Building connections, sharing content, and engaging with your audience are key components of social selling. This online sales strategy requires relationships to be built online like you would make those relationships face-to-face by connecting with them authentically and offering helpful information at the right time. This method for developing deeper relationships with potential customers online can be a significant differentiator for your print or reseller business.
The buyer is now in control. Print businesses and resellers can maximize their sales efficiency by learning the 4 essential tips for social selling. By joining the 1% club, turning your social profile into a buying resource, and leveraging the three-by-five social selling method, social selling could gain a competitive edge to keep your business top of mind.
What does social selling mean?
A lead-generation technique, social selling, uses your company’s social media channels to develop relationships with potential customers. Businesses can find the right prospects by interacting with potential customers on social networks such as LinkedIn, building trusted relationships, and increasing sales.
Tip #1: The Buyer Is Now In Control
Today’s buyers have access to everything they need to make an informed purchase online. That means you will miss out if your business is not part of the education process, as that customer is trying to make a decision. Your job is to get that prospect’s attention and establish yourself as the expert so that they remember your business when they are ready to buy.
Customers buy from a business that they know, like, and trust. Print businesses and resellers can build relationships and trust through social networks. With social selling, the more people your business knows, the better.
Tip #2: Join the 1% Club of Social Selling
Only about 1 percent of the users on LinkedIn are actively posting, which means there is a competitive advantage for your content to get noticed. You can become a one-percenter by posting helpful content to your audience two or three times a week. Doing so will keep you top of mind with your prospects and amplify your business as the solution to their problems.
However, what and how you share is also important. Think of your posts as nurturing with knowledge, and consider what it is that your best customers know and appreciate about your company. Then take that knowledge and share information that will benefit your buyer. By doing that, you will expand your brand awareness and reach.
Tip #3: Turn Your Social Profile Into a Social Selling Resource
First impressions matter, and it’s no secret that your prospects are looking you up on social media before you ever have a meeting with them. When they go to your LinkedIn profile, you want them to find a professional-looking profile with lots of helpful information about what they’re interested in buying.
A business with a professional-looking profile that shares valuable information will instill trust and confidence in a prospective customer. For companies unsure of what to post, start by asking yourself these two questions:
- What do you want to be known for?
- What problems can you solve?
The answers to these questions are what your profile needs to say about you.
Businesses also want to ensure that their social media profiles are written in the first person. Imagine introducing yourself to a prospect for the first time and considering what you would tell them about your business.
Tip #4: Leverage the 3 by 5 Social Selling Method
The 3 by 5 process is three daily tasks on LinkedIn that you can do five days a week to improve your social selling.
Step #1: Send five connection requests daily to various prospects. These prospects can be people you meet in the real world and targeted prospects that you find online that would be good fits for your business.
Step #2: Send five direct messages to people you’ve already connected with. This step aims to develop a solid relationship with your new contacts. These messages should be casual and conversational, for example, sending a direct message to your new connections from step one and taking the time to thank them for connecting. You can also try to deepen your new connection by looking for some common ground to share, such as whether you are in the same city or belong to any similar organizations. The biggest pitfall to avoid here is the temptation to sell prematurely; instead, remember that you want to nurture with knowledge. You might also share a link to an article or video you think they may find interesting.
Step #3: Leave meaningful comments on five posts from others. Meaningful comments mean more than a simple like or a short comment. Instead, meaningful comments should add your perspective, expand on the topic, or ask a question. You want to provide your knowledge without being self-promotional. By commenting on others’ posts, you become a part of their conversation, increasing your exposure to their followers and connections.
Consistency will make all the difference in your social selling efforts; even a little daily effort can go a long way. You can demonstrate expertise and build relationships for your print and reseller business with an effective social media strategy paired with other promotional tactics to drive business success.
By partnering with DFS, your print or reseller business can benefit from industry experts who can help you expand your business by offering customers a more extensive breadth of products and services. You can depend on DFS to help you transform the way you work and guide business success. Learn more social selling tips and tricks for your print business from our video in the DFS virtual showroom theatre.
Key Takeaways
- Building connections, sharing content, and engaging with your audience are key components of social selling.
- Social selling is using your company’s social media channels to develop relationships with potential customers and increase sales.
- Print businesses and resellers can maximize their sales efficiency by learning the four essential tips for social selling.
- Consistency will make all the difference in your social selling efforts.
- You can depend on DFS to help you transform the way you work and guide business success.
