Why Social Selling Matters
Traditional sales and marketing professionals may view social selling as an “addition” to current tactics. Something they add if there is extra time. Something they don’t need to spend significant resources planning.
This outdated viewpoint costs companies customers and revenue, and gives competitors a chance to surge ahead.
Social selling is no longer an afterthought, and companies that embrace it strategically and consistently enjoy significant positive results. There are many reasons why social selling matters, a few of the most integral ones being…
Social selling builds relationships. Unlike the “I’m the sales person and you are the buyer” roles, social selling creates a more cohesive partner/ally relationship. Buyers feel more comfortable with a company that attempts to solve their pain points than the old sales way of feeling like they are just a quota.
It’s helpful, not pushy. Social selling is a more consultative approach. Instead of pushing the prospect toward a decision, it allows sales and marketing to lead the buyer to their own decision, as a trusted advisor and advocate. There is more trust in the social selling process, and that is a key ingredient in building a long-term profitable client relationship.
Social selling also matters because it,..
.…Takes advantage of the new buying experience. Potential buyers no longer depend on sales to educate them on the product or service they seek, as they have already conducted research online. Social selling positions a business as the industry expert in a non-threatening manner, which attracts educated, modern buyers.
It is specific to the prospect. Unlike boring, blanket sales messages used in old-school sales efforts, social selling builds a genuine connection with the buyer based on their particular needs and problems. Offering expert input and advisory, educational information instead of hard-sell, from-a-script sales language elevates the customer’s journey, builds loyalty, and shortens the sales cycle.
Social selling matters greatly in staying relevant and productive in sales and marketing efforts. While it may take time to convince a company’s leadership, especially those not familiar with social tactics, it is no longer a “might need to,” but a “we really must,” it’s essential for businesses to commit to forging and managing social selling as part of their sales process, or risk being left behind.
