In this article, leading Sales Expert Andy Preston explains how ‘digital selling’ is impacting the way sales is evolving, and whether you’re ahead or behind your competitors in this area……
‘Digital Selling’ is changing the way sales and prospecting is done. That doesn’t mean that older, more traditional methods no longer work, more that there are new tools and platforms available to the average salesperson that weren’t there 5 years ago for example.
‘Digital Selling’ is the process of engaging more online with business and social networks, plus using the ‘digital sales tools’ available to drive more sales opportunities, that you otherwise wouldn’t be aware of.
Failing to use Digital Selling could mean you and your team losing out on valuable sales opportunities. But if you ARE going to embrace it, or at the very least dip your toe into the Digital Selling water, there are some things you need to be aware of, in order to make sure you’re maximising your potential sales opportunities.
Andy’s Digital Selling Tip No 1 – How Are You Planning To Use It?
There are various ways of making digital selling work for you. It’s important that you understand the various ways so that you can work out how you’re going to use them more effectively.
Some examples of the ways you can use digital selling are…..
• 
Generate additional sales leads
• Raise the profile of the individual salesperson and company
• Warm-up cold leads
• Increase your credibility and become better ‘positioned’
• Generate or increase the level of rapport with potential clients
• Control the perception of you by clients
• Research prospects
• Manage your organisation’s online identity
• Keep in touch with prospects and be aware of any changes in circumstances
• Generate referrals and testimonials
So how do you plan to use digital selling? Ideally of course you should be able to do all of the things listed above, but some might be more of a priority for you than others. Once you’ve worked out how you want to use it, then you can start planning what you need to do next….
Andy’s Digital Selling Tip No 2 – Choose Your Methods Of ‘Engagement’
How are you going to engage online? Where does your target market ‘live?’ Are you engaging using the right channels, in the right ways? Here are three examples…..
If you’re selling business-to-business, you HAVE to be on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com). Connect with me here
If you’re selling business-to-consumer instead, you should consider using Facebook (www.facebook.com) to drive new sales leads. Connect with me here
If your target is small and micro businesses, you should look at using Ecademy to prospect for new clients – www.ecademy.com. Connect with me here
All of these networks can yield good results for you – if you work at them properly. Don’t make the mistake of labelling them ‘a waste of time’ if they don’t get instant results for you – you need to work at them a little first!
Andy’s Digital Selling Tip No 3 – How Good Is Your Profile?
For those salespeople or business owners that actually have a profile on LinkedIn or any of the other networks, the majority of the profiles only contact the basic information, like the person’s name and company name. They may contain brief company details if you’re lucky!
If you’re going to bother to have a profile on any of these networks, make sure it’s a good one! That means at the very least having a photo (professional looking of course), summary of what the business does, ideal prospects or target markets you work with, links to your company websites and ways of getting in touch with you!
Remember, a profile on any of the online networks is like an online brochure for you and your company – so why aren’t you treating it as such? It can be a valuable source of generating extra sales leads if you take the time to do things properly.
Andy’s Digital Selling Tip No 4 – Make It Personal
I’m seeing a HUGE shift in online communication from the mass-emailing methods of offers and promotions, towards more of a 1-2-1 communication. This means if your sales team have been to a networking event or exhibition, mass-emailing people they met or came into contact with actually can ‘switch-off’ prospects, especially as they very quickly realise that if the communication isn’t personal or individual, they’re just one of a ‘list’.
If you’re looking to make contact with people and get engagement over any of the networks, then make sure your communication on there is more tailored as well. If people see a message that is ‘impersonal’ it can cause more damage than not sending one at all!
So, are you making the best use of Digital Selling currently? Or are you concerned you could be missing out on potential sales opportunities?….
If you have a question about sales, or would like the full version of this article, contact Andy here – www.andy-preston.com/ask-andy/
Andy Preston is a Sales Expert. You can see and hear more about Andy at www.andy-preston.com
