Many companies are well aware of the potential of social media and are constantly using it to reach potential customers. Social media effectively supports communication in both B2C and B2B marketing, which can range from a simple media presence to regular sales support.
Of course, most forms of social media communication can have an impact on increasing sales, but not all can be interpreted as social selling. There is also a reason why the term social selling appears more often in the context of B2B marketing than B2C.
What is Social Selling?
In a nutshell, social selling is the use of social media to find potential customers and build a relationship with them that ultimately leads to increased sales.
This is particularly important at the stage when a lead is transferred from marketing to sales. This is the most difficult moment in the entire sales funnel and social media can provide invaluable support.
Social media – which is best for your social selling?
Social selling is possible precisely because of the functionalities of social media. The networks created make it possible to provide content on a regular basis, i.e. content that is aimed at your company’s target group and that effectively builds your company’s image. It is also an excellent support for other marketing and sales activities, such as cold calling.
Prior to selecting the appropriate social media platforms, thorough analysis and strategy development are crucial.
Consider factors such as the target audience, profiles of potential customers, their needs, and the existing brand image. Above all, it must be based on the real needs of your business, which can be translated into business objectives and then into marketing objectives.
This is why it is so important to distinguish between B2B and B2C brand strategy, as the two models are very different. When designing a social media strategy, it is important to remember that the differences between B2B and B2C include the decision-making process, the role of risk, the purpose of the purchase, the role of the seller and the method of payment. All of these factors can have a significant impact on social selling activities.
Once you know which social media platforms your brand’s target audience uses and communicates on, specific steps should be taken on those platforms to further understand customer feedback. In the context of social selling, these steps are called social listening.
Social listening – what is it?
Social listening is simply ‘listening’ to what people are writing about your brand and its environment in the online space. This means that in addition to information about the product itself, the sales process, brand image and communications, you can also ”hear” news about what your competitors are doing.
The nature of social media can also work in your brand’s favour, as the people who speak out are usually unapologetic about publishing their opinions. Sometimes these opinions are exaggerated, but astute brands can spot potential threats and knowledge – especially in marketing and social selling strategies – is an invaluable ally.
Social media is a multitude of channels that reach different audiences around your brand. In addition, it is important to keep an eye on online forums, review sites and any other mentions you find through publicly available tools and automation.
Social media are many channels that reach different audiences around your brand. In addition, it is important to keep an eye on online forums, review sites and any other mentions you find through publicly available tools and automation.
How do I get started with Social Selling?
Getting started is often difficult, regardless of the industry or marketing activity, so we have prepared some simple steps to help social selling start to deliver real sales results. It is important to remember that the process of building customer trust in a brand takes a lot of commitment and time. So how do you use social media to achieve sales success?
Do you want to achieve success in social media?
Target group analysis
Every strategic action should start with precise research. There is actually a lot of truth in this marketing mantra, which is why the analysis of potential customers should be the first step towards effective social selling activities.
Don’t try to reach everyone with your offer, because ultimately you will reach no one. Instead, try to define your target group precisely – find out what they like and what values they hold. This will make your social selling strategy and execution more effective.
Building trust
For social selling efforts to be effective, it is also necessary to build trust among the brand’s audience. How can this be done? Above all, the brand should be transparent and open to dialogue. After all, there are people behind every brand – show this and you can be sure that potential customers will trust you more quickly.
The brand as expert
Building a brand image as an expert is also important. A brand’s social media profiles should show it as an expert in its field/industry. The content published on these profiles should be professional and informative on key issues for both the industry as a whole and the brand itself.
Community around the brand
Valuable content published on SoMe will build a community around the brand. Interesting and engaging content, participation in discussions or even the creation of a Facebook group can bring the audience closer to the brand, which will be very fruitful for both parties.
Different social media profiles
Every brand is different and should use different social media. And the choice is really wide. You can go for the most popular ones, such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube or TikTok, or you can go for more niche channels if your target audience demands it.
Remember not to be afraid to experiment and find the social media that best suits your audience.
Social Selling Index – a performance metric on the LinkedIn platform
If you want to measure the effectiveness of your social selling activities, you can use the LinkedIn platform. It offers an excellent tool, the Social Selling Index (SSI).
What exactly is the Social Selling Index? It’s a metric that shows how the LinkedIn platform ranks you against others. The index takes you and like-minded professionals in the same field and then assesses your sales potential in the area of your LinkedIn activity.
How does the Social Selling Index work on LinkedIn? The way the Social Selling Index works is very simple – the indicator gives you points for individual actions. You can earn a maximum of 100 points, which are divided into four categories:
- Building your personal brand
- Having the ‘right’ people as friends on LinkedIn
- Engaging in content and discussions with other users
- Networking
In particular, the content published on LinkedIn is an important factor influencing the Social Selling Index. This should be published regularly and should engage other users of the platform. Pay attention to your own profile on LinkedIn. It must include contact information, position, profile picture, responsibilities, etc.
How does the LinkedIn algorithm work?
When developing a social selling strategy, it is important to understand the algorithms of the various platforms – including the LinkedIn platform. Algorithms, as well as moderator guidelines and expectations, have a huge impact on how posts are rated on LinkedIn. It is important to remember that the higher a post’s rating, the longer it will be seen by an audience and therefore generate more leads.
How do you increase your Social Selling Index score?
You can increase your Social Selling Index score on LinkedIn by taking a number of targeted actions. How do you do this?
- Share notable content
- Comment on other users’ posts
- Start a discussion
- Visit other users’ profiles
- Expand your network with new people
With these few simple steps, you will see your Social Selling Index grow steadily.
It is important to remember that the SSI index alone will not cause you to generate more leads. However, an increase in activity on various platforms, including LinkedIn, which directly affects the Social Selling Index, will result in lead generation.
A social selling strategy for your business
Social selling activities can bring many benefits to your business. First and foremost, it provides excellent support for all marketing and sales activities. It can therefore be said that social selling is a guarantee of increased profits.
In addition, social selling allows you to get to know your audience better and build a lasting and genuine relationship with them. This leads to greater customer trust in the brand and also increases the chance of a real dialogue with customers.
Social selling helps build the brand’s image as an expert. It also gives you the opportunity to improve your position on LinkedIn.
