Social media isn’t only transforming our personal lives; it has also become a significant part of the professional world, especially in sales.
Social selling refers to the practice of leveraging social media platforms to connect with potential customers, build relationships, and ultimately drive sales. It goes beyond traditional sales tactics by utilizing the power of social networks to engage with prospects in a more personalized and authentic manner. In fact, statistics show that a total of 56% of sales professionals nowadays rely on social media to find new prospects.
Gone are the days when cold calling and generic sales pitches were enough to close deals. In today’s highly competitive market, consumers are more informed and empowered than ever before. They expect personalized experiences and value-driven interactions from brands.
By embracing social selling strategies, businesses can tap into the vast opportunities presented by platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. These platforms provide a wealth of data and insights that can be used to identify prospects, understand their needs, and tailor messaging accordingly.
To get started with social selling, below we share some of our best tips you should be aware of in 2023.
Choose the Right Platform
Social media is a powerful marketing tool for businesses of all sizes and industries; however, choosing the right platform is essential to achieving seamless social selling. It’s important to carefully consider your goals and target market before deciding which platform to invest your time and resources in.
First, identify your target audience and their preferred social media platforms. Are they more active on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter? Understanding where your potential customers spend their time online will help you narrow down the options.
Next, consider the features and capabilities of each platform. Look for platforms that offer a seamless user experience and provide the tools necessary for effective social selling.
For instance, Twitter is a great platform for reaching a vast audience with your content. If you continuously share relevant and engaging content, you can attract followers, boost brand awareness, and drive traffic to your website.
However, if you’ve been using Twitter for a long time already and have countless posts that don’t relate to your current brand values, it’s best to start over and delete tweets from your Twitter feed that no longer serve a purpose. This way, you won’t have any old posts coming to hunt you in your current and future growth campaigns and affect your overall success.
Prioritize Video Content
Once you figure out which social media platforms work best for your business, you can start planning your content for the year. Video content should be at the forefront of any content plan, whether it is short or long. All social media platforms have video capabilities, and as TikTok quickly rises to the top of the charts to become the most popular app, other social media platforms try to follow suit. Reels will continue to be pushed on Instagram and Facebook over other content in 2023. Reels earned brands nearly 40% more engagement on Instagram than other types of posts.
It is a well-known fact that videos outperform static ads, and the same is true for organic content. It is also expected that people are growing tired of 10-second videos and will instead prefer longer content, such as 3 minutes or more. TikTok recently increased its video limit from 3 to 10 minutes, and other platforms could follow suit. You may want to produce content of this type if it makes sense to use long-form videos as a strategy for your business. In either case, video content will still be popular and effective in 2023 as long as algorithms continue to prioritize it.
Focus on Engaged Prospects
Social selling is an investment strategy. Social media communication can take several weeks or even months to get customers to convert from initial interest to the conversion stage of the sales funnel. It is therefore important that businesses focus on content or users who are engaged on social media.
Even if engagement and traction on social media platforms are slow, it’s important to pay attention to any posts or social interactions that have generated customer interest. These insights can be used to guide future social selling campaigns.
Use Technology Tools to Streamline Your Social Selling Efforts
With advancements in technology, leveraging tools can significantly streamline your social selling efforts and maximize your results.
One of the key benefits of using technology for social selling is the ability to automate repetitive tasks. By utilizing tools such as social media management platforms, you can schedule posts, engage with followers, and monitor conversations all in one place. This not only saves you time but also ensures that you are consistently present and active on your chosen social media channels.
Additionally, technology enables you to gain valuable insights into your target audience’s behavior and preferences. Analytical tools provide data on engagement metrics, demographics, and content performance, allowing you to tailor your social selling strategies accordingly. This data-driven approach empowers you to make informed decisions and optimize your efforts for better results.
In Closing
Social media platforms are the foundation of meaningful relationships, which in turn drive sales. Social selling helps your business gain recognition and brand awareness. By implementing the tips above, you can keep your brand at the forefront of your customers’ minds when they decide to purchase on social media platforms.
