Social Selling

‍Selling a product or service through the "old-fashioned" way is known to everyone: using salespeople, hiring call centers, street vendors, trade shows, you name it. These are all methods you can use to sell something. Besides the fact that cold acquisition is not so desirable in this day and age, I don't think anyone enjoys spending their entire workday doing cold acquisitions.

Social selling is a way of selling by which you are unconsciously selling your product or service. As a consultant I find it a very nice way of selling, so allow me to tell you more about it.

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Why do you need to make acquisitions as a consultant?

‍According to LinkedIn, there are more than 14,000 recruiters in Amsterdam and more than 50,000 nationwide. Because there are so many of us, it makes sense to want to stand out. Why should company X partner with you? Why wouldn't it partner with a competitor? Leaving aside the conditions and other specifics, this choice often depends on very good timing and/or a company somewhat knowing you or the company you work for. In the case of the latter, the choice is often easier than if a company does not know you.

Let's make one thing clear: knowing is of course a broad concept. Some believe firmly in it and others find it more of a myth. The Rule of Seven states that if you've seen a person, product or company 7 times, the impression sticks as if you actually know the person, product or company. If you actively and repeatedly appear on the person's page who holds the final responsibility, they may subconsciously think they know you. In our profession, this is of great importance!

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How do I make sure my social selling score remains high?

‍Of course, LinkedIn is not the only medium you can be active on. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and nowadays TikTok, are all channels where you will encounter social selling. But to keep it close to our profession, it is good that we use LinkedIn as an example. Do you ever see posts from several weeks ago? Would you like to be at the top of your prospects' timeline? Then it's good to keep your SSI high: a score that is measured through algorithms by LinkedIn, to track and determine how important your post is. You can boost your score yourself by posting in a variety of ways, responding to posts, sending personal InMails and building up a valuable network, for example.

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‍Conclusion

‍It used to be that phone calls or emails to prospects were the main option. Nowadays you see that voicemails go unheard, and e-mails do not get any further than one-sided communication. Social selling is truly the way to go these days. You are active on the socials, companies (think) they know you and you have a foot in the door to pitch your product or service. As a consultant you work mainly on LinkedIn so keep a close eye on your SSI and try to get it as high as possible! If you need help with this, you can always contact me on Ezzaldeen@DIQQ.nl.  

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