provide a Holistic Approach for Your B2B Marketing Needs.

    our work tells your story
    er marketing we build brands that build

    Build With Us

    Let's get together to talk about your goals, story and how we can help you bring to life real results.

    Stay In-the-Know with Our Quarterly Publication, The Channel.

    Scroll to Top