Social Selling Mistakes that Businesses Need to Avoid

When gaining exposure through social media, you usually assume that it is a marketing strategy. Not only that, the sales team can use the same channels to build good relationships with potential customers as a social selling tactic.

This strategy could be an alternative so that a business can generate additional revenue. However, there are still many mistakes that occur and may not be realized when using social media channels as a means of social selling.

Mistakes in Social Selling

As much as possible, social selling strategies need to be utilized as a way to build leads and generate prospects. This method must be utilized properly to avoid failure. The following are some examples of mistakes in social selling.

1. Using social networks for promotion

Running paid ads on social media is easy. However, that's just one feature that social media offers. Social media is a place to connect with other people, including business professionals.

You should use social media as if you were approaching someone at a networking event in person. Select people who are considered to benefit from getting to know you and the products your business offers.

Create conversations with potential customers to pique their interest. From there, you can start selling after building connections and becoming part of the community.

2. Not investing in social training

Even though the use of social media has become increasingly popular, its use as a social selling strategy is not something that can be underestimated. You still have to train your sales team to be able to utilize social media channels in the following ways.

• Carrying out effective personal branding
• Have expertise in your product niche
• Carrying out identification and research related to the target market
• Build and maintain relationships over time
• Create communication content that suits your audience

3. Unclear goals

Even a great sales team will not be able to contribute well if you do not determine the indicators of success that must be achieved. Social selling may not be the main strategy used by the sales team so you need to define it clearly.

Determine the vision that the company wants to achieve through social selling efforts and determine the measurement metrics. This will help the sales team to align actions targeted at potential customers.

Use the right tools to assess the conversion of leads to the resulting transactions. Some tools that can be used include Feedly, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, and Sales Hub.

4. Spammy outreach

It is important to remember that the sales team also brings the brand's good name to the table when following up with potential customers through social selling. Sending broadcast messages may not be a good idea if it will ultimately damage your reputation.

Take a personal approach to potential customers based on their needs, interests and problems they face. This method will make it easier for the sales team to personalize messages and find the best solutions that the brand can offer.

5. Lack of consistency with prospects

The sales team must be able to maintain a consistent presence for potential customers. Even though it is not a sporadic effort, social selling must be carried out as a long-term, sustainable process.

If there is a change in the relationships you have built, they may disappear and you will lose credibility. You also have to build relationships with customers through identifying moments and consistent follow-up across all sales channels.

Regardless of the mistakes that have occurred in your sales team, it is never too late to fix them. Therefore, implement different social selling strategies to make your product development efforts successful.