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The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. The influence of millennials and Gen Z on B2B purchasing decisions is undeniable. As these generations continue moving into leadership roles, their approach to decision making, especially in B2B environments, is shaping how brands leverage various marketing and sales strategies. While todays B2B brands are aware of social medias role in engaging these decision makers, many fail to fully integrate it into their omni-channel strategies.Madison Logics recent surveyin collaboration with Harris Pollfound that 64% of B2B marketing leaders plan to invest in more B2C-focused social channels like Instagram and TikTok in 2025. Its critical that brands understand how to effectively leverage social media or risk seeing low returns from their efforts. What drives todays buyers Millennial and Gen Z buyers bring unique perspectives, habits, and expectations that are reshaping B2B marketing and sales strategies. As digital natives, their approach to purchasing and information gathering is often more collaborative, digital-first, and influenced by nontraditional media channels. These two generations are less likely to be influenced by in-person meetings, comprehensive email exchanges, or through phone calls. Instead, millennials and Gen Z want seamless, online purchasing similar to what they have in their personal livesconsumer-grade digital interactions. They also expect personalized, immediate, and easily accessible informationmuch of which is found on social media. Why social is the missing piece Omni-channel marketingfocused on creating consistency across digital platformsis a proven method to deliver a seamless customer experience at every stage of the decision-making process. The idea is to meet prospects and customers where they are; and where they are is on social media. While LinkedIn, with over 1 billion members has long been considered the go-to platform for B2B decision makers, younger generations are expanding their social media presence into platforms that were previously more aligned with B2C engagement. TikTok and Instagram, for example, are not just for fun and entertainment anymore; theyre becoming crucial business tools. LinkedIn continues to be the most effective platform for professionals looking to make connections and engage with thought leadership content. In fact,80% of B2B leadsgenerated via social media come from LinkedIn. However, millennials and Gen Z have grown up with a broader social media usage pattern. These younger decision makers are comfortable on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and even Facebookplatforms that might seem outside the typical B2B scope. How to make the most of social in your omni-channel strategy To make the most of social media in your omni-channel approach, its essential to integrate these channels seamlessly into your broader marketing and sales strategies. Heres how to ensure youre maximizing your efforts. Use data to understand buyers:Social media allows brands to connect with potential customers in a more personal, humanized way. This is especially important for millennial and Gen Z decision makers, who tend to value authenticity and transparency. Using intent data to understand buyer concerns and mapping engagement to where they are in the buyers journey is key to building an effective omni-channel strategy Engage in real-time conversations:Social media offers a unique opportunity to engage with your audience in real time, and this is where the younger generations are looking for genuine interactions. If someone comments on your brands Instagram post or asks a question on LinkedIn, its essential to respond quickly and meaningfully. Millennial and Gen Z buyers often prefer self-service and quick resolutions. Embrace video:Short-form video is the fastest-growing content category on LinkedIn, withnew datarevealing that total video viewership surged by 36% year-over-year and video creation grew at twice the rate of other original post formats. Video content consistently outperforms text-based content and images in terms of engagement, largely due to its ability to capture attention quickly, making it ideal for social channels where professionals are often scrolling through feeds looking for insightful, actionable content. Leverage influencers and thought leaders:Our recent survey also found that more than half (56%) of B2B marketers use influencer marketing strategies to connect with their audiences. Collaborating with respected industry experts, thought leaders, and influencers lends credibility to your brand, increases awareness, and helps foster trust with potential buyers. Measure, analyze, and optimize:Finally, as with any aspect of your omni-channel strategy, it’s important to continually measure and optimize your social media efforts. Social media platforms offer powerful analytics tools that allow you to track engagement, reach, and conversion metrics. By analyzing this data, you can identify which social channels and tactics are driving the most value for your business and optimize your strategy accordingly. Incorporating social media into your B2B omni-channel strategy is no longer optionalit’s essential for reaching todays decision makers. With millennials and Gen Z increasingly occupying key roles in the B2B buying process, brands must work harder and seek out ways to meet them where they are. And, at a time when nearly everyone is being asked to do more with less, those who embrace social as a critical part of their omni-channel strategy will surely be better positioned to win in the long run. Keith Turco is CEO of Madison Logic.
