Social Selling: Best Tips and Tricks to Follow in 2024

The contemporary sales landscape belongs to socially savvy salespeople who know their way around the virtual marketplaces. Professionals who know they're not in the business of selling but helping people buy. And how better to go about helping folks buy than engaging them in meaningful conversations and creating a rapport? That's what social selling is all about.

Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media platforms are the new battlegrounds where sales champions are minted and brands build empires.

But don't get carried away by the glaring promise of success. Social selling requires thorough understanding, keen execution, and constant refinement.

In this article, we'll first demystify the process by breaking down the fundamentals of social selling. Then, go over some of the best practices you can incorporate into your approach to succeed at social selling in 2023.

What Social Selling Is

Social selling entails using social media to find, connect with, understand, and nurture sales prospects. It involves blending the finesse of social interaction with the strategy of sales, transcending the conventional methods of "Here's my product, wanna buy?" to a more nuanced approach of "Let's discuss your needs and how I can assist."

You're not just broadcasting messages to the universe and hoping someone bites. Rather, you're cultivating real relationships by interacting, sharing valuable content, and building trust and credibility. You're engaging with prospects in an empathetic manner, respecting their needs and meeting them where they are.

What Social Selling Is Not

Many people think of social selling as spamming people with messages and promotions. This is absolutely incorrect. Spammy behavior runs contrary to the whole purpose of social selling, which is to turn sales monologues into meaningful dialogues.

Social selling is not about stuffing your contacts list with new people, either. Quality interactions trump quantity here. If you want to convert leads and get sales, you need to focus on nurturing a few meaningful relationships at a time rather than just trying to reel in more contacts for the sake of having more.

Why Social Selling Matters

People today don't just want to buy from businesses. They want to buy from people. Authentic, real, relatable people who understand their needs and work hard to meet them.

Don't believe us? Fine, believe the numbers, then. LinkedIn's Sales Solutions data tells us:

• Companies leading in social selling generate 45% more sales opportunities than their less socially savvy competitors.
• Businesses prioritizing this approach are 51% more likely to smash their sales quotas.
• A staggering 78% of companies using social selling outperform those that don't.

The stats are right there in black and white. Are you really willing to leave that 45% on the table?

Tips to Elevate Your Social Selling Approach in 2023

What separates the pros from the also-rans is not whether they use social media but how they use it. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make the most of your social selling efforts in 2023:

1: Connect Before You Pitch

When engaging with a potential customer, it's important to remember that you're not dealing with a faceless entity. You're talking to an actual person with interests, thoughts, and feelings. So, take a few minutes to get to know the individual on the other end of the conversation.

Skim through their social canvases for posts that offer insights into their interests or lifestyle. Then, use that knowledge to craft a personalized and relatable message to jumpstart the conversation.

Take, for example, this Crockpot's strategic engagement with a 'This Is Us' fan. The brand cleverly addressed a heart-wrenching fictional tragedy caused by a faulty kitchen appliance, all the while plugging the safety of its own product. Genius, right? That's the kind of rapport-building you should be aiming for.

2: Leverage Automation Tools

We don't advocate utilizing automated feedback as a replacement for organic interactions. The technology can certainly help you stay organized and keep track of things. Use automation to help you with low-level tasks. For example, documenting your interactions, reminding you when it's time to reach out again, or sorting contacts into relevant categories.

You can implement automated chatbots on social media platforms to assist in answering simple questions and providing personalized product suggestions. This prevents the possibility of potential customers turning to competitors because their questions go unanswered.

Tip: Do thorough research before committing to any automation tool. Ensure that features fit your needs, and check user reviews for any potential red flags.

3: Be Where Your Audience Is

This sounds like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how many businesses set up shop on platforms that their target audience barely visits. Before you embark on your social selling journey, take the time to find out where your prospects hang out.

Which platforms do they use? What type of content do they prefer? Once you have that information, create a presence for yourself on those sites. Then share relevant content tailored to their interests.

So, don't waste your time and resources on platforms that don't align with your target audience's preferences. Focus on the ones that matter.

4: Get Adjacent Departments Onboard

For most companies, social selling isn't going to be a sales-only affair. It will involve the marketing, customer service, and product departments, too. Hold a meeting to discuss the goals and strategies to ensure everyone is pulling in the same direction.

Encourage each department to come up with ideas and share their insights on how the company's strategy should be carried out in order to maximize success. The more buy-in you get from other departments, the easier it will be to implement a cohesive social selling strategy.

5: Make Use of QR Codes

QR codes have become a fixture in making access to products or information a snap—literally. By integrating QR codes into your social selling strategy and linking them to product pages, you'll make it easy for prospects to leap from interest to interaction.

In short? QR codes are a versatile way to connect and provide value to your audience, so get creative and make them work for you. Just ensure that the code generator you choose to create your QR codes is legit and, ideally, highly regarded because a compromised one can put your brand's security at risk.

#6: Play by the Platform

Each social media platform has its own language, norms, and expectations. LinkedIn isn't Facebook, and X( previously Twitter) certainly isn't Instagram. You can't use the same tone of voice when engaging with people on different platforms. You'll need to tailor your approach to fit whichever platform you're on.

For example, a LinkedIn message should be more formal than an Instagram post.

But slide over to LinkedIn, and it's a whole different story. The content needs to radiate professionalism and seriousness.

So, when you're out there mingling with potential customers, it's crucial to dance to the beat of each platform's drum. But at the same time, stay true to your brand's identity. Don't go too casual if your brand is more corporate or too stiff if you're trying to cultivate a fun and relaxed atmosphere.

7: Locate Leads By Using Their Interests

Many social media platforms come with extensive search features that enable you to find prospects according to their interests. Facebook has specialized communities and groups for just about any topic you can think of. Twitter and Instagram can give you the ability to use hashtags to locate people who share your interests. Take advantage of these features to find engaged leads.

Then, pursue prospects actively seeking solution providers like you. For example, if you're a course creator, immerse yourself in forums dedicated to coaches and offer your products when the opportunity presents itself.

You can also start conversations in these forums to get a better understanding of the problems and needs of potential customers. Another option is to collect the email addresses of new Facebook group members and do targeted cold email outreach.

8: Embrace the Power of Social Scheduling

Of course, we're all for spontaneous and organic engagement. It's not always feasible, especially with a jam-packed calendar and a bustling social media presence. This is where social scheduling tools come into play.

They allow you to plan and automate your content distribution. You can maintain consistency in your posts without worrying about logging in at odd hours to hit 'publish' or missing out on prime engagement windows.

But before you invest in a tool, carefully consider the features you're after and the associated learning curve. For example, an app like OneUp is fantastic for those who like things straightforward and streamlined, be it for scheduling updates on GMB or crafting narratives on Twitter.

However, there are built-in scheduling features in Facebook groups, pages, and LinkedIn.

Bring Your Social Selling Game to 2023

The social media landscape is a fertile ground for revenue generation if you play your cards right. With a whopping 4.8 billion regular users across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, the potential for sales success is quite literally staggering. Take these tips and tricks for a spin, and let the power of social selling propel your business to new heights in 2023.