2024-11-07 09:30:00
Today, social selling makes it possible to sell more and better understand the consumer. According to LinkedIn Sales Solutions, in 2022, companies that practice social selling are “51% more likely to reach their sales quotas and 78% of them outsell those who are not engaged on social networks” .
What is social selling?
Social selling is a commercial strategy that uses social networks to establish a bond of trust with prospects in order to convert them into customers.
Unlike mass advertising and cold calling, social selling favors a more subtle and less intrusive approach. It aims to establish a relationship dimension of trust and authenticity with prospects before proposing any commercial offer.
To achieve its objectives, a company creates and shares relevant and personalized content. This content provides value, meets the prospect‘s specific needs and naturally leads them to make a purchasing decision.
Social selling opportunities
Social selling offers companies the opportunity to highlight their know-how and consolidate their e-reputation. It is a way to strengthen the trust and involvement of prospects by frequently broadcasting quality content on different social networks, taking the form of videos, stories, lives or carousel publications.
Social selling allows you to capture the attention of prospects. Businesses will collect essential information on social networks such as interests and trends to personalize interactions, provide content and personal offers to each potential customer. As a result, the company increases its chances of conversion and stimulates the engagement of potential customers.
Social selling helps increase the notoriety of a company. Social media offers businesses great visibility and the ability to reach a wider audience than traditional sales would allow.
The limits of social selling
A first limit is information overload. A large amount of content can lose people’s attention and engagement.
Then, data protection remains a major concern. The collection of personal data from social networks raises concerns about the protection of user privacy. It is essential that companies comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), particularly with regard to the duration of data use and their processing purpose.
Finally, negative reviews on social media can negatively affect a company’s reputation. The company must moderate these negative comments and provide responses to resolve these dissatisfactions.
Best practices for implementing social selling
has. Choose the right social networks and identify your target
The choice of social networks is essential. Each social network has specific characteristics and is suitable for different targets:
- LinkedIn is suitable for business to business (BtoB) relationships. It promotes professional relationships and generates qualified leads.
- Facebook and Instagram are platforms suitable for business to consumer (BtoC) interactions. They favor visual content to humanize the brand and establish an emotional connection.
b. Create and optimize your profile
The profile must be complete, professional and aligned with the brand identity to build a solid online reputation.
c. Creation of quality content
The content must be relevant and personalized, the publication must be regular without being excessive in order to maintain interest. Videos and live sessions increase engagement.
d. Liven up your social networks
Interacting regularly with the audience, responding to comments and participating in discussions builds trust and helps convert prospects into customers.
e. Tools for social selling
There are tools that are useful for planning and automating certain tasks in order to save time while maintaining rigorous monitoring.
Among these tools, we can find:
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator is used for advanced prospecting.
- PhantomBuster collects data to build prospect lists.
- Hootsuite schedules and manages posts across multiple platforms.
- Visiblee is a service that helps identify and convert website prospects into customers.
f. Measuring results
It is important to take into account key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the effectiveness of the social selling strategy.
The main KPIs to follow closely:
- The publication rate
- The number of clicks
- The conversion rate of prospects into customers
- The engagement rate: likes, reactions, comments, republication.
- Network growth: monitoring the evolution of the number of connections and subscribers on social networks
- Le social selling index de LinkedIn
The strategic challenges of social selling
1. Adaptation to purchasing behavior
Digitalization has led to a change in the purchasing process. Buyers are more independent in their search for information: they are finding more and more information online on sites, forums and social networks. They then make their purchasing decisions before even being in contact with a seller. Businesses must adapt and be present where customers are actively seeking information.
2. A force of distinction
Faced with competition, the adoption of social selling is an asset to stand out. Companies that use social networks effectively can anticipate market trends, better understand the needs of their audience, and adjust their offering and communication accordingly.
In summary
Social selling is a strategic lever for companies by improving their online visibility, increasing sales and fostering authentic and trusting relationships with customers. Incorporating social selling into business strategy allows companies to remain competitive and capitalize on new growth prospects.
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1. Adaptation to evolving consumer behavior
As consumer behavior continuously evolves, businesses must adapt their social selling strategies accordingly. Understanding changing preferences and expectations is critical to maintaining relevance and engagement with prospects.
2. Integration with overall sales strategy
Social selling should not act as a standalone strategy; it must be synchronized with the overall sales approach. This integration ensures a cohesive message and branding across all sales channels and leverages social insights for better targeting.
3. Continuous training and upskilling
To maximize the benefits of social selling, sales teams should receive ongoing training on best practices, tools, and platforms. Staying updated with the latest trends and technologies will enable them to utilize social platforms effectively.
4. Building a consistent brand voice
A consistent brand voice across social channels fosters recognition and trust. Companies should develop clear guidelines for communication styles, tones, and messaging to ensure that every interaction aligns with the brand identity.
5. Fostering a culture of engagement
A successful social selling strategy requires a cultural shift within the organization where every team member understands the importance of engaging with audiences on social platforms. Encouraging employees to participate in social selling can amplify outreach efforts and build stronger connections.
Conclusion
Social selling presents vast opportunities for businesses to build relationships, enhance brand visibility, and increase sales. By understanding the principles of social selling, recognizing its limits, and following best practices, companies can effectively leverage social networks to connect with their audience and drive conversions. Embracing the strategic challenges ahead will ensure a robust and successful social selling framework that adapts to the dynamic market landscape.
