Let’s consider the traditional Steps in the Sales Process/Behaviors and Role of Social Media
- Understanding the Customer
- Knowledge gathering: Creating/joining/participating in field-specific LinkedIn groups.
- Prospecting: Monitoring comments to understand how message is perceived, or what other information is wanted.
- Lead generation: Company product blogs with active comment monitoring and question feedback. Allowing open membership to generate future client list.
- Determining communication styles: Establishing a Twitter presence.
- Identifying risks/buying situation: Monitoring comments to understand attitudes toward purchasing and buying preferences.
- Approaching the Customer: Posting news stories on Facebook
- Establishing credibility: Facebook promotions inviting participation in new product testing, or sharing stories about community involvement and fun activities that build brand.
- Gaining attention: LinkedIn surveys and polls to generate industry discussion about relevant topics.
- Rapport building: Tweeting about conferences/results/innovation.
- Needs Discovery: Tweeting to solicit customer/competitor feedback.
- Questioning: Creating an app to solicit customer product and service ideas.
- Listening: Generating blog posts designed specifically to ignite conversation or debate.
- Understanding motives: Asking Facebook fans to vote in polls or comment on proposed changes to products, services, or logos.
- Presentation: Chatter to collaborate with customers on proposals and campaigns.
- Demonstrating value propositions: Sharing success stories via Facebook.
- Prescribing a solution: YouTube channel to provide information to customers.
- Using visual aids/demonstrations: Tweeting about price specials, coupons, loyalty rewards, or contests.
- Close: Facebook or Twitter to drive clients to sales channels. Chatter to work one-on-one to resolve deal inhibitors. Blogs or LinkedIn to address issues raised by competitors or unhappy clients.
- Asking for the sale: Tweets to VIP clientele to sell special concert or sports event seating.
- Overcoming objections: Sharing success stories via LinkedIn or Facebook posts.
- Negotiation: Blogs to address issues raised about products or services. Facebook posts to ask for donations.
- Service and Follow-Up: Following customers on Twitter. Mining their fans and followers for prospects.
- Communication: Tweets to announce sales goals, product success, new products. Facebook promotions and rewards for referring friends or asking them to like/follow your posts.
- Gaining referrals: LinkedIn and Facebook to ask for referrals.
- Determining future sales opportunities: Tweeting to communicate success stories.
I Think, I have covered all aspects of sales. Looking forward to in hearing from you experts.
I like this tweet.. Have you had any successes that you wish to discuss
Hi Tony,
Being a Marketer, I have implemented this Social Sales strategy in-house as well as have recommended to few of my clients, and have experienced a great success in terms of conversions. I have mentioned only process-oriented steps for sales using Social Media; however, it requires Corporate/Business Marketing Strategies and great thought leadership over Social Media and Content Marketing. I wonder, if you were interested in this kind of Thought Leadership. Thanks!
Great blog post Anil! I have never seen the sales process incorporated with social media actions so simply before. A lot of businesses only leverage the second step of the sales process on social media, and you make great points about how to they can use social media to take advantage of all the other steps.
Hi Joey, thanks for appreciating! Can you recommend someone who would be interested in guest blogging for this blog? or it will be great if I could have your share in blogging. Looking forward
Great post Anil !!! Beautifully integrated the social media and sales process.Very apt for high end value consumers goods.Really wanted to know which sector and to what consumer base, you have tested this approach ?
Hi Jaipal, thanks for appreciating. I’ve tested this for IT and computer software industry in B2B segment. However, I recommend this approach with little bit modification and customization for all the industry and customer segments wherever Social Media is applicable. Thanks
Thanks Anil