Lots of times, it seems like B2B marketers think of social in terms of a single event: I sent this email, I included a social-sharing icon, now how many times was the white paper, Webinar or video shared? Lather, rinse, repeat …

Next time you’re thinking about being more social, don’t stop at a single email or interaction. If you’re creating a nurture campaign, for example, plan it around the idea of facilitating a social dialogue.

Let’s say you typically send an email with a link to a white paper and a social-sharing link to “share this white paper.” That’s a good start, but since some recipients are unlikely to click the social link (and thus endorse the paper) before they’ve read the document, how do you engage recipients who never return to your email after reading it?

Inserting sharing links within the white paper PDF itself would help by giving recipients the opportunity to share the piece while they’re actually reading it and it’s top of mind.

In addition, you could help facilitate a social conversation by following up a few days later with an automated message to those who downloaded the white paper, inviting them to Tweet the best idea they got from it. You might even include a unique hashtag in the share link so you inspire a specific conversation on Twitter.

You could then monitor the ensuing conversations that result, jumping in to respond with a Tweet of your own such as, “Glad you liked tip 3, we’re working on a Webinar on that topic, what else would you like to hear?” In doing so, you’ve strongly engaged a prospect who’s just in the research process, enabling a conversation that’s hopefully going to raise you above the competition.

Remember: Content and conversation are key to engaging prospects and driving conversions. Designing a multitouch lead-nurturing campaign around the idea of social sharing is a fantastic way to build relationships that ultimately lead to revenue.