Social Selling: Are You Already Too Late?

By thought-horizon | Jun 3, 2020

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, gyms were one of the first things to go. People resigned themselves to neighborhood runs and at-home workouts, and for some, this sparked a new realization: working out at home can be more enjoyable than the gym. Athletes and artists alike have been flocking to online workout videos, whether that be Zumba or kick-boxing. And many people are realizing that they actually prefer this– someone designs the workouts for you, and leads you through each step. All you have to do is show up.

In the next few months, gyms will be reopening. Yet their clientele may be drifting away, driven toward these newfound home workouts.  Perhaps gyms will start their own line of at-home video workouts, for those with memberships. If gyms don’t adapt to this new trend, they could rapidly find themselves out of business.

Adapt, adapt, adapt

You can’t prevent the future. Nor, as we have all learned, can you predict it. Change is inevitable, but it doesn’t always lead to a dead end. Adaptability opens countless new doors.

The past few months have made this evident. Our vocabularies are expanding to include phrases like “contactless delivery” and “socially distanced” without a second thought. Most of us tend to be deeply set in our ways, whether that’s the way we boil water for pasta or the way we run a business. But the Covid-19 pandemic has forced us out of our ways. We’ve put on our masks, and taken our businesses online. We’ve learned that companies and individuals alike are in danger if they refuse to adapt to the current state of the world– but a willingness to change paves the way for success.

Why Social Selling is here to stay

Social selling may seem like a buzzword or a fad, but it’s rapidly becoming an expectation. It’s the natural evolution of sales in a world where everyone is connected via social networking- especially when we can’t connect in person. 

Right now, social selling is the only way most businesses can advertise. With people spending more and more time online due to stay at home orders and limited social interaction, B2B social media marketing is more important than ever. And soon, this will be the norm. In twenty years, what we call “social selling” today will be only referred to as “sales.”

The 21st Century way to build relationships and solve problems

Selling is all about building relationships and solving problems, and social media is a tool for both. It provides easy access to your customers and instantaneous access to information. Your customers are already using the internet to research solutions to their problems. By the time they’re ready to make a purchase decision, they already know 90% of the answers to their questions.

To survive in sales, especially now, your company must be part of that process. Start a social selling program now. Teach your marketing and sales teams to provide helpful content that appeals to people in these confusing times. Be a knowledgeable resource for your customers, find them early in their process, and then be prepared to propose a solution that is specific to their needs.

Social selling is really just selling. When people use the old sales adage “go to where the customers are,” it doesn’t mean trade conferences and country clubs anymore; it means LinkedIn and Twitter.

Would you ever connect your brain directly to the internet?

Selling will continue to evolve. It is quite possible that technology will advance to the point where our brains are connected directly to the internet. Yes, I know it’s a scary thought. Everyone’s first reaction is always “I’ll never do that.” But sometimes, a drastic change in circumstances calls for a drastic change in behavior. Six months ago, we would have laughed if we had been told that the entire country was about to be put on lockdown, trying to run businesses from our living room couches. And maybe twenty years from now, the idea of not connecting our brains to the internet will be equally laughable.

The earlier you adapt to a changing world, the earlier you’ll reap the rewards.