Social Selling: The trend toward digitizing companies' sales departments

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The 2019 coronavirus lockdown definitively put an end to the traditional sales model that companies have developed for decades.

While in-company training in Social Selling was already in demand , this pandemic is making it one of the most sought-after by organizations, as it is the most effective sales model in a digital world like the one we live in.

What is it about Social Selling that makes it so sought after by successful companies? Let's start at the beginning.

What is Social Selling?
I usually define Social Selling from 4 main items:

It's a sales model…
…based on the use of digital social media…
…whose objective is to belize mobile phone numbers database generate credibility and establish emotional relationships with target customers…
…which facilitates the achievement of business objectives.
The most important point in this definition is the third. This is because the foundation of every sale is the trust a buyer feels in the seller, which is twofold: the person making a purchase trusts both the seller and the brand, but above all, the seller.

That is to say, sales are always made between people, not between brands. You sell based on feeling, or rather, people buy from you because you generate credibility, not because of your price or the brand you represent.

That is why it is so important to demonstrate your know-how by making a consultative sale .

What is NOT Social Selling?
If you browse LinkedIn regularly, you've probably received, on more than one occasion, a contact request that, upon accepting it, is followed by a completely commercial message. Perhaps you've even done it on occasion.

Well, that 's perceived as spam by LinkedIn users . Why? Because there's no relationship between buyer and seller that generates the trust we were talking about. The emotional bond that makes the buyer choose you, you as a seller, as a person, is missing.

Don't look at social media as a place to sell, because it isn't. Look at it as a space to converse with your ideal client, your buyer persona, a place where you attract people.

That's why I always say: You don't sell ON Social Media, you sell WITH Social Media.

Why do you need Social Selling in your company?
I told you at the beginning of this article that the COVID-19 lockdown put an end to traditional sales , especially in B2B businesses. But the truth is, it was already on the rocks due to the digital transformation that had been taking place in many organizations.

The digitalization of customers
The Fourth Industrial Revolution has brought us the complete digitalization of our customers, and as brands and sellers, we are obliged to be where they are. This is essential for any commercial transaction: there must be a time and space alignment between the buyer and the seller.

Nowadays, your customer is digital and that's why you have to be too, if you want to sell .

Being in the right place at the right time
On the other hand, customers have less and less time to deal with salespeople because companies have generally reduced their workforce or are adopting new work habits.

Take doctors, for example. Pharmaceutical companies' medical representatives have always gone to hospitals and health centers to greet them and recommend their products. However, now they don't have time to see them. Therefore, they must connect with them elsewhere: on social media.

This affects the timing of a purchase decision because it's harder for the salesperson to influence it; the customer makes the decision when it's convenient for them. This means you have to be there at the right time and place.

Where's the place? Social media, we've already mentioned it.
When is the moment? You don't know, so you have to always be there, you have to always be visible, you have to create a connection and always maintain it.