6 Ways to Alienate The Modern Connected Buyer #SocialSelling

Social Selling looks a lot like traditional selling. We build relationships and establish a mutual exchange of value. Social is the new channel we use to communicate with the modern buyer.

Social Selling allows you to be the first to provide value. Being first gives you leverage ahead of the sale, increases your chance to participate and eventually close the sale.

Why is Social Selling so important?

1. It drives revenue.
2. You don’t really have a choice.

Four facts of the modern buyer:

• They’re digitally driven. Google says 95% of car shoppers start their search on the web. There are very similar stats for other industries and for B2B (92%).
• They’re socially connected. 82% of the world’s population can be reached via social networks.
• They’re mobile. More people own mobile devices than own a toothbrush.
• They’re empowered. They have unlimited access to information, previous buyer recommendations and their referral network.

The same old selling model won’t work with today’s modern buyer. Most salespeople are selling like it’s 1999. “We want to sell you our stuff at our price.” To close sales with the modern buyer means to meet them where they are, deliver useful information that helps them decide and offer assistance when they’re ready to buy.

Could your business be alienating modern buyers and sending them to your competitor?

6 Ways to Alienate the Modern Buyer

1. No established Social Media presence. Every business and their sales team need to be where their buyers are. A socially connected modern buyer will look for you during their shopping process. If you’re not there, they move on to your competitor.

2. No quality content that helps the buyer get smarter. These shoppers are digitally driven; they aren’t interested (yet) in talking with your salespeople. They’re looking for answers to their questions. Quality content when they’re getting ready to buy brings them to you through search. Your expert answers and information make sure that when they do buy, they’re set up for success.

3. Trying to sell something to someone who doesn’t know you. Only 0.3% of cold calls result in an appointment. In fact, a University of North Carolina study showed that 80% of people will NOT buy as a result of cold calling. Social Selling affords you the opportunity to get to know your ideal customers before they buy. It’s much easier to sell to someone who’s seen what they like and are coming back for more.

4. Sticking your head in the sand about your online reputation. Recently a car dealer in Florida was contacted by the DMV who was following up on a complaint from one of their customers. The DMV ruled in the customer’s favor and instructed the dealer to refund her $400. He decided it would be a good idea to refund her in pennies. No matter how right you think you are, there’s no good reason to behave this way. After the story was told on the local news, and then the national news, the dealer’s Facebook page is now filled with consumer reactions (none that are positive). Today’s modern buyer sees everything that happens.

5. Salespeople aren’t part of the online conversations prior to the sale. I know many salespeople who’ve taken their own steps to create a referral network for themselves. The majority of businesses out there have not realized the power they have in their people. Many act in fear by not making social forums available to salespeople and not providing the training needed to succeed in Social Selling.

6. Your website says, “Buy our stuff at our price, right now!” Your website needs to welcome modern buyers with the information they’re seeking. Give them options and a reason to stay on your site. Awesome Social Media marketing campaigns that drive users to your site will fail if your site doesn’t have what the buyer is looking for and blasts them in the face with old-timey advertising.