Social Networking Is One Thing, But What About Business To Business Networking?
LinkedIn LinkedIn has always been recognized as the go-to social media platform for business-minded individuals that want to network with others. It has served as a great way for entrepreneurs to publicize their credentials and to showcase the projects that are currently taking up their time.
It has also proven to be a way for businesses, especially business owners, to network with others for the purpose of starting a mutually beneficial relationship. However, this has required users to make a side step as it is not the main intent of the LinkedIn platform. Rather, the website is designed for business people to network with business people, not for businesses to interact with businesses, if you will.
The need for a B2B networking platform
There is a growing focus on business-to-business relationships. These are hard built though – most of the time, one of the two parties feels they are getting shafted. As such, finding another business to partner with has proven to be a very daunting task. However, the benefits of forming these partnerships are endless and they could even make or break your business.
Thankfully, a new platform is now available for businesses to find each other so that these relationships can be easily formed. There is no longer an aching concern on whether or not one party is just trying to milk the other. Everyone knows what everyone brings to the table and there is no confusion as to what the intent is of any of the interested parties.
This platform is ChannelPlace.
What is ChannelPlace?
It is a solution for those looking for a business-to-business networking platform for their business. It provides an online community for businesses in the IT and other high-tech industries to use for the purpose of interacting with one another. This means that these businesses can directly connect with each other and ultimately form the highly desired mutually beneficial relationships
The service even works similar to Match.com in the sense that it utilizes an intelligent matchmaking algorithm to determine what businesses may be good candidates as partners for each other. This means that users do not have to cold-contact each other– a big achievement that served as a major barrier in LinkedIn business-to-business networking campaigns.
What sets it apar
ChannelPlace took the perfect approach towards creating a business-to-business networking platform.
Their website is set up with user profiles that focus specifically on the business itself. The set of information that is entered is also different according to the user — for instance, there is different information for distributors, vendors, agencies, and resellers. This avoids the risk of generic profiles and allows users to view profiles and easily know the true profile of the user’s business.
This network is also set up with an engagement process, which may be its most impressive feature. This process consists of creating an interaction between businesses. During this interaction, different steps will be taken to ensure the relationship is discussed and built the right way. This allows users to ensure that the right opportunities are available and that a partnership between the two parties would be beneficial. This also eliminates the risk of getting involved in poorly matched relationships.
Additionally, the relationships created on ChannelPlace are not dependent on one individual at the company. If someone is to leave a company, their contacts don’t leave with them. The relationships they built are from the business to another business. Not from one individual to a business
Other B2B networking platforms still needed
ChannelPlace is great, but is for a specific set of businesses. There is still a need for business-to-business networking platforms that are open to just about every business that is out there.
There are some companies that are already taking a shot at the potential business-to-business social networking industry. For instance, Explore B2B offers a networking platform for industry experts. This is a bit more specific than LinkedIn, where just about anyone with a resume can build a profile. This particular website serves as a quality regulator as only the most qualified individuals end up signing up. This website is growing, but it is still a hit-and-miss depending on the particular industry that you are in.
Developments of social media platforms for businesses is likely to come in the near future. After all, it is an empty space in the Internet that is in high demand – that void will be filled once the right company steps up to the plate. However, the hardest part will be marketing the platform efficiently so that the user base grows and the value in being a member becomes apparent.
(http://www.forbes.com/sites/steveolenski/2014/04/17/social-networking-is-one-thing-but-what-about-business-to-business-networking/ )
The need for a B2B networking platform
There is a growing focus on business-to-business relationships. These are hard built though – most of the time, one of the two parties feels they are getting shafted. As such, finding another business to partner with has proven to be a very daunting task. However, the benefits of forming these partnerships are endless and they could even make or break your business.
Thankfully, a new platform is now available for businesses to find each other so that these relationships can be easily formed. There is no longer an aching concern on whether or not one party is just trying to milk the other. Everyone knows what everyone brings to the table and there is no confusion as to what the intent is of any of the interested parties.
This platform is ChannelPlace.
What is ChannelPlace?
It is a solution for those looking for a business-to-business networking platform for their business. It provides an online community for businesses in the IT and other high-tech industries to use for the purpose of interacting with one another. This means that these businesses can directly connect with each other and ultimately form the highly desired mutually beneficial relationships
The service even works similar to Match.com in the sense that it utilizes an intelligent matchmaking algorithm to determine what businesses may be good candidates as partners for each other. This means that users do not have to cold-contact each other– a big achievement that served as a major barrier in LinkedIn business-to-business networking campaigns.
What sets it apar
ChannelPlace took the perfect approach towards creating a business-to-business networking platform.
Their website is set up with user profiles that focus specifically on the business itself. The set of information that is entered is also different according to the user — for instance, there is different information for distributors, vendors, agencies, and resellers. This avoids the risk of generic profiles and allows users to view profiles and easily know the true profile of the user’s business.
This network is also set up with an engagement process, which may be its most impressive feature. This process consists of creating an interaction between businesses. During this interaction, different steps will be taken to ensure the relationship is discussed and built the right way. This allows users to ensure that the right opportunities are available and that a partnership between the two parties would be beneficial. This also eliminates the risk of getting involved in poorly matched relationships.
Additionally, the relationships created on ChannelPlace are not dependent on one individual at the company. If someone is to leave a company, their contacts don’t leave with them. The relationships they built are from the business to another business. Not from one individual to a business
Other B2B networking platforms still needed
ChannelPlace is great, but is for a specific set of businesses. There is still a need for business-to-business networking platforms that are open to just about every business that is out there.
There are some companies that are already taking a shot at the potential business-to-business social networking industry. For instance, Explore B2B offers a networking platform for industry experts. This is a bit more specific than LinkedIn, where just about anyone with a resume can build a profile. This particular website serves as a quality regulator as only the most qualified individuals end up signing up. This website is growing, but it is still a hit-and-miss depending on the particular industry that you are in.
Developments of social media platforms for businesses is likely to come in the near future. After all, it is an empty space in the Internet that is in high demand – that void will be filled once the right company steps up to the plate. However, the hardest part will be marketing the platform efficiently so that the user base grows and the value in being a member becomes apparent.
(http://www.forbes.com/sites/steveolenski/2014/04/17/social-networking-is-one-thing-but-what-about-business-to-business-networking/ )
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