We all know that personal relationships matter in business. Human nature dictates that we're far more likely to be responsive to contacts that we already know or have met, or communication from someone who has insight into our business and who really understands our specific requirements.

"Social selling" applies this concept to the virtual world. Social media has revolutionised how we can connect with individuals, from finding and qualifying leads, to delivering the right information at the right time and turning leads into prospects. So, if the foundation of marketing and sales is to really 'know your customer' can we do more to harness the information that's out there, on social media platforms, and use this to be more productive and effective in creating and retaining business opportunities? Without these insights, we could be missing out on opportunities to reach new prospects or engage customers with the most up to date information.

The full picture

The fact is, in our socially connected world, marketers need to be ready to engage with customers and prospects on whichever platform they choose - from LinkedIn to Google+, from email mailshots to the company website. 

Think about this from the prospects point of view: they might be inundated with information from various sources such as a cold call that has no relevance to them. With a social selling approach, you can research beforehand through LinkedIn, Google +, blogs or online forums and a phone contact can become a "warm call"; it's about building a real understanding of what an individual contact is interested in, or looking for, before the first approach. If someone has shown interest in a specific subject matter, then you already have something to talk about. You are also better equipped to make a decision on when making that call is most appropriate. In short, it not only enables you to find out who they are, where they are and the best way to contact them, it's also about making that communication more personalised, relevant and timely.

Getting Started

Investing time in building relationships in this way isn't just about being seen to keep pace with the social media buzz; data suggests that there's a real and measurable link between harnessing social selling techniques and boosting sales results. In fact one study has identified that sales reps who have leveraged social selling in their sales process are 79% more likely to attain their quota then ones who don’t (15%) (The Aberdeen Group). 

Whilst there's a multitude of online platforms, and getting started might seem like a daunting prospect, we can offer a few tips:

  • Do your homework: use social networks for pre-sales research on a contact. The tools are there: develop strategies to understand the business they're in, the challenges they have and perhaps how you can help this customer.
     
  • Offer some relevant content: online platforms have been a game-changer in the way that we can connect audiences and content. Engage your audience with content that demonstrates your understanding of their needs and the benefits your organisation can offer.

  • Perpetuate the activity: have a programme and tools in place so that you can build a relationship with a contact over a period of time. Move away from the 'quick hit', tele-sales approach, to tele-nurturing. It's basically a longer term approach to building and qualifying leads. Stay connected and make this part of your every day activities.

  • Take an integrated approach to social media and CRM. There are now solutions which help you to get a rounded , 360o view of the contact, including social media activity, all in one place. This enables teams to find leads, build relationships and, ultimately, close sales. 

Social selling has the potential to radically improve our approach to customer engagement. All the information is there, we now need to need to seize the opportunity it offers to build personal relationships with a contact and get a better understanding of the companies and individuals we do business with.

 

By Peter Connell, MD of CallPro.

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