Sales and marketing efforts on digital platforms like social media are vital to your success. The next generation of customers prefers to gather information online, conduct detailed research and make a decision before they ever speak to a salesperson.
Your mission, which you should accept, is to engage your customers online at a time and place of their choosing and with the content they’re looking for.
The pitch for digital sales and marketing
Online platforms have long been powerful sales and marketing tools. From the spectacular growth of Amazon to the emerging social media marketplaces now available on Instagram and Tik Tok, digital has become a marketing mainstay. If there was any doubt that the future of sales and marketing was online, the global pandemic ensured we understood how effective these tools are.
Social media, in particular, can become an interactive resource for your customers. It stands ready to serve 24 hours a day, with links to helpful information, multimedia assets and a direct line of communication between you and a global customer base.
Many social media platforms also offer real-time analytics that gives you insight into visitor demographics, including age, location, interests and what kind of device and software they use to engage with you online.
3 ways to level up your social media sales and marketing
Effective social media marketing takes a while to perfect. And even social media mavens at the top of their games must keep up with the latest trends, features and rules.
If you’ve already got a strong social media presence, congrats, you’re ahead of the game. If you’re just getting started, don’t worry. Make it a priority, be consistent and put in the work, and you’ll soon find your efforts producing a return on investment.
Either way, there are some universal concepts that every good social media marketer should know:
1. Follow The Right Accounts. Seek out key customers, thought leaders and others whose interests align with your own and engage with their content. Take the opportunity to see which posts get the most engagement and use that data to make your own social accounts work harder for you.
2. Consistency is key. Dropping in on LinkedIn or Twitter every once in a while will not do the trick. To create valuable engagement, you must show up daily, post new and interesting content and react to comments, likes and shares.
3. Make it personal. It’s not enough to post about your products and solutions. Take the opportunity to build your personal brand. Put yourself out there as a thought leader, and people will follow. Potential customers are looking for honesty, integrity and personality. Posting about your interests and activities outside of work will help viewers connect with you and develop a solid foundation of trust.
4. Be social. It ain’t called social media for nothing. Too many businesses get caught up in creating relevant content and forget to engage with viewers on a human level. Reach out to your followers, find out what they care about and share some of yourself with them. The deeper you connect, the more likely they are to return when they’re ready to purchase.
Get more help from Dell Technologies
Whether you’re a social media pro or just starting out, Dell Technologies has tools and advice you can use to grow your business online. Subscribe to The Digital Feed Newsletter for monthly post recaps, tips, tricks and trends to help you make the most of your digital sales and marketing efforts.
Are you a podcast fan? Then check out The Partner Connection with host Cheryl Cook, SVP of Global Partner & OEM Marketing at Dell Technologies, sharing industry trends and thought leadership topics regularly. And get to know the Dell team through the Dell Technologies Partner LinkedIn page, where you can find the latest news, watch helpful videos, join in the conversation, be part of the discussion and get the support you need.
