Is ‘social selling’ more than just a buzzword?

1. Social selling is more than just a buzzword, and when done correctly, it results in attracting and retaining customers.
2. It isn’t really about selling, but providing a solution.
3. By dismissing the potential of social platforms and not taking a social approach to customer acquisition and retention, you open your business to exposure to your competitors.

Human beings are social creatures, and if you are a business owner who depends on sales for a living, you must first establish a relationship.

Social platforms are a modern day resource to build relationships and nurture existing relationships in addition to traditional methods.

The term “social selling” has become such a successful keyword because, at the end of the day, people want to do business with people they know and trust.

Research from Nielsen has found that 84 per cent of people favour and trust recommendations made by friends and family over any other types of marketing.

Edelman’s 2013 Trust Barometer shows that 41 per cent of people think a company’s employees rank higher in public trust than a firm’s CEO, founder or PR department.

Salespeople who use social media consistently outsell their counterparts. A recent study found that more than 40 per cent of salespeople have closed between two and five deals thanks to social media.

Self-proclaimed social sellers rejoice in the term, and they’re right to do so due to the results directly attributed to this form of customer communication.

Consumers and prospects don’t go on social media to buy stuff. They instead go on social media to see what’s happening in the world and what their connections are up to, which is why a “buy this now” post will more than likely be doomed to fail.

Social selling is instead synonymous with disseminating content that establishes community and thought leadership. Professionals should create reliable content in conjunction with establishing their personal brand. The more your team is able to reinforce your company’s value and brand, the more likely your company will be on the mind of your consumers and prospects.

For those who have yet to jump on the social selling bandwagon, there's no need to stress. Instead, focus your energy on providing content you and your prospects and consumers will find engaging, memorable and noteworthy.

Social selling is more than just a buzzword. It’s an opportunity – an opportunity to engage in quality conversation, create communities in conjunction with your brand and encourage thought leadership. Be sure to use social media platforms to encourage the production of content and the outreach of your content to a wider audience.

It’s beneficial to approach social selling differently from everyday sales because social selling is about opening a relationship, not closing a deal.