SOCIAL SELLINGTIPS & TRICKS ON HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA AS PART OF THE B2B TECHNOLOGY SALES CYCLE

SARAH GOODALL

Internal Communications & Social Media for SAP EMEA+IndiaOwner of Tribal Impact blog

Twitter: @tribalimpactBlog: www.tribalimpact.comEmail: sarah.goodall@tribalimpact.com

HOW THE SALES PROCESS HAS CHANGED

Engage Vendors

Develop RFI

Internal Analysis

Potential Solutions

RFP & Compare

Negotiate

Implement

Qualify

Build Relationship

Needs Analysis

Show Demo/Test

Sell Solution

Negotiate

Deliver

If All Went Well The Customer Would Purchase

Buyers Now Less Reliant On

Vendors & Analysts

Researching Before They Enter

The ”Sales Cycle”

Decision Makers Turning To

Trusted Networks – Online Or

Offline

Customer View Vendor View

Social Media are media for social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques (Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn etc)

WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?

HOW IS IT CHANGING SALES?

IT ISN’T JUST FOR KIDS...SENIOR DECISIONS MAKERS ARE USING IT

...THESE ARE THE TOOLS THEY’RE USING

...AND THIS IS HOW THEIR TEAMS ARE USING SOCIAL MEDIA

TOOLBOX SURVEY

Our Primary Audience Uses It

Gain Customer Intelligence

Identify New Sales Targets

Develop Closer Relationships

Shorten Buying Cycles

Grow Your Prospect Base

Build Your Personal Brand

SO WHAT IS SOCIAL SELLING?

Know Your

Target

Build A Network

ListenEngage

Extend Network

5 STEP SOCIAL SELLING PROCESS

• Choose 2-3 Target Accounts

• Decide On Audience• E.g. HR, IT, Finance

• Find Who They Are• LinkedIn Advance Search

• Find Their ”Pain Areas” • Google, Twitter, LinkedIn Questions

STEP 1: KNOW YOUR TARGET

• Build Your LinkedIn Profile• Create the basics – be searchable

• Create your ”Personal URL”

• Add to your email signature

• Invite People To Join You On LinkedIn• Customers, Partners, Colleagues, Employees

• Happy? Know You?

• Find Your Targets• How are you connected?

• Which Groups do they belong to?

• Interests? Education?

STEP 2: BUILD YOUR NETWORK

• Select ”Follow Company” on LinkedIn• Latest personnel changes

• Check out interesting stats

• Join Relevant LinkedIn Groups• Search by keyword e.g. retail technology

• Your Company Group? Join Up

• Monitor discussion topics

• Set up Google Alerts • Follow customers, keywords & competitors

• Listen To Your Targets

• Do they have a Twitter account? Blog?

STEP 3: LISTEN

• Update Your LinkedIn ”Network Activity”• News, Events, New Videos, Demos

• Invite Your Network To Join A Group• E.g. Local Company Network?

• Respond To Group Discussions• Add your opinion

• Create a discussion e.g. ”I heard this from several clients – is this the general feeling?”

• LinkedIn Answers• Answer 2 questions a week

• ”Saw this and thought of you!”

STEP 4: ENGAGE

• Get In The Habit• Meet, Greet, Invite

• Make the invitation personal

• When accepting – send a message back!

• Good Job? Established Credibility? • Ask for a recommendation

• Request an introduction

• Be Transparent

• Be Human...Not A Logo

• Be Open...You Will Reap Rewards

STEP 5: EXTEND YOUR NETWORK

• Be a person - not a logo

• Listen before you speak

• Introduce yourself – not an elevator pitch

• Add value

• Ask questions – seek to learn

• Make it easy to connect with you

• Be socially responsible – Follow Company Guidelines

REMEMBER....SOCIAL SELLING ETIQUETTE

• 14 Year In B2B Technology Marketing Communications

• From Global Matrix To Fast-Growing Start-Ups

• Including SAP, IBM, Hitachi, Glasshouse

• Passionate About People

• Inspired By Great Leaders

• Socially Networked

• Loves A Challenge

• Chartered Marketer

• Qualified Exec Coach - Intermediate (AoEC)

• Review References @ www.linkedin.com/in/sarahgoodall

ABOUT SARAH GOODALL