Social selling is a strategy that is gaining momentum more recently, especially when you consider the fact that the majority of networking has been happening digitally over the past year. For affiliate managers, this can be extremely effective, but only if it is done right.
According to Zoominfo, social sellers generate 38% more new opportunities than traditional sellers. Want to get in on the action? Read about some of the mistakes you must avoid in 2021 below.
What is social selling?
If you aren’t quite up to speed on the concept of social selling, then now is the time to learn more about it. Social selling is the use of social media to focus in on prospects and establish rapport. It is important to note that social media marketing or advertising is slightly different, but this can work in conjunction with social selling.
Typically, this will involve creating key relationships on channels such as LinkedIn. If you listen to our recent podcast episode featuring Dean Seddon, you can learn more about the importance of this strategy.
Don’t lead with a sales pitch
One of the most common mistakes that affiliate managers can make is to lead with a sales pitch. Your connections won’t want to receive unsolicited sales pitches, they want to have a conversation. Avoid pitching your program or its benefits right away and instead ask questions, build a relationship and a partnership might soon follow.
Only using LinkedIn for selling
Are you someone who simply uses LinkedIn to blast out a few messages and then log off? This is a big mistake that affiliate managers can make, and it goes against the values of social selling. You need to engage with your community and build an audience that way. Social media is extremely valuable and should be used for much more than just selling. Grow your profile and your network and this will work in your favour.
Creating a ‘one size fits all’ message
Social selling takes time but putting in the effort can help you to reap the benefits. Sure, the iGaming industry is filled with many similar businesses but that doesn’t mean that you should send everyone the same introductory message. It can be easy to spot a message that has been copied and pasted to everyone on a list and this can put people off replying. Try to personalise your outreach and you’ll be much more likely to get a response.
Don’t forget to set goals
You might be fooled into believing that social selling is a casual practice due to the platform it uses but this is not the case at all. For affiliate managers hoping to use social selling as a strategy, there must be goals in place from the get-go. You can’t just send messages here and there and hope for a response. Instead, you should set goals and create a strategy that allows you to track your results. View this as a key networking and sales strategy.
Try social selling
If you haven’t yet optimised your social profile and started connecting with potential affiliates or customers, now is the time to make that change. Avoid these common social selling mistakes and instead, create a strategy that works for your business.
Before long, you’ll be the go-to person for anyone looking for new partnerships.
