The trend toward a buyer-centric digital model for B2B has accelerated over the last two years. Gartner estimates that 80 per cent of B2B sales interactions will happen in digital channels by 2025. B2B buyers increasingly expect to deal with vendors at their convenience. Social selling is an ideal solution because sellers can authentically connect, engage, and nurture relationships. By embracing social selling, B2B vendors can improve customer relationships, shorten sales cycles, and generate more leads.
Where the Action Is
Even before the pandemic, Millennials represented nearly 60 per cent of B2B buyers with 30 per cent acting as their companies’ lead buyers. Millennials, and even more so younger Gen Z, are digital-natives and want customer-centric, B2C-level customer experience. Another study found that nearly 70 per cent of B2B buyers switched to vendors who provided a more customer-centric experience and 80 per cent say they expect personalized engagement from vendors.
Social selling solves these challenges. Mobile devices and social media blur the line between business and personal. B2C social selling has bled into the B2B world. As such, younger B2B buyers are relying more on information from peers, colleagues, and users, which means B2B vendors need to be active on social channels to build trust within networks and communities.
Don’t Spam—Personalize
Social selling allows brands to meet buyers where they already are and feel comfortable. But that’s not a license to spam. Buyers are getting inundated with sales pitches regularly, leading to buyer fatigue. In order to cut through the noise, vendors must invest the time and effort to forge authentic relationships and social media presences.
For starters, vendors should take time to learn about their buyer personas, where are their networks and what are their pain points. After that, vendors can create thoughtful content that establishes them as thought leaders in the field. Taking the time to regularly deliver quality content will build a foundation as well as build a funnel for data accumulation with regards to potential leads.
Data and insight are the building blocks for personalized communication. This information informs both the content going forward as well as outbound pitches. According to a recent survey, nearly 80 per cent of B2B sellers believed personalization built better customer relationships and more than half said personalization brought higher conversion rates and growth. And yet, more than 40 per cent said they struggled to personalize their marketing strategies.
A robust and sophisticated social selling strategy will deliver the right message to the right buyer at the right time and place.
We Can Help
With our social selling expertise and knowledge, you will be able to target your ideal buyer persona with pinpoint accuracy throughout all stages of the sales funnel to gain high-quality leads and conversions.
Call 1-866-637-4202 or visit our website to learn more.