How to use social media as part of your sales process
Tik Tok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter…there are so many social media platforms nowadays that it’s hard to keep up!
Companies are using Social Media more and more to get their brand out to the public, but is sales all about social media now?
Reports show that 91% of B2B buyers are now active and involved in social media and a study by Google and Millward Brown Digital found that 46% of decision makers are now aged between 18 and 34 years old (up from 27% in 2012), which coincidentally, is the largest social media user demographic.
So, how do you get with the times?
Here are our top tips on how to use social media to increase your sales through Social Media:
Choose the right social network for you
It’s easy to get caught up in ‘the next big thing’ when it comes to social media platforms. To be most successful in social selling, you need to be on the same platforms as your potential customers. YouTube and Facebook cover a broad demographic of people, however a lot of B2B decision makers primarily use Twitter and LinkedIn.
Follow the companies you want to work with
All good salespeople will have a wish-list of clients that they want to work with. From small businesses, to FTSE listed organisations, you will always be able to find them on a social media platform. By following your wish-list clients, you can keep up to date on their company news and liked, share and engage with their updates. This can arm you with some really great conversation points when you get the chance to meet these customers.
Join and participate in groups
LinkedIn is my favourite networking tool, because it allows you the opportunity to network openly, as well as seek knowledge and ask for referrals. One of the best things about LinkedIn is the groups that it has on there – around 1.8 million to be exact. You can search for groups by looking for topics or industry sectors. The purpose of joining a group is not to sell your product, but to share knowledge and expertise with potential customers. If your target customers are small businesses, then look for groups dedicated to small business owners. If you are selling a Warehouse Management System, look for groups that relate to Warehouse Managers.
Add value by sharing relevant content
More than 50% of B2B buyers seek out information and recommendations on Social Media. This is a great opportunity to create content around what buyers are searching for. The most popular content consumed by B2B buyers is White Papers, Webinars and Case Studies, but this doesn’t mean you cannot create other content. Social Media is a great opportunity for your sales and social media teams to work together to create engaging content that is based on questions and topics that are popular within your networks. But think carefully about what content your customers would want to see, as there is no quicker way to lose business than through irrelevant, self-promotional content.
To find out more about how to improve your social selling strategy, get in touch with us here