Social selling is using social network to build relevant relationship that drive sales and revenue for an organization. It is all about making use of the social media platform to engage with prospects. Salespeople answer questions, respond to comments, share useful information or your products or services through various social medias to create awareness of your products or services and convince prospects to buy your products or services. It is the new sales model that involves social network, educating and engaging with buyers and prospects.

Why social selling?

The importance of social selling in any business can never be overemphasized. Some of the reasons why every business should venture into social selling include:

Shortens the sales cycle: Social selling also helps to shorten your sales circle. Without the online channels, you might need to be looking for ways to get people to visit your location and patronise your services. Using social media can help you shorten the stress of going around looking for people. Within one or two clicks you could get tens of thousands of people to know about your services, making it quite easier and less stressful.

Increases productivity: In social media era, over 50% of the purchase decision is made before a customer even talk to a sales representative. Most of the buyer’s journey begin with internet and social media. A well-designed social media profile for your organization, and having your salespeople build up a social profile to share relevant contents of your products and services, will make a very positive influence on a buyer’s decision to buy your products or services.

Helps to reduce cold calling: Social selling help to reduce the rate of your cold calling. It tells your prospects about your business or sales goal even before you meet them or speak to them. You can gain the trust of your customers without using the numerous sales call as used years back.

Helps you to retain your customers and paves way for new opportunities: Social selling also helps you to retain your customers. Most customers might find it difficult to get clarity on certain issues concerning your product. However, with social selling they can get their questions answered maybe by browsing about your organisation or going through some content shared on your profile. You are also sure of retaining your customers at a great extent because you are always in touch with them through the numerous social networks.

In their State of Sales 2016 Report, Linkedin found that more than 70% of salespeople use social selling tools and more than 90% of the top salespeople use social selling tools such as Linkedin, Twitter, and Facebook. Since most people go with social selling, why not you?