To fail to invest in social selling training for sales reps is to fail your team and your business. Social selling is a powerful asset, and how you deploy it will determine the future of any digital-first sales team. Today, 61% of US marketers use social media to generate leads.
But expecting your sales reps to learn by reading blog posts and trial and error is unrealistic. Your sales reps will be frustrated and your company will stagnate. Yes, your sales reps will eventually learn effective social selling, but training from an expert will speed up the process and get them started right away.
Despite the importance of social selling for digital-first brands, most companies do not invest in social selling training. 93 percent of sales executives have never received formal social selling training. How often do you believe companies invest in rep training?
1. Reps Want Training
Your salespeople are on the front lines, and they know where the industry is going. Every day, social selling becomes a bigger part of their process. They need – and want – to stay ahead. 53% of salespeople want social selling training. Ignoring training requests from your team may indicate a lack of communication.
2. Encourage More Relevant Prospect Conversations
Most B2B customers don’t get what they want from sales reps. We spend so much time selling that we forget to engage with prospects. Recent research shows that only 20% of sales conversations include client needs and expectations.
They are vital to long-term success. Qualifying leads necessitates understanding prospects. Buying too early turns off prospects.
To build genuine rapport with prospects, social selling training helps reps dig deeper. Training makes salespeople more effective in all channels, not just social.
3. Improve Sales Tools
Most digital-first businesses invest heavily in sales stacks. It’s easy to see how CRM, lead management, and communication solutions add up. But if your sales team isn’t using tools effectively or is using them haphazardly, your investment is wasted.
Sales reps’ tech has evolved as fast as their closing strategies. Social selling tools help reps manage relationships and stay organized. It will help your team see the bigger picture. It helps your team understand the value of social selling and encourages them to use all the tools and strategies you provide.
4. Develop a Long-Term Asset
Few things are more valuable to sales reps than a strong network and a reputation for connecting customers with genuine solutions. Agents must engage socially and view every interaction as a sales and networking opportunity. Building and maintaining a social presence is effective social selling. A defined social presence not only helps today’s deals but also positions your company and team for long-term success.