Social Selling is Selling

Social selling is selling. In sales and marketing there is a tendency to use catchy phrases to describe something different or to plug a product. Social Selling has suffered from this fate as companies in marketing and sales automation use a myriad of keywords associated to “Social Selling “ to look Social; but in reality none of their products get the job of actual selling done any easier. Too many sales people seem to forget that sales tools do not do the selling for them. The training, the processes and the sales performance of the people themselves are what really matter, supported with the right technology to simplify tasks.

In most sales situations, a core set of tasks usually need to be accomplished. Below, is a set of basic selling tasks.

Identify prospects - Prioritise the prospects - Plan the sale

Contact prospect – Sell - Close

Deliver – Review - Improve

The above is a high level view with lots of other tasks associated to them. The list is also probably missing some tasks but I have kept it simple as it is a blog post. OK so next let us start to understand how value is perceived by the sales people who are trying to sell products or services. No sales person or sales team has the time to get confused about some new sales concept that is completely irrelevant. Nor can any company afford to invest the time and money in a sales process that shifts attention to a sparkling new concept; at the expense of the fundamental focus of the sales team work – selling.

In the sales world words like Social Selling and Social Networking are phrases that should be used to bring meaning that customer’s preferences and the buyer’s journey have changed over time. Understanding the methods and channels buyers/customers now use to evaluate a product or service is critical if any business a) adapt new sales methods in the value chain and b) to separate out when to or when not to, invest in the latest sales craze. If a business can align the sales process to newly identified customer needs which improves sales performance, then can make that switch. If not, then work towards improving the existing sales process.

Social Selling is selling in the digital age

Social Selling represents a shift in how sellers reach and interact with buyers in the digital age. Business’s must first validate and then implement how their set of target customers is now sourcing information on product and services. Very few buyers’ journeys have been left unchanged in the digital age. Social Selling is not some new craze, it is just selling evolved to match the realities of today’s business environment.

Certain steps in the sales cycle or process have evolved a lot over the past 10 years. All social selling is doing is to get sales people and sales management to reassessed how well a step, let’s say “sales prospecting” gets done given the new set of capabilities afforded by the social networks. These new sales capabilities have,

Increased the ability of sales people to build networks

Reduced the time in identify buyer conversations

Made it simpler to share content with prospects and buyers

Made it easier to find information about companies and contacts

Changed the way sales establish and maintain relationships

Interactions have moved from person to digital

Increased the number of channels Customers can access touch points

In above list is far from exhaustive, there are many other customer or sales capabilities with varying levels of importance and satisfaction that the digital networks facilitate. However these emerging

capabilities do not change a simple fact…social selling is still selling for a different era. Sales methods and customer interaction channels will continue to evolve and it will be interesting to see how the next wave of concepts impacts the sales tasks. The fact that business needs to sell to customers won’t change; but opportunities to improve customer connections that had just been ignored in the past, will emerge as the new must haves for sales teams everywhere.

About

The Bitter Business is a sales and marketing strategy partner based in Ireland. We help companies

Grow.

Working mainly with early stage companies to drive revenue via social media, social selling and sales

strategy. My name is Brian O’Connell. I am a hands on business enabler with senior sales and

marketing manager experience in companies like Dell, Oracle, Apple and J2 Global. I have worked

with or founded companies in digital media, productivity software, social media software, educational

software, business software and SaaS. I bring sales and marketing skills plus strategic, management

experience across multiple channels (on-line sales, social selling, inside sales, field sales and

channel).

Helping companies with social selling, social media marketing, lead generation, revenue

development, product to market fit strategy, sales management, customer acquisition strategies plus

implementing “Go to Market” programs/tactics

My passion is helping people and companies succeed. If you would like to chat or explore how I could

benefit your business, feel free to contact me. Always good to chat.

Find me on Twitter Google+ LinkedIn