In this episode of the Social Business Engine podcast we're digging into the new Social Business Journal: Digital Transformation, Social Selling Research, Insights and Best Practices published in cooperation with Dell. Joining me on this episode to provide his insights is Bryan Jones, Vice President North America Commercial Marketing at Dell. The original research in this Journal was commissioned by Dell and conducted at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College and provides an understanding of the pivotal role social media plays in strengthening the relationship between sales professionals and their customers.
On this podcast, Bryan and I discuss some of the key findings you'll read in the Journal. The best practices and tips in this research are actionable in any enterprise. This Journal is ungated, meaning it's available for download without a form by clicking here.
On This Social Business Engine Podcast Episode You'll Discover
- Why Dell partnered with Ari Lightman, Professor and Director at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College to conduct social selling research.
- What type of research and actionable insights you'll find inside the Social Business Journal, Volume 3.
- The impact of social media on the relationship between sales professionals and their customers, and why businesses need to build that relationship.
- How 75% of B2B buyers are influenced by information found on social media, making social selling important to any enterprise sales organization.
- Why Bryan Jones says, "we knew social played an important role...we didn't know it played such a large role."
- How the digital buyer's journey has radically changed the B2B industry.
- How social gives you the opportunity to have bi-directional communication between sales and the customer and not just a "shout" at your audience.
- Why Bryan Kramer prefers to call social selling "social helping" and how this perspective builds credibility with your customers.
- How credibility is a sales person's currency in modern B2B sales.
- How social media provides a platform and tool to allow salespeople to be helpful.
- Original research on the role of social media in buying research.
- How the incorrect use of social media can damage your credibility, especially if you're always broadcasting.
- The role of content in social selling and the need for relevant content, at the right time, at the right frequency.
- How your content strategy has to change for social and how social selling has to be integrated into your marketing plan.
- The research findings about the social media platforms used by B2B sales professionals in social selling in real time.
- How sales professionals balance their use of social among customers, prospects and influencers.
- The role of the customer decision journey and how mature social selling teams approach it.
- That social selling is an integrated element of an organization's marketing plan, not a standalone strategy.
- How Dell is two years into a social business initiative to help sales become socially connected with their customers.
- The "one thing" Brian stresses is that social selling is a journey with a bi-directional flow of information to build customer relationships.
Featured On This Episode
- Dell's website
- Download the (ungated) Social Business Journal, Volume 3: Digital Transformation
- Subscribe to the Social Business Engine Podcast
- Bernie Borges on Twitter: @bernieborges
- Social Business Engine on Twitter: @sbengine
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