As the number of people on social media soars into the billions, Social Selling is also on the rise. We see it everywhere:
→ 403,000,000: that’s the number of results you get when you Google Social Selling!
→ 400%: that’s the increase in sales that IBM has reported thanks to Social Selling!
→ 90%: that’s the percentage of decision makers who never respond to cold outreach, according to The Harvard Business Review.
The list of statistics supporting Social Selling just goes on and on…. So why are some companies still so slow to engage!? Well, that’s a tough nut to crack… It has to do with culture, management, overall digital onboarding, business relevance, digital understanding, etc..
Its true (and the numbers definitely show it!) that more and more managers are using LinkedIn, but they’re saying they’re a bit lost and could use some guidance from their employers. Unfortunately their requests are sometimes falling on deaf ears.
Proving the business value of being active on professional social networks does take some technical navigation… That’s why we concocted this list of 5 ways you can show your boss why he/she should invest in Social Selling and get you the extra help you need in order to become a Social Selling Superstar! ☺
1/ Let the numbers do the talking!
Show your boss as many numbers as possible! How many of the following are on the different social platforms? : your competitors and their sales teams, your potential prospects and current clients, your colleagues, etc. Most likely these numbers should be enough to scare your boss into getting interested!
2/ Don’t be all talk and no action!
Show your boss what you’ve done to improve your profile and how it has helped. Create a timeline of where you started and the results you were getting and what you’re doing at the moment and how the results have improved… There is nothing better than showing your boss that you’re taking proactive steps!
3/ Spell it out!
Don’t assume that your boss will understand when you say you’ve done 5 shares, 10 likes, have 20 new contacts, etc. He/she might not be socially savvy, so you might have to sit them down over lunch and give them a little tour of LinkedIn, Twitter, etc
And, most importantly, remember to point out what it all means in terms of results. By breaking it down for them, you’ll make it easy to understand. They’ll quickly pick up on the value and will definitely thank you for it! One day, when it comes time to identifying some people to take part in a digital test and learn, your boss will think of you! Go Social Media superstar! ☺
4/ Be nosy!
Ask them your boss what’s going on in regards to social media strategy, if management is thinking of some guidelines, etc. Then share with your boss your Social Selling exploratory activities. They will appreciate this information sharing and it will most likely pay off!
5/ Get out of your comfort zone!
If your boss tells you that the company is thinking about getting a digital initiative started or is trying to launch a test, offer to be used as a guinea pig! After all, someone has to help lead the change. So why not you? You’ll definitely benefit from more visibility and hey, maybe you’ll finally get that extra help you were asking for! 😉
If you need some extra help talking about Social Selling to your boss, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
