Guide to Social Selling in B2B

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Today’s B2B buyer has access to a wealth of information and is also very active on social media. They download white papers, watch videos and control access to the information they need to complete their online purchase austria mobile phone number list s. They tend not to like “intrusive” prospecting methods such as phoning and prefer to remain in control during the search process.

Before making a purchasing decision, look for information on search engines, consult the recommendations of recognized specialists in their field and, finally, read the opinions of users who have tried the service or product in question.

Table of contents
1. SOME FIGURES
2. COMMERCIAL PROSPECTING IN THE DIGITAL AGE
3. SOCIAL SELLING: A TRUE ALLY FOR SALES ADVISORS
4. TOOLS FOR AN EFFECTIVE SOCIAL SELLING STRATEGY
5. SOCIAL SELLING: PERFECTLY MEASURABLE RETURN ON INVESTMENT
1. SOME FIGURES
Several studies show that a B2B buyer completes 70% of the purchasing process completely independently, without contacting a sales representative .

The notion of trust increasingly influences buyer decision-making. According to a Salesforce study with more than 8,000 professional buyers from 16 countries :

84%

of buyers say that, for them, the shopping experience is more important than the service or product purchased .

65%

of buyers stop working with brands due to loss of trust .

The role of the sales consultant has therefore changed a lot over time. They now remain “on the sidelines” for most of the prospects’ purchasing journey. In order for their role to be recognised as useful, the sales consultant must provide information with high added value and/or that is difficult to find on the Internet.

The same study shows that 89% of professional buyers expect the sales advisor to understand and meet their expectations immediately.

In terms of prospecting, we have moved from multi-channel to omni-channel. Telephone and email are no longer sufficient to achieve conversion goals. Professional social networks come into play to complete this prospecting journey.

According to a Hubspot study conducted in 2019 :


80%

of customers prefer to avoid contact by phone and interact with companies via email.


18 calls

are necessary in order to make an appointment.


1 real business opportunity

after 100 calls.

This study offers a comprehensive overview of the importance of prospecting on social networks, and more specifically on LinkedIn. Thus:

92%

Nearly 92% of professionals across all industries believe LinkedIn has changed the way they approach their marketing strategy .

65%

of prospects are found through LinkedIn, and above all thanks to the creation of groups that allow interaction with involved prospects .

2. COMMERCIAL PROSPECTING IN THE DIGITAL AGE
The arrival of digital technology has unbalanced the commercial relationship in favour of the buyer, who has regained control of product sourcing. Social Selling is a prospecting technique that gives this power back to the sales consultant through a human approach. The sales consultant is positioned at the beginning of the purchasing cycle thanks to an active and non-invasive presence.

Social Selling is not a closing tool, nor is phoning or e-mailing campaigns. It is the combination of the three that allows you to reach new prospects through the channel in which they feel most comfortable . Social Selling is a natural evolution of the prospecting techniques used by sales consultants.

Social Media Marketing must be distinguished from Social Selling, although both are complementar