Category:
E-Commerce
The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership opportunities, events and more. Theres a seismic shift reshaping the labor market, with tremors across government and business. The latest signal of this transformation is the announcement of the Skills-First Workforce Initiative, a collaboration of top employers aimed at making the skills needed for jobs more transparent. It follows an announcement from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who on April 2nd unveiled his Master Plan for Career Education, furthering Californias efforts on skills-based education and hiring. That means candidates are encouraged to apply for roles based on their skills and previous experience, rather than what can be an arbitrary marker of capability: the college degree. The Skills-First Workforce Initiative and Newsoms plan build on the momentum of many other states, like Colorado and Arkansas, and the federal governments Chance to Compete Act, which makes skill-based hiring a requirement for federal agencies. All together, these initiatives and announcements send a clear message: The future of work has arrived. Its a future that requires a new strategic imperative for workers and organizational leadersthe need for continuous upskilling. Skills are the new currency A growing number of companies and other state governments are already reaping the benefits of skills-based hiring by focusing on talent and potential rather than formal education. These leaders understand the potential of skills-based hiring to diversify the talent pool, foster innovation, and prepare organizations for the complexities of the future. According to the National Governors Association’s recent findings, over half of U.S. state governments have policies that encourage skill-based hiring, and states that adopted these policies have seen faster growth in job postings that dont have degree requirements. With more organizations adopting skills-based hiring approaches, and even leveraging skill assessments to promote internally, skills are becoming the currency of the modern workforce. Adapting to this new era of skills requires an essential mindset and strategy shift for employees and organizations. Employees need to embrace a mindset of continuous upskilling, while organizations need to give their employees the time and resources to sharpen those new skills. For those at the cutting edge, this means starting the journey to becoming a skills-based organization. Become a skills-based organization A skills-based organization prioritizes the skills and capabilities of candidates and employees over their formal educational background. According to our research at Udemy, over 80% of employees report that their companies are beginning to consider implementing skills-based approaches (such as skills-based hiring), and 75% of organizations have already made changes to support this transition. The key steps to becoming a skills-based organization extend beyond hiring practices. To become skills-based organizations, companies need to create structured skill taxonomies. These are frameworks that identify and categorize the skills necessary for various roles within the organization. At Udemy, we are developing a skills taxonomy to map the competencies essential for different career paths, enabling targeted learning and development. Focusing on skills instead of traditional credentials like degrees or job titles has been proven to cultivate a workforce that is both more agile and diverse. According to Deloitte, nearly two-thirds of companies implementing skills-based strategies experience enhanced outcomes compared to those that don’t. Such organizations benefit from greater workforce flexibility, facilitating quick and adaptive reactions to unexpected market shifts. When skills development and acquisition are prioritized, employees become versatile, readily transitioning to new tasks or roles as needs arise, without being limited by predefined job titles or descriptions. This agility enables organizations to swiftly address emerging challenges by strategically reallocating talent where it’s most needed. AI supercharges the change These shiftstransitioning to a skills-based organization and adopting new mindsetswon’t happen overnight. However, AI can significantly accelerate the process, and it is becoming even more critical as companies feel pressure to reskill their workforces. We are entering an era where AI integrates into every facet of learning, simplifying, and accelerating skill acquisition. One way that AI can transform workplace training is by enabling adaptive learning systems that customize educational content based on learner progress. This personalized approach can enhance learning efficiency and engagement, allowing learners to access the knowledge they need more effectively. AI-enabled learning systems have the power to bridge gaps between current employee knowledge and needed skills, making them a dominant force in the future of education. Our role as leaders The movement towards a skills-based economy is not just a fleeting moment. It’s the dawn of a new era in workforce development. Announcements like Newsoms signal a move toward a more equitable and efficient labor market. As leaders, we must champion these changes within our organizations, ensuring that we create an environment where continuous learning and skills development take center stage. By prioritizing skills over degrees, we’re opening doors to a broader range of individuals, enriching our organizations with diverse perspectives and experiences. Together, we can build a more inclusive and dynamic workforce equipped for the challenges and opportunitis that lie ahead. Hugo Sarrazin is CEO of Udemy.
Category:
E-Commerce
The family of a man killed in a 2021 road rage incident in Arizona used artificial intelligence to portray the victim delivering his own impact statement during his killers sentencing hearing, according to local news reports. Christopher Pelkeys sister, brother-in-law, and their friend used AI technology to recreate his likeness, reportedly drawing from video clips recorded while he was alive. It is believed to be one of the firstif not the very firstinstances of an AI-generated victim impact statement being used in court. To Gabriel Horcasitas, the man who shot me: It is a shame we encountered each other that day in those circumstances, the AI version of the 37-year-old said in the video. In another life, we probably couldve been friends. I believe in forgiveness and in God who forgives. I always have, and I still do. Judge Todd Lang appreciated the video, according to Fox 10 News. Prosecutors requested a 9.5-year sentence for Horcasitas; ABC 15 reported that he was ultimately sentenced to more than a decade for manslaughter. The team putting together the video reportedly pulled from different tools in order to make it happen. “There’s no tool out there that you can just go and say, ‘Here’s a voice file. Here’s a picture. Please make it come to life. And this is what I wanted to say.’ So they’re scrounging and using this tool and that tool and this tool and this script and this audio and this image and trying to mash it all together and make a Frankenstein of love,” Pelkey’s sister Stacey Wales said in an interview with Fox 10.
Category:
E-Commerce
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