How to do social selling on LinkedIn and other social media?

The presence of brands on social media is a common phenomenon and one of the most important elements of marketing strategy. More and more brands are becoming aware that having several company accounts on the most popular sites is not enough, that is why brands are starting to look for creative solutions. With help comes social selling, by building trust and relationships between the brand and consumers. Check out how to use social selling to develop your business.

Social selling – what is it?

Social selling, despite appearances, is not selling on social media. It is definitely something more. Namely, social selling is the process of building relationships with current and potential customers of the brand, which leads to increased sales. Thus, selling is an outcome, not a direct part of social selling. The whole process is about not making pushy sales, because consumers like to buy, but they don’t like to be sold something.

Where to start?

The first thing you need to do is to know the expectations of your target audience. Therefore, create a profile of your ideal customer, i.e. a persona that represents the demographic characteristics, as well as behaviors and interests of your potential customers. Think of what the recipients need, what kind of knowledge they are looking for and how you can help them. This will make acquiring new customers much easier and faster. When you know your customer’s characteristics and psychological profile, you can use this knowledge to conduct more effective marketing activities.

How to effectively use social selling in sales strategy?

If you want to effectively conduct social selling you must first of all remember about systematic activities. Another important aspect is, of course, valuable content, i.e. the content you publish on social media. As mentioned above, your content should be relevant to the needs of your potential audience. Remember also to build relationships through interaction. Don’t be afraid to get involved in discussions on forums or groups, because thanks to well-thought-out communication in such sites, you can present yourself as an expert in your industry. Of course, a very important part of the whole process is also the continuous analysis and improvement of social selling activities.

What is the Social Selling Index on LinkedIn?

Social selling is mainly associated with LinkedIn because this portal provides an opportunity to brand yourself as an expert in your field. Of course, LinkedIn is not just for people in the B2B space, it also works great in the B2C model, as shown by statistics: salespeople who actively use LinkedIn are up to 51% more likely to meet their sales goals*. 

Every LinkedIn user can check their Social Selling Index, an indicator of their potential to sell on this social network. The SSI score is influenced by 4 elements:

• building a professional image;
• attracting the right contacts;
• engaging;
• building relationships on LinkedIn.

Creating a professional image (personal brand) starts as early as completing your information on LinkedIn. Make sure that your profile is as interesting as possible for the potential recipient. Remember also to publish interesting content that will not only attract attention but also present you as a specialist in your field. Appropriate and varied materials will make your profile coherent because your publications will be a kind of confirmation of the skills listed on the profile.

Do not forget to build a network of business contacts. It’s not about creating the biggest network possible, but about getting the right contacts. For this purpose, you can use LinkedIn’s advanced tool – Sales Navigator. When making contact, remember to personalize. And no, I don’t mean adding your name to your networking invitation message. True personalization involves analyzing the profile of a person you want to contact. When you know what a person is interested in, what they’ve published recently, what groups they belong to, you’ll find the elements you have in common and you can easily write a short message as to why you are inviting them to your network. If you bet on sending this message on a mass scale, you will definitely not see the expected results.

Another important element influencing your results is of course engagement. Therefore, engage in discussions, share interesting articles and posts from people in your network. Participate in thematic groups and contact their members. If someone responds to your post, you can easily start a discussion in public or via private message. This is a very good way to build relationships on LinkedIn and gain the trust of decision makers.

Social media marketing and sales

Facebook, Instagram or Twitter also provide spaces where you can successfully conduct social selling. Above all, rely on your company’s thoughtful efforts and focus on posting interesting posts. Lately, video marketing in the form of live reports on Facebook or stories on Instagram has become popular. On social media, in addition to posts showcasing your product or service, it’s a good idea to share behind-the-scenes of your brand’s life. If you are creating a personal brand, then posting lifestyle posts is even a desirable activity. However, remember to maintain a balance between your personal life and social media.

Social selling – summary

Social selling activities have a positive impact on building brand trust and customer buying experience. Therefore, make sure to be present on those social media platforms where your audience is, including potential ones. It is a good practice to have a profile on LinkedIn and build an expert position by all the company’s professionals, because in this way each of them can expand the brand’s audience by more people. 

See the potential that social selling brings? Start implementing best practices today and enjoy more success for your business.

* https://business.linkedin.com/sales-solutions/social-selling/the-social-selling-index-ssi