What sets social selling apart from social media marketing?

Radically Transparent Published: November 10, 2022
What sets social selling apart from social media marketing?

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Episode summary

Social selling is not social media marketing. It’s a completely different approach. While both strategies aim to connect better with customers through personal relationships that build revenue, social selling is more one-to-one rather than one-to-many.
So what exactly sets social selling apart from social media marketing?

Jamie Shanks is the author of two books: Social Selling Mastery, an essential resource for sales and marketing professionals looking for a better way to connect with today’s customers; and SPEAR Selling, the ultimate account-based sales guide for the modern digital seller.

Joining host, Jennifer Gutman, on Radically Transparent, he distinguishes and discusses the modern-day buyer and why 74% of deals won go to the sales professional who was the first to engage with the customer and provide meaningful insight.

According to Jamie, social selling is all about capturing the mind share of business leaders and turning relationships into sales.

In this episode, Jamie reveals that the key to successful social selling happens when a balance is struck between decision makers conducting due diligence online and the sales professional being seen as a helpful resource that can guide the buyer towards their ideal solution.

He also dives into how easy it is for sales professionals to get trapped in “random acts of social” instead of using social as a means of engagement to drive revenue.

Hot topics of this episode include:

  • The key differences between social selling and social media marketing
  • Selling as a means of engagement and how not to get stuck in “random acts of social”
  • Bridging the gap between sales and marketing with essential guidance on selling to the modern-day buyer

Meet Jamie

Jamie Shanks is the Founder and CEO of Pipeline Signals, which aims to support companies in growing their sales pipeline at scale through Relationship Signals and Signal Intelligence. A decade before founding Pipeline Signals, Jamie founded Sales for Life, the world’s most extensive Social Selling training program for mid-market and enterprise companies.

He has also authored two books: Social Selling Mastery, an essential resource for sales and marketing professionals looking for a better way to connect with today’s customers; and SPEAR Selling, the ultimate Account-based Sales guide for the modern, digital seller. Jamie’s speaking engagements & workshops have been delivered across 6 continents, for brands such as Microsoft, Thomson Reuters, Oracle, American Airlines & Intel.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is social selling and how does it differ from social media marketing in a B2B context?

Social selling is a distinct one-to-one approach focused on building genuine personal relationships with business decision-makers to ultimately drive revenue. Unlike social media marketing, which is typically a one-to-many broadcast strategy, social selling emphasizes direct engagement and providing meaningful insights to individual prospects.

Why is social selling crucial for engaging the modern B2B buyer?

Social selling is crucial because today's B2B buyers conduct extensive online due diligence. Sales professionals who are the first to engage and provide valuable, insightful information can capture the mind share of business leaders, significantly increasing their chances of winning a deal, as 74% of deals go to the first to engage meaningfully.

How can B2B sales professionals avoid 'random acts of social' and ensure social selling drives revenue?

To ensure social selling drives revenue and avoid 'random acts of social,' B2B sales professionals should focus on purposeful, consistent engagement. This means actively listening, providing targeted value, nurturing one-to-one relationships, and positioning themselves as helpful resources rather than merely broadcasting content or engaging without a clear objective.

What is the key to successful social selling for B2B organizations?

The key to successful social selling in B2B lies in striking a balance: acknowledging that decision-makers are conducting their due diligence online, while simultaneously ensuring the sales professional is seen as a helpful, knowledgeable resource. This allows sellers to guide buyers towards their ideal solutions by delivering consistent value.

How does social selling help bridge the gap between B2B sales and marketing teams?

Social selling acts as a bridge between B2B sales and marketing by aligning their objectives around customer engagement and revenue generation. Marketing provides valuable content and insights, which sales professionals then leverage in their one-to-one social interactions, ensuring a cohesive and insightful buyer journey that reinforces the brand's value.

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