Below is my interview with Patricia Stamas-Jacoby, Publications Editor at Frost & Sullivan, in their Digital Marketing eBulletin. This is part 2 of 2. Read part 1.

Everyone knows the digital revolution is here. Social media has become one of the most popular activities online. Personal usage of social media has been growing. Professional use of social media, especially in sales, has also been growing.

Social selling is revolutionizing sales, and digital marketing has changed marketing.

More decision-makers use social media to research before approaching companies for help. As a result, social selling has become a critical part of the sales process.

76% of buyers feel ready to have a social media conversation

What is social selling?

Social selling is when salespeople use social media to interact directly with customers and prospects.

Social selling is defined in under 100 words.

5 tips for formalizing a social selling program

Start with a small initiative to get executive buy-in and build the business case for social selling at your company. It’s critical to start with a pilot program.

The pilot should be long enough to collect information, but short enough that it doesn’t take up too many resources.

Here are five ways to build your case for a formal social selling program.

1. Set a vision and establish a strategy

Implementing social selling without a strategy makes no sense. An effective strategy is essential for better performance and satisfaction.

2. Find an internal social selling champion

This person is the leader of the pilot program. They show the value and importance of social selling and how it can help the business.

3. Share social selling use cases or case studies

These success stories will show how other companies use social selling.

4. Outline the plans of your competitors

Executives take notice when competitors are doing something. Spy on your competitors. What are they doing (or not doing) with social selling? Find a competitive edge.

5. Continue to build the business case during the pilot

A pilot program will help you document the people, processes, and technologies linked to social selling. To help you with documentation, create a strategic initiative charter for your social selling program.

This charter explains the initiative’s scope, executive sponsor(s), and timeline. It also shows what’s working and what’s not working with the pilot program.

Build the momentum

To make your social selling program successful, it needs to “stick” internally. Create momentum. Reinforce your company and sales team’s strengths. Follow up with training.

These are critical steps to success. Research shows that companies that reinforce activities achieve better business results. Ongoing education, reinforcement, and communication are vital to the long-term success of your social selling program.

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