DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: THE SUCCESSFUL USE OF SOCIAL SELLING

CE-SALESCONSULTING MARCH 2016

Digital transformation: the successful use of social selling

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Digital transformation is one of the key challenges for companies in the B2B market.

B2B Sales leaders are faced with the challenge to redesign sales organization, sales methods

and sales processes for a digital business model. Social selling is a new method and a key

component of this transformation process.

Digital transformation: the successful use of social selling

More than one billion people use Facebook, 250 million use Twitter and 400 million use LinkedIn, worldwide. The business networks, Xing and LinkedIn, have 16 million users in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

New relationships between customers and suppliers, decision makers and sellers emerge every day from these social networks. Sales managers have embraced the opportunities offered by this huge online marketplace and have integrated social selling in their business as a innovative

digital sales method. More and more sales managers are using business networks to promote and market their products and solutions.

Social selling is the proactive use of social media for sales from lead generation to acquiring new customers. The focus of social selling is relationship building with prospects and established customers, a professional presentation as a potential supplier and problem-solving advisory. The adaption of social selling is supported by a fundamental change in customer buying and

corporate purchase behavior:

• Two-thirds of all customers use social media as a source of information for their purchases.

• B2B customers seek online information about products and services, already before they contact a sales manager.

• The majority of B2B buyers in the US uses social media contacts to find new providers.

The following success factors support the successful adaption of social selling:

Social selling is already well-established in the US: one of three sales managers use social selling. Top-sellers are winning significantly more orders and reach their sales goals faster with social selling.

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Success factor 1: Professional social media presentation A professional presence in social media is a must for sales manager. It strengthens their competitive position and underlines their online expertise. This spans from active participation in online communities to the publication of blogs and articles.

A professional business profile in LinkedIn or Xing shows his business and technical know-how, experience and references. The sales manager’s profile acts as a digital business card.

Success factor 2: Build contacts and develop leads

Sales managers use business networks for targeted networking with customers and prospects.

The first step in the expansion of a contact’s network is the precise definition of target groups. Relevant companies and contacts can be easily found using Xing or LinkedIn search functions. Interesting contacts can also be found in groups. An expansion of one’s own network to second or third degree contacts can be initiated through referrals or direct email inquiries.

Active social sellers observe changes in client companies and their contact networks. The so-called trigger events, such as reorganization or position changes, often provide an opportunity for new contacts or leads.

Success factor 3: From salesman to trusted advisor

Online contacts are now as important as personal contacts at customer meetings, trade fairs or events. Being close to the customer means being close to the business: this applies for the online

world too.

High-quality, valuable communication with customers is a key success factor for business deals. B2B customers expect a thorough understanding of the technical and business challenges of their business and industry.

The sales manager succeeds as advisor to the client and acts as an expert in his industry and knowledge domain.

Success factor 4: Communicate valuable content Selecting the right content

Succesful content addresses challenges, risks and "pain areas" of customers and aims to answer their most important business questions.

Customer-oriented marketing provides sales managers with target specific content for their social selling activities: articles, white papers, presentations, press releases or industry news.

Small talk is not enough any more. Online communication must generate added value for clients.

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Initiate dialog

It is necessary to get a thorough understanding of the customers business needs and industry hot topcis. A good starting point is to analyse in which Xing or LinkedIn groups are customers involved, what information is shared by the members and which key topics are discussed in the various forums, blogs and industry groups.

Evaluating feedback

Customer feedback should be closely monitored to determine how successful the provided content is. Guideline questions could be:

• How many times was the content was shared, liked, commented?

• Did the content lead to new contacts?

• What is the feedback of the target group to the content? Which topic was commented on and by whom?

Success factor 5: Alignment with corporate strategy, organisation and IT Social selling must be integrated into the corporate digital business strategy. Successful

companies have set up, in addition to a marketing-oriented social media strategy, a social selling program. Setting KPIs and measurable targets are prerequisites for the introduction of social selling. What should be achieved with social selling? Getting more contacts and leads? Monitoring of industry trends? An additional building block is the use of IT as business enabler for sales processes. Marketing automation tools, sales apps and CRM support a successful integration of social selling in the B2B companies.

About the author

Dr. Manfred Kauffmann is Managing Partner at CE-Salesconsulting.

Most sales managers have no or only little experience and know-how in social selling. Coaching and training of sales managers is essential.

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Contact CE-Salesconsulting 81 541 Munich, Mariahilfstrasse 24 Phone: + 49-89-66 81 12, Mobil: + 49-170-773 36 30 Email kauffmann@salesberatung.com

http://www.ce-sales-consulting.com