Be visible and valuable to your buyers.
Social selling is one of the most important tactics a sales professional can employ. Social selling is not using social channels to sell; social selling is being visible and valuable to your buyers where your buyers are learning, which is increasingly on digital and social channels. Cultivate relationships online by commenting, liking, sharing, and engaging with relevant content daily to make “digital deposits”—even after the sale—to constantly provide value to buyers.Build trust with your buyers through your digital presence.
Review your professional digital profiles and look at it from the perspective of a buyer. What does your digital presence say about you? Are you someone that the buyer really wants to engage with? Are you sharing relevant content that is helpful in solving their problems? According to Gartner, “Technology buyers today spend 65% of the time in their buying efforts reviewing information or interacting with people and organizations other than the suppliers.” You can build confidence and trust with buyers by sharing quality content and useful information.Think in terms of networks, not contacts.
Like all sales, social selling is about relationships. Help connect the dots with every conversation and think of how you can connect that person with an idea, a company, or another person. Recognize that your best salespeople are not on the payroll. Your best salespeople are your customers who are willing to be your advocate because you have been such a great advocate of theirs. Think in terms of customer lifetime value and advocacy. Learn more in our Voice of Value Podcast, Episode 11: What is Social Selling (Hint: It’s not the same as social media) – Featuring: Jill Rowley, Chief Growth Advisor, Marketo.
