Social selling is a strategic method for sellers to connect and build relationships with prospects through social networks, focusing on forming meaningful social interactions and presenting a brand as a trusted source to solve a customer's problem via a product or service. It is closely related to lead generation and involves nurturing relationships as part of the sales funnel, with less pitching and more conversations.
Social selling enhances lead generation and relationship building within the sales funnel through strategic social interactions. Notable benefits include:
Implementing an effective social selling strategy involves several key steps:
Traditional selling and social selling differ in their approach to connecting with prospects and generating sales. Traditional selling relies on buying lead lists, limited personal contacts, outdated or random contacts, limited data records, cold calling, and a one-size-fits-all process.
On the other hand, social selling leverages professional networks, social media connections, real connections, online intelligence, warm introductions, and guides prospects through the buying process.
Measuring social selling success is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of your strategies and making necessary adjustments. One way to measure success is by using the Social Selling Index (SSI), a metric introduced by LinkedIn. The SSI evaluates whether a brand is establishing a professional brand, finding the right people, sharing relevant content, and building and strengthening relationships.
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