Fact! But not the way you may think. It could transform you right into a business with no stake of your own in what gets said about your products and marketing.

If you think it’s going to enable people motivated enough to share information about you to do it better, faster and wider then you are right. At present this appears to be far more true for B2C rather than B2B companies. But, as linkages between groups around a common interest grow, this will eventually create an opportunity for savvy companies including B2B firms that combine this approach with other tactics.

If you think social networking is going to develop new markets for you, help you create more meaningful value propositions, or educate prospects on your benefits then you are wrong. Others get the benefit of doing this unless you are an active participant in the social network yourself. Some companies like Chik-fil-A provide guidelines to fan groups and others hire people whose job is to ensure the company retains the proper presence. That’s good thinkin’.

Social networks today are what the World Wide Web was 13 years ago: nobody is sure how or if it can make you money but being there first is a good strategy just in case.  Given the emphasis on increasing leads and revenue, while decreasing discretionary spending, social networking for many B2B companies make need to get in line and come with an ROI case attached.