What are the benefits of Social Selling?
It is often thought that because the phrase “Social Selling” has the word “selling” in it, that the biggest benefit of the activities of social selling would be, well, selling. And while this is most definitely a benefit, from my perspective, having implemented this sales methodology at a Fortune 100 company for the last 10 years, the most valuable benefit is the relationships that are built, nurtured, and maintained through the activities of being a professional social seller.
Any good salesperson will tell you that when it comes to B2B sales, relationships are key to success. No matter how things change in the world around us, people are still going to buy from people they trust. This is where Social Selling really can shine, when it is done with a skill and finesse that comes from really understanding the ways the platforms work, the insights that come from the data that can be gathered, and the art of cultivating relationships based on building trust with your audience.
Relationships are not only good for ensuring short-term success, but when those relationships are nurtured and maintained through continuing to build that credibility with your audience, long term success can also be had. Particularly for those who are selling through a subscription model, continually building up that relationship is critical to long-term commitment.
Besides relationships, a few other benefits of Social Selling are:
Keeping updated on your industry’s / focus area’s key information. Always being in the know helps you to join in on conversations knowledgeably and be able to share your thoughts and insights quickly and easily.
Being aware of changes as they happen, rather than after the fact. As people move roles they tend to change their LinkedIn profile within about a week or so of starting their new role. This means that if you are watching closely, you’ll see that switch happen, rather than a few months down the road when you get around to looking at their profile – and then you will have lost that “first mover” advantage!
Growing a huge, global network can be a lot of fun, and very rewarding on a human level. People are wired for connection, and so even though the connections through social media are “virtual”, it is possible to build deep and lasting relationships, and some might even go so far as to say friendships, through platforms like LinkedIn.
There are many benefits to Social Selling, and too many to go into here. But I would be remiss if I didn’t also acknowledge that Social Selling isn’t a “silver bullet” for all your sales woes. There are many things to consider – like do you have the right people or even the right number of people in place to meet your goals? Perhaps you need to ramp up your marketing efforts to align with your social selling efforts. Is the market already flooded with similar offerings, and you are struggling to stand out? Is the sales methodology that you are using outdated, and needs a re-vamp along with a re-skill?
There are lots of things to consider when it comes to deciding whether Social Selling will ultimately support your sales efforts. Please reach out to Kirsten (kirsten@tairoconsulting.com) to discuss whether or not having this “tool” in your sales “tool box” will be the most effective option!
