Traditional Selling Vs Social Selling

We are living in extraordinary times. Technology is reshaping nearly every industry, creating opportunities and challenges that were once unimaginable.

Every day, we hear about breakthroughs that revolutionize the way we live and work—whether it's autonomous vehicles, AI-powered medical diagnostics, or robots transforming agriculture. Few professions remain untouched by innovations like 3D printing, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

The sales industry is no exception. In this article, we'll explore the evolution from Traditional Selling to Social Selling, examine the shifts that have occurred, and discuss how you can stay ahead in today's dynamic sales environment.

Traditional Sales

In previous articles, we’ve delved into traditional sales, but let's revisit the basics to set the stage for what’s next. Traditionally, sales have often been like an arm-wrestling match—an interested prospect would seek more information about a product or service, or alternatively, the salesperson would make a cold approach, whether by phone or in person.

The salesperson's role was to provide information, but ultimately steer the prospect toward making a purchase by emphasizing how the product or service could enhance their life. With commissions on the line, salespeople sometimes pushed unsuitable products, leading to purchases driven more by persuasion than genuine need.

This approach has often tarnished the reputation of sales, as many of us have been convinced to buy something we later regretted—driven by a skilled salesperson who couldn't deliver on their promises. Traditionally, we were at the mercy of the salesperson's pitch, which sometimes left us dissatisfied when the product didn’t meet our expectations.

However, the information age and the rise of social media have shifted the power back to the buyer. Today, buyers often enter sales conversations armed with information, forcing the sales process to evolve from a pushy pitch to a more personalized, consultative approach.

This shift has given rise to social selling, where the modern salesperson must expand their skill set to succeed in this new landscape.

Social Selling

Social Selling is the art of finding, engaging, and building meaningful relationships with your target market to guide them into your sales process. This skill has become essential, especially in B2B sales.

Traditional selling methods, like cold calling, are rapidly declining in effectiveness. It now takes an average of 18 or more calls to connect with a single prospect, highlighting the diminishing returns of this once-standard approach.

Social Selling focuses on creating relationships with people so they naturally choose to buy from you because they trust and like you, rather than just being sold on a product or service. Today, people aren’t just buying products—they’re buying into the people behind them.

Salespeople who are successfully building quality relationships with prospects before and during the sales process are the ones seeing the best results. And where is the best place to build these relationships before the sales process begins? Social media—where everyone’s attention is focused.

As mentioned earlier, prospects often enter sales conversations with more knowledge than the salesperson. In fact, 75% of all buying decisions are now made before the sales process even starts. Those who effectively leverage Social Selling are positioning themselves for success in the future of sales.

According to LinkedIn, salespeople who excel in Social Selling create 45% more sales opportunities than their peers, are 51% more likely to meet their sales quotas, and outperform those using traditional methods by a staggering 78%.

The Future

Given the current trends, the impact of these changes is only set to increase, leading to what some are calling a sales “armageddon” driven by Artificial Intelligence.

Forrester predicted that 1 million B2B salespeople could lose their jobs to self-service e-commerce. So, who will be the first to go? Likely, those who aren’t adapting—those who resist leveraging Social Selling and remain in their comfort zones, thinking they’re safe.

From a buyer’s perspective, wouldn’t you prefer interacting with an AI that provides unbiased, data-driven advice rather than a salesperson trying to push a sale to earn a commission?

If you’re in sales, the choice is clear: embrace Social Selling and see your results improve dramatically, or continue doing what you’ve always done and risk becoming obsolete. It’s a scenario reminiscent of taxi drivers struggling after Uber’s rise, or the Luddites of the Industrial Revolution who lost their jobs to faster, more efficient machinery.

History shows us that industries and skills can quickly become obsolete when something faster, better, and stronger comes along. The choice is yours: will you be progressive or be left behind?

We hope this article has provided you with valuable insights into the evolution of traditional sales and the rise of Social Selling. If you’re hesitant about marketing yourself on LinkedIn and fear making mistakes, it’s wise to consult experts who can guide you through the process. When venturing into something so critical for your business, it’s not worth risking your company’s and personal brand’s reputation.