Whether you look at the statistics from established research houses:
- “91% of B2B buyers are now active and involved in social media.” – IDC
- “98% of sales reps with more than 5000 LinkedIn connections meet or surpass quota” – Sales Benchmark Index
- “Over 57% of the buying decision is completed before decision makers are willing to talk to a sales rep” – Corporate Executive Board
… Or you browse through the research that demonstrates the benefits of Social Selling (from CSO Insights, 2016):
- Reduced account research time
- Increased leads
- Deeper relationships with clients
- Improved lead conversion rates
- Shorter selling cycles
… Or you look at the documented case studies highlighting the success of Social Selling from established corporations:
- Thanks to their Social Selling program IBM increased sales by 400%.
- SAP delivered 32% more revenue owing to developing the social selling skills of their sales staff.
- LogMyCalls launched a major content effort called “150 Blog Posts in 50 Days.” This initiative drove a 400% increase in leads in 90 days.
Quantitatively and Qualitatively – The Proof Is There! Social Selling Works!
The B2B Buyer has changed. So the B2B Sales approach must change in line. Traditional sales methods are still valid but without a social and digital dimension, the traditional methods are not as effective and are definitely not as efficient. As the B2B buying process has transformed, the B2B selling process too has evolved. To remain relevant, sales professionals must add to their sales repertoire. This is no longer optional – It is mandatory. This is no longer a nice to do – It is must do.
71% of sales professionals believe that their role will be radically different by the early 2020s. Are you Social Selling yet? Are you still boldly ‘smiling and dialling’ or ‘dialing for dollars’ as your primary sales modus operandi? No, I am not against the phone. I am amongst the breed of social selling trainers that believe the cold call is not dead and that the phone is still relevant. I take pride in making 50 dials a day, 3 days a week.
However, why not warm the call up if you can? Why not amplify the results of the dials by leveraging social?
Social Selling can make a significant difference to your existing sales arsenal. Embrace social selling. Don’t be resistant to this change. Make it yours and add it to your existing sales process.
For now, here are 12 stats that prove you need to start social selling. Leverage Nike’s Motto – Just Do It!
