You may have heard that social media is the new frontier for building a business. Are you able to picture how that could be? Because it’s true, and it’s name is social selling. This is now where customer relationships, recognizable brands, and new customers are born.
What is social selling?
It’s not a one-time activity, and you should use it alongside existing sales methods. It can be difficult to get started, especially if you’re new to social media, but the benefits outweigh the challenges.
Linkedin’s research finds that 78% of social sellers outsell colleagues who don’t use social media. Jamie Shanks from Sales for Life found that for every $1 invested in social selling, the ROI is $5. Hubspot found that 74% of B2B buyers conduct more than half of their research online before making a purchase or contacting a salesperson. The data is clear that social selling is very relevant now.
“SOCIAL SELLING IS LEVERAGING YOUR OWN PROFESSIONAL BRAND AND SOCIAL NETWORK TO GATHER INSIGHTS AND CONNECTIONS, THEN USE THOSE INFORMATION TO HELP YOU DISCOVER NEW OPPORTUNITIES, SELL, AND GET BUSINESS DONE.” -LINKEDIN’S DEFINITION OF SOCIAL SELLING
So how do you do it?
We suggests a few basic tips:
Begin by putting yourself where your ideal customers already are. Join online groups and be friendly and helpful to people. Buyers are less likely to find social selling creepy if they share connections with the salesperson. So get in the community.
Never use canned or pre-written scripts. Speak to people individually, about their interests.
Stay aware of the culture of the platform you’re on. Would-be buyers find social selling on Facebook creepier than social selling on any other social network.
“SOCIAL SELLING IS MY ABILITY TO LISTEN TO YOUR CONVERSATION, ENGAGE YOU ON TOPICS THAT ARE OF INTEREST TO YOU AND PROVIDE YOU WITH GREAT CONTENT ON THAT SUBJECT THAT WILL ULTIMATELY LEAD YOU TO DOING BUSINESS WITH ME.” -MARKI LEMONS RYHAL, AN AWARD WINNING SOCIAL MEDIA SPEAKER
If you need help with your company’s online presence, content, website, or app, D-Kode tech would be happy to help you. Contact us today to see what next steps will bring you the results you seek.
