Huthwaite Future Forum: Global Insights - Social Selling

Future

In association with

ForumMelbourne | SydneyMay 2013

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Huthwaite Future Forum

Welcome

• Introduction• Research• Panel discussion• Wrap up – food for thought

Twitter hashtag for the Forum: #HWFF



Q2 201235%

Q4 201241%

Buyers now engage directly with sales people later in the sales process.

Source: Huthwaite Sales Pulse Survey

Buyers use social media and professional networks as part of the buying process.

Q2 201224%

Q4 201234%

Sellers believe they need a higher level of business acumen to be able to provide business insight.

Q2 201279%

Q4 201285%

Change



200,000,000 – The number of members for professional social network LinkedIn, an increase of 13 million since November 1, 2012. (Source: LinkedIn)

181,000 – The number of Twitter users with “social media” as part of their bio as of January 2013, up from just 16,000 in 2009. (Source: AdAge)

2 - The number of people that join LinkedIn every second, which equates to more than 172,000 new members per day. (Source: LinkedIn)

200,000,000 – The number of monthly active Twitter users. (Source: Twitter)

33 – The percentage of US Internet users who said they ended a connection with a brand on social media due to the brand sharing too many updates. (Source: eMarketer)

Social upheaval

http://blog.linkedin.com/2013/01/09/linkedin-200-million/

http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/181-000-social-media-gurus-ninjas-masters-mavens-twitter/239026/

http://blog.linkedin.com/2013/01/09/linkedin-200-million/

https://twitter.com/twitter/status/281051652235087872

http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Update-Overload-Remains-Brands-Biggest-Social-Danger/1009539



The situation

2012 Sales Management Association (SMA) survey of sales managers and sales leaders:• 96% use LinkedIn at least once a week. • 80% believe sales force would be more productive.• >50% expect to increase their engagement with

LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.• 66% of firms do not have a social media strategy for

the sales organisation.

http://salesmanagement.org/



The problem

Only 11% of companies had formalised customer-facing social media efforts for sales, compared to 82% for marketing.

Source: Alimeter Group

Formalised customer-facingsocial media efforts by group



The bigger problem

2012 Sales Management Association (SMA) survey of sales managers and sales leaders:• Sales force lacks a solid

understanding of social media.

• Their own firm’s social media engagement lacks that of their important customers.

• Few have had sufficient social media training.

Source: Sales Management Association

Social media education in sales



The implication – social media satisfaction

Main areas of dissatisfaction were in generating leads and, to a lesser extent, nurturing leads. Why?

Source: B2B Marketing Outlook Report 2013



Why does it matter?

Social selling remains an ambition, not reality at most B2B organisations today; however, the evidence is clear that change is underway.

Source: Aberdeen Group

Performance benefits of social selling



The good news …

Sellers don’t have to make a decision to adopt social media – their customers have already made it for them.



The Panel

John GoldenHuthwaitePresident & CEO@johncgolden

Matt LoopLinkedinHead of Solution Sales@mattloop

Marie SorninFairfax MediaSocial Media Director@mariesornin

Tom SkotidasSkotidasDirector@tomskotidas

Chris CollacottDeloitteDigital Marketing Manager@chriscollacott

Danielle Di-MasiBusiness Etiquette & Digital Relationship Expert@danielledimasi

Twitter hashtag for the Forum: #HWFF



Huthwaite’s latest research

• 30% post for business purposes weekly.

Why• 72% to research and make connections with

prospective buyers and clients.• 71% to improve personal brand.• 55% to generate value for customers.

However• 37% don’t know how best to maximise the

use of it.• 32% struggle to create the right messaging in a given

situation.



Emerging trends

• Social media is used almost daily by the majority of salespeople, but not necessarily effectively.

• Salespeople struggle most often with:– creating the right messaging in a given situation;– maximising the use of social media.

• Techniques are evolving rapidly, everyone is still learning.

• Discipline is required.



Our philosophy on social selling

• Create a daily routine that will fit into your existing sales process.

• Inspire and educate (give your knowledge away) as you engage with prospects and customers.

• Develop your personal brand and become a micro-marketer.

• Find the platform and technique that works best for you.

• Search / Listen / Share.





Thank you

• Draw for books• Feedback form• On-line blog / discussion

Education

Huthwaite Future Forum: Global Insights - Social Selling