The savvy salesperson knows traditional selling methods are no longer worth the time, money and effort. With almost 90% of potential buyers conducting their pre-purchase research online and 60-70% of sales taking place from these inquiries, using social media for lead generation is a no-brainer. Social selling gives you unfettered access to buyers when they are doing their online research so you spend all your time dealing with people who are ready to buy rather than wading through hours of cold call rejections.
Traditional selling vs. social selling
Are you spending time and money on brochures, mailing campaigns and newspaper adverts just for them to end up in the recycling bin? Or wasting time and money traveling to meet clients who may or may not buy your services?, If any of this sounds familiar then it is time to bring your sales techniques out of the yesteryear and modernize your approach with social selling.
Astute social sellers create a resource online for potential clients which shows that they are experts in the field. By providing valuable content and resources, they build trust and gain access to potential clients who are doing their due diligence prior to committing to a purchase. The ability to reach a wide audience with a single blog post, LinkedIn update or tweet is what makes using social media for lead generation a no-brainer.
An accomplished social seller’s resources are so practical and constructive that their clients share them with their friends, colleagues and family members on social media sites; opening doors to even more potential clients. After all, no sales technique can influence a purchase than a reference from a trusted friend. Statistics show social selling techniques will trump traditional sales methods by up to 20% every month.
New shoppers need new selling strategies
Thanks to the Internet and the accessibility that mobile devices bring to the game, consumers are changing the way they shop - drastically. It’s more convenient than ever for them to shop online and do research for future purchases while commuting, waiting in the doctor’s office or even on their lunch break. As they innovate the way they shop, you too must evolve your sales strategies to stay ahead of the curve.
A CEB study found that up to 57% of the buyer’s decision-making process is already done by the time they are ready to talk to a sales person. That means you need to have a social presence that’s engaging, customer-centric and insightful if you want to influence those decisions.
The modern buyer
Consumers today are empowered, well informed, digitally driven and socially connected. If you want to create a continuous stream of informed leads, you need online resources that you can share with your customers that don’t necessarily revolve around your products. You need to be active on social networks and share insights with educated buyers at the right stage of the buying cycle so you are become less of a “sales person” and more as a thought leaders with solutions to real problems. When you set yourself up as an expert in the field, you gain the trust and interest of potential clients, and turn your existing clients into raving fans.
With 92% of buyers doing research online and 37% posting questions about products on social networks, you need to be part of the conversation. If you don’t start leveraging social media for lead generation, you can bet your competitors will be!
