Why Your B2B Needs a Social Selling Strategy - Right Now

As the founder of a new company that is working hard to innovate, I wanted to share the tangible power of social selling. If you haven't yet embraced a social selling strategy, here are four compelling reasons why now is a great time to consider diving in.

1. Social Selling Really Does Drive Results

Social selling isn't just a buzzword; for us, it's proven to be a relationship powerhouse. LinkedIn Sales Solutions' internal data states that businesses utilizing social selling create 45% more sales opportunities than traditional email and calling strategies. Also, companies that prioritize social selling are 51% more likely to meet their sales quotas, and a whopping 78% of them outsell their competitors who don't leverage social media.

2. Build Authentic Relationships

Social selling goes beyond transactions; it's about building genuine and long-term relationships. By connecting with potential customers on social media, where they're already active, your executives and sales team can engage in meaningful conversations. Tools like social listening allow you to identify leads who are discussing your industry, business, or even competitors. Craft your B2B message and your unique competitive benefits via a long-term drumbeat of weekly content outlining why your differentiators matter.

More than 22% of social media users seek content from their favorite brands, while 23.9% share opinions, 23.4% make new contacts, and 21.7% find like-minded communities. This is a goldmine for authentic engagement, leading to trust and, ultimately, customer loyalty.

3. Engage With Customers, Prospects, Partners and Investors

With 4.74 billion active social media users globally, the potential for social media sales is enormous. In 2022 alone, 190 million new users joined social media platforms. Among internet users, 27% seek inspiration for their purchases, 26.2% look for products to buy, and 49.2% log on to learn about brands. An impressive 77% discover new products through social media, showcasing a vast audience ready to buy. In 2024, you should realize that buyers are shopping you before they ever make their short-lists or final selections.

4. Construct a Custom Social Selling Strategy for Your Business

• Messaging is key. Select yours carefully. Your tone, energy and real personalization (not AI personalization) are requisite for success.
• Please have something genuine to say. What is your opinion? Where is your industry headed? Why do you think this? Executives should be dialed in on these items daily. Oh, and insights with a little “spice” get the most attention and the best reactions.
• Use video right now. Video post opens and replies run circles around text posts. No time for this? No video expertise? No problem. Video can be custom provided on an outsourced basis for less cost than you might expect. Customer testimonials, elevator pitches, new release updates, and even weekly shows on LinkedIn are now within your reach today.
• Grow Your Garden. Everyday care and feeding means weekly content contributions. Set aside time for these, or get help from providers like us. Remember, every post that is quality and consumed increases your perception with potential buyers. So make it meaty and make it a regular, recurring event.

Choosing the Right Platforms

Selecting the best social media platform for your strategy depends on your target audience and approach. For engaging with customers, LinkedIn is best for B2B companies, provides a more formal environment to connect with business decision-makers. According to LinkedIn, 89% of B2B marketers generate leads with LinkedIn, and 62% say it outperforms all other social channels in lead generation.

How to Start

1. Build Your Profile for Credibility: Seek endorsements and recommendations to boost your profile's credibility. Post insightful articles and share industry KPI’s on the regular.
2. Extend Your Network: Use LinkedIn’s search feature and join industry-relevant groups. Select top relevant industry groups and cultivate new executive contacts every day.
3. Utilize LinkedIn Sales Navigator: Navigator enables you to target the right prospects with personalized communication and delivers in-depth analytics.
4. Hire an Expert Partner: Most execs and sales teams struggle to consistently work within LinkedIn daily. Developing curated content takes time and thought. Video posting requires quality production. Partners with expertise and innovative tools are the key to developing expanded networks and improved visibility.

?

Embracing social selling and doing this in a curated and professional manner is our top recommendation to all sales and exec teams struggling to gain traction and grow today. For less than half the cost of a single BDR, your business can quickly develop and deliver this innovative and relation-based sales strategy, build authentic relationships, engage with a vast audience, and stay uber-competitive. The time to act is now, and the potential is far greater than you may realize.

Dan Cone is the founder of Amplify AI, a social sales and executive optimization service provider.

www.amplifyainow.com