Not only the market and customers change, but also the technology. What strikes me when I look at the sales trends of 2020 is that in the customer journey, power is increasingly shifting to the B2B buyer. In the purchasing process, he goes through the orientation phase largely online and due to access to all kinds of information sources, he is well informed in advance. It is all the more important for you as a sales manager to respond to this with the right competencies.

Eight contact moments

Building trust and responding to latent needs; that is increasingly what it is all about for potential customers. And believe me, it won't happen overnight. Did you know that on average you need about eight contact moments to gain trust? This is precisely where social media are effective. Especially via LinkedIn - the B2B channel - you are well able to track down new prospects, captivate them, but also encourage them to take action. Don't forget that the content of your message is extremely important. It is not about your product or service, but about the problem or challenge of your prospect. Only if you know what his needs are can you respond to them with relevant content.

'The starting point is not your product or service, but the challenge of your potential customer.'

Take the expert role

Don't forget that your profile on social media, especially on LinkedIn, must also be completely up to date. That is extremely important in social networking. Make it clear what you know about and how you distinguish yourself from your competitors. See yourself as the expert, communicating from yourself and not from your company. This way you can build a personal bond with prospects faster. As an expert, you naturally regularly share relevant content. For example, come up with practical tips, solutions or tell how others solve it. And whether that is via a blog, video, webinar or white paper, it doesn't matter. As long as you manage to gain sympathy and attention, which will ultimately lead to a personal conversation.

'Remember that social networking is not a matter of scoring quickly, but of persevering.'

First flirt

Another point of attention is the follow-up in response to likes, questions or personal messages. A connection request is not necessary immediately; You can also follow someone first. Start flirting by looking at someone's profile or responding to posts from others. That is often the first step towards a long, warm relationship. And once you have finally made that contact, listen to the needs of the other person. What is his leitmotif? What you do and can do will come later. First it's about gaining sympathy. For example, share a whitepaper or blog that may be interesting for your prospect. A personal and valuable twist is so important. And remember that social networking is not a matter of scoring quickly, but of persevering. A new way of working too; your personal vision that is integrated into the culture of the company. One where you work seriously on LinkedIn every day. Haven't started yet? Then I have only one piece of advice: don't wait too long, you could miss the boat!

What are others in B2B sales already doing with social networking?

Do you want to know to what extent your sales team has the right digital skills? Then join our national benchmark Sales of the Future. An initiative by Kenneth Smit - the market leader in increasing commercial success of companies for over 30 years - because, just like you, we are extremely curious whether your sales team future-proof is. Benchmark yourself and see how your team is doing and which B2B trends will have an impact on your sales over the next three years. You will also learn from leaders how they use social media successfully. We will soon compile the results in a thorough trend report that we would of course be happy to share with you!