Unless you have been living under a rock for the past 20 years (which we highly doubt!), then you’ve probably heard of social selling at some point in your life. But what exactly is social selling? Is it just another term for social media marketing?
Social selling is a strategy that sales people use that involves the process of utilizing technology and data in order to effectively generate new leads and reach more clients. If you haven’t already incorporated social selling in your masterplan, then there’s a high chance that you’re already behind your more socially savvy competitors. [1]
But it’s never too late to revamp your marketing strategies. Whether you’re a newbie or a professional marketer, your chances of a successful social selling strategy are on equal ground with your competitors. Here’s a quick guide on the crucial elements to consider if you want to boost your social selling game.
Branding is everything
Did you know th[2] at almost 4.57 billion people have access to the internet? That’s more than half of the total population. When you strengthen your brand presence on the internet, expect to be evaluated and scrutinized by almost 59 per cent of the people on the planet.
Use those numbers to your advantage. Branding is one of the key elements that will determine your success. Your LinkedIn page should be informative, appealing, and welcoming, especially to your target audience.
How else can you improve your branding? Work on your online credibility, showcase your strengths and why you’re offering the perfect solution, engage with prospects, and most importantly, build trust.
Personalize, personalize, personalize!
Personalize your LinkedIn page or your website as much as you can — it’s an indicator of how much you care about your brand.
Work on personalizing every aspect, especially with how you connect to your customers and prospects. No one likes receiving copy-pasted emails and replies. Make your prospects feel that you’re genuinely interested in them and their interests by sending customized messages.
Find your prospects
After working on your branding and personalizing your outreach efforts, it’s time to put some effort into getting people to see your brand online. Finding your target market is everything. You don’t want to reach out to just whomever — our goal is to reach the right people and generate leads. There are a lot of different ways to do so. You just have to choose the right platform and tools for your business.
Content matters
It goes without saying that consumers usually buy from companies that they trust. Establishing your credibility without talking to them face-to-face can be difficult, but not impossible. Build trust, credibility, and authority by creating valuable, factual content.
Do not just keep on recycling old content. Content marketing comes in many forms: Written content, audio content, video content, and even graphic content. Publish consistent, relevant, and helpful information to show your understanding and drive to address their problems.
To wrap things up
Social selling proves to be a great strategy to incorporate into your business. It’s all about utilizing all the available technology and data to your advantage. With a good grasp of what and who makes up your prospects, social selling can help you connect with leads on a more personal level. Incorporate all the elements above in your game plan and you’ll ace your social selling strategy in no time!