“I'm hearing a lot about social media. I've dabbled, but just don't know if there is anything there for the business-to-business marketer. What do you think?

Social media is just another channel for communications with your prospect and buyers. If customers are there already, that's great, according to some observations may B2B customers are using social media.

The big hang up for me is that if your customers don't already use these tool then you shouldn't either. Marketing executives get hung up on new shiny objects like “social media.” Last year it was “blogging”, and a year from now it will be something else.
Curt Hitchcock writes on B2B and the social media opportunity with the no-hype observation that customers are aware of these tools and using them.
To know for sure, interact with your customers using good old channels like the telephone and print. Find out if your buyers are using social media, then run tests in popular tools like LinkedIn or social media bookmarking sites.
I find that many readers find me through social media channels. As search engines care more about the context of your information bringing the conversation to my website themselves is valuable. As a buyer I've also used social media to check out companies before I purchase.
Your results may vary. Set some sales objectives around these channels and test them against what you are already doing. You may be surprised with your results.
© 2008 JWH Consolidated Inc, All rights reserved.

Justin Hitt helps sales and marketing professionals profit from any media channel using B2B direct response. See for yourself at https://www.jwhco.com/