Social Selling: How To Get Started

Social networks are great for keeping up with friends, but how can businesses harness social's power for selling? While a lot of businesses have a presence on social networks, many aren’t using them to their full advantage in terms of selling. Social selling is particularly important for direct sellers, especially as the industry shifts more to online efforts.

“Social media platforms continue to evolve as natural tools for direct sellers to increase their network and attract customers by building genuine relationships,” the Direct Selling News staff writes in a recent article. But they warn that social selling isn’t a one-time thing, such as randomly liking a post or commenting on a photo. Sellers need to view communication on these networks as an ongoing process of building relationships.

Where to Begin

First, make it a priority to interact with prospects while they are active on a social network. Warm them up by engaging in basic activities, such as:

sharing their content with your network
providing advice when they ask for it
reaching out to them and asking for their input

By interacting with an already engaged prospect, you’re more likely to get their attention.

Be An Expert

Also, use social network interactions to position yourself as an expert on what you sell. People on social media are likely to welcome input from industry experts. According to the article, 92% of buyers will engage with an industry thought leader on social networks. “The focus of many direct sales professionals successfully using social media platforms is to teach, answer questions and bring value around their product or service,” the article explains. “They position themselves as an expert willing to share advice as opposed to trying to sell.”

For more ways to leverage social media in regard to direct selling, check out the entire article. The advice will help you create an effective strategy to guide your interactions with prospects on social networks, which can give your direct sales a boost and solidify your professional online presence.