There’s a debate raging: Which is better, social selling or cold calling? Proponents of each say their method is the most effective at turning leads into qualified buyers.
But today, more and more salespeople are switching from cold calling to social selling, and here’s why.
What is Social Selling?
Most salespeople have experience with cold calling, but what is social selling? Social selling involves finding prospects online, usually through social media, and then engaging them in one-on-one conversations. The goal is to learn more about people and build relationships that will eventually lead to sales.
This is different from social media marketing because it focuses on the individual rather than casting the net wide. It offers the one-on-one conversation of cold calling but using a digital platform instead of the phone.
More Targeted Leads
A big advantage of social selling is that you’re able to qualify leads much more effectively before you make the initial contact. You can create an ideal customer profile and use social listening tools to search for the right people online.
By looking at user profiles, you can vet prospects and qualify them even before you make first contact. Social media allows you to search for keywords and topics within the conversations people are having to find good leads.
By the time you open the conversation, you can be fully confident that you’re talking to a potential buyer.
Opportunity to Build Your Personal Brand
With social selling, you can warm up prospects before you engage with them by creating a strong personal brand. The goal is to establish yourself as a trusted expert in your niche online.
You can do this through sharing relevant and engaging content and growing your audience. Your prospects will come to see you as a helpful authority who has solutions to their problems. This will make your conversations much more productive.
Add More Value
It’s hard to offer the maximum value to a prospect in a cold call. There’s no way you can be prepared to answer any question the person might have. When you’re talking through social media, you have more opportunity to provide insights and help.
Social selling creates a two-way dialogue where you listen to the prospect and their issues, and then provide the help they need. You can start adding value at the outset of the conversation, and this will lead to greater customer satisfaction.
Social Selling Works
The main reason so many salespeople are switching to social selling is simply that it works. Not only does it bring you more targeted leads, it also makes the entire process easier and more efficient. Though it takes some work upfront, the results this strategy brings will be well worth the time invested.
If you want to learn about more ways to sell through social selling, then head over to my program, There's Money in Social Media, where you’ll find everything you need to get started.
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