Social is for Closers: Using Online Networks to Build Relationships and Boost Sales

If you aren't tapping into social selling, you're missing out. In 2012, sales people using social media to sell outperformed those who weren't using social media 78.6% of the time.  What's more, social sales people were 23% more successful at exceeding their quotas than their non-social sales peers. Social sales people are doing all this by spending just 10% of their time on social channels. Surprisingly, however, more than half of the sales organizations surveyed by the Sales Management Association believe their current social efforts are not sufficient: 55% say they would be more productive if they had a larger social presence.

Imagine the possibilities of throwing a formal social strategy into the sales mix. Social helps you find prospects as they are actively searching for products or looking for solutions your company can offer. Social enables you to extend what makes great sales people – connecting with customers, listening, and building relationships. It doesn't replace anything, but rather scales your ability to connect authentically with your prospects. Use the invaluable context and second-degree connections to reach prospects at their point of need and through a trusted, mutual connection.