Social selling isn't necessarily a new practice, but what is the best way to use it? By utilizing it throughout every stage of the buyer's journey, you can ensure that your audience is consistently being reached.
If you want to stay present and valid, you must have a strong presence on social media sites. LinkedIn is a great place to build a professional profile that can boast your skills; connecting with other professionals has strong advantages.
Many people search for product and/or service opinions on social media. The most honest reviews come straight from the consumers themselves.
“74% of all internet users are on social networking sites, and approximately 46% of online users count on social media when making a purchase decision” -Pew Internet Project & Nielsen.
This is typically your first impression. Within 7 seconds, visitors will have already formed an opinion about your page. A little scary, huh? Careful thought should be placed on how your content will be perceived. Your profile should radiate professionalism from the profile picture to description of your business. Keep the summary clear and concise.
Add anything you have accomplished that will boost your credibility from training to certifications.
Check out what similar companies are up to; in order to stay ahead of the competition, you need to know what they are doing that works.
Be aware of keywords. Thoroughly think through which words to use in your postings. Use keywords that your target market will likely search for. Make the information relevant to what they are looking for.
Content could be considered the most important aspect of social media selling. People want to read useful information. Make sure your content is appropriate and important; something worth reading.
Providing helpful advice is a great way to capture an audience. People want to feel that they are gaining something out of the interaction. Make them want to come back for more.
Be the answer.
What is your target market searching for? What are their needs? Do they even know they have a need?
Be proactive and determine what will intrigue them by researching their social media activity. Urge them to read more. Give people answers they did not know they were looking for. This strategy is an excellent way to get return visitors and also followers.
Engage. Provide responses to questions asked. Be helpful and provide clear information. It is extremely important to monitor your posts and provide timely responses.
Once your customer is happy this is a great opportunity to sell more. They obviously trust your work and are more apt to trust your advice once that relationship already exists. Continue to provide useful information.
“Attracting new customers will actually cost your company 5 times more than keeping an existing customer” -Forbes.
Great referrals also come from pleased customers. Take advantage of this “free” marketing opportunities to generate new leads.
One of the last steps, the follow up, can mean the most to a customer. Show them their feedback is important. Document the interaction and schedule further follow up conversations providing additional sales opportunities. Continuing the relationship is just as important as building it.