If you are a salesperson are you social selling? If not, you should be to find and close business instead of old methods like cold calling.
Social selling is when you utilize social media platforms to find and close deals with new clients. These days many smart salespeople have learned that by using social media for sales they can create value, and answer inquiries from possible clients immediately.
Social media can be a practical opportunity for companies that acquire and engage customers through a sales force to get potential business they may have never dreamed possible.
It's well known that several corporate marketing departments have found and hired field sales reps while being active on such sites as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Through such outlets, a company can coordinate and empower its sales teams or individuals as social media ambassadors of the brand to their circles of influence and own social networks.
Those same salespeople are maintaining contact with prospects and customers through other communication channels like email, phone, snail-mail, and newsletters. Why not add social networking for starting up sales and closing sales?
By using such social media platforms, it could be quicker for salespeople to answer a customer’s comments, and create awareness until the potential client is ready to sign on.
Social media in general is said to increases traffic to a website and builds conversions. It also brings forth brand awareness and establishes a brand’s identity. Social media can also help to improve communication and interaction with current followers.
If followers and your target audience are engaged, it becomes easier for a salesperson to accomplish their marketing goals.
Additionally, utilizing social media for sales is a great way to do business because many prospective buyers are already engaging with various brands through social media platforms. If you are not on board with social selling and communicating with these potential buyers you should be.
Marketing your brand's services, etc. via social media platforms may bring more business to your company. It can also create brand advocates and quickly create new leads.
Offering your products on social media involves creating and sharing eye-catching content. The content should be strong for the market and achieve your branding plan. When sharing content on social media and marketing plans, be sure to include clear and attractive imagery and text updates.
You should also create content that drives your target audience. If you wish you may also utilize paid social media engagements to bring more awareness. Social media is a great place to sell to consumers.
If you are not already social selling here are some ways to get started:
Before you start up on any social media platform be sure you have a solid idea of your business goals. If you start a social media marketing campaign without a basic strategy, you may find yourself lost before even beginning. While you may eventually find your way, it could take a while to get there.
Here are a few questions to think about before starting a social media marketing campaign.
For instance, if you operate a handbag business, you need to use great photos which means Instagram and Pinterest might be best.
If your company is doing a sales campaign Twitter would be a better platform.
Around longer than most Facebook is a user-friendly social media platform where you can post an active social media marketing campaign. But first, create a Business Page.
You need to come up with an appealing layout too. Visual components are vital when it comes to the Facebook experience.
The message you post on Facebook should also be fun and friendly. This is a platform where people relax and catch up with their friends, too. You also need to find a cost-effective strategy to keep your followers engaged.
LinkedIn is a platform where professionals engage with each other. It is a professional social marketing site and good for having a professional dialogue with others in the business world.
Share ideas and exchange content, post jobs, and conduct employee networking. Answer questions on LinkedIn and get a known as a thought leader. It is a platform that has opportunities for marketing and referrals.
Share knowledge with potential buyers and if you are targeting small business owners, try to locate groups relating to small businesses. When you contribute to the groups, more people will view your profile. LinkedIn sends a notification when a customer signs up with a matching profile.
YouTube is the place to create and share video content. If used the right way, it can be a powerful marketing tool as businesses around the globe are creating video content hoping they go viral.
But if you are a business or salesperson your business should focus on creating informative videos. How-to videos rank high on Google.
Pinterest is becoming a favorite social media site for marketing. It is an image-heavy platform where your business can conduct sales-driving ads.
This social media site lets a business showcase its products to an audience using unique Pinboards. If your target audience is female, Pinterest is for you.
Twitter lets you send your promotional message any time of day or night and works well for sales and marketing. Easily follow others tweeting in your niche and attract followers.
As a salesperson mix up your tweets with unique packages, discounts, and engaging content. If one of your customers gives you positive feedback, retweet.
Also, answer people’s questions, when possible to be attentive. Marketing on Twitter demands dialog and communication all the time. Meaning: do interact with your followers as much as possible.
Social media and sales require a better understanding of target customers. You need to reach out to them on their preferred platforms. If your clients are on Pinterest, find them fast. Send them branded messages with promotional codes.
You should also focus on various channels to reach out to a vast audience. Do not use your financial powers to build more than one account. Create one account instead and strengthen it on all top social media platforms.
Get to your audience and make sense of your brand. For example, if your preferred audience is older than 40, Instagram and Snapchat may not be the ideal platforms. Instead, use other Facebook and Twitter.
Of course, social media can increase sales but if you work with a social influencer it can guarantee more leads. Influencer marketing has been used since the beginning of social media platforms.
For instance, on Twitter, a tweet from an influencer can create new clients and increase purchases at a rate of more than 40%. Most of their followers trust their influencers. Having them promoting your brand will quickly drive sales and deliver ROI as high as 600 percent.
The utilization of social media influencers is a win-win for your business. You can have these influencers feature your products on their videos and photos. They can also leave engaging personal stories about your products and services.
Additionally, you can ask your influencers to pen personal evaluations of your company. They can also create learning tutorials, and how-to content, based on your products. Your business could get a big boost when you work alongside a social media influencer.
Stats report 70% of consumers to trust social influencers. Try to find influencers in your industry and ask them to post something your brand in exchange for money or free samples.
You can also promote your products and services on social media using real customers. Your primary customers can be turned into brand ambassadors. However, you will need to offer them free items and discounts.
You also need to discover keyword and hashtag searches as they relate to your brand on various platforms. It will redirect you to those discussing your brand.
Paid ads can be a good way to increase online sales through social media. Paid social advertising is cost-effective and increases your overall reach. If you do it correctly, you will be able to showcase your content to a larger audience.
Social media platforms offer many, many targeting opportunities. It lets you focus on budget, and those you want to reach in terms of your products and services.
In a vast social media, it is no longer acceptable to simply post regularly and reply to comments. Instead, you can up your sales by using paid ads. Reports suggest organic outreach continues to decline on social media sites.
In the end, by using social media as a way to gain and close sales can be the key to more success for you, your business, and/or your brand.
If you are part of a salesforce collaborate with corporate sales and marketing leadership to use social media can benefit all. Remember, it is about empowerment versus control.
Companies can offer sales teams training plus regular internal networking opportunities to share their best practices to help salesforce social media efforts be successful
To provide ongoing education for salespeople so they can current with their social participation efforts.
As with all social media marketing and selling efforts, it all depends on the target audience, industry, resources, and sales teams' capabilities. Strategy on its own does not maintain long term social media marketing and/or sales success.
Done correctly over time using social media platforms to gain, keep, and succeed in today's business world can be a winning combination for everyone involved.