Kick Your Social Selling to the Next Gear – Segment #23

Back in Segment #19 we talked about Google’s impact on the sales profession and how Search has effectively changed how buyers’ buy and sellers sell. This change has elevated the role of marketing because marketing is now in the driver’s seat; marketing is now the front line of contact with our customers and prospects. Marketing’s role is to teach while customers are learning.

Has this shift marginalized the sales team? The answer is NO it has not! Sales leaders that have evolved into teachers and curators extend the role of marketing and help filter out all the noise and data and volumes of information; they focus on solving problems for their customers.

Sales leaders benefit from this shift because there is a high volume of information. As a sales leader, you are able to gain so much insight into the interests and intents because the buyers are throwing off a lot of social signals.

The data that we are able to glean from online signals can kick your social selling into the next gear. By using this online data you are able to “listen” and “learn” what your prospects want and need, and adjust your approach accordingly. This enables you to evolve as a teacher and a curator.

A transactional social selling approach won’t cut it; Liking, Sharing, Commenting, etc., which is also known as a volumetric approach to social selling, will get lost in the Timeline.

A better approach is to work your way back up the buyers’ journey, and teach when customers are learning. You need to work on your Social Profile Equity, which is effectively your platform of your knowledge and expertise.  Your platform is a great place to send your prospects and customers to validate that you can be a great resource to them and help them figure out the solution to their problem.

This approach is to transform from a sales leader to a thought leader using illustration, a public record of your knowledge and expertise.

Look for my upcoming series over the next few weeks where we break this process down into seven steps. We publish every Monday morning at 9:30 am Eastern and Friday afternoons at 4:30 pm Eastern; we bookend the week. This process will help us build trust and credibility and help us transform from sales leaders to thought leaders.

As always, LET’S THINK LIKE A MARKETER AND SELL LIKE AN ANIMAL!

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