Want to make the most of your social media? Learn how to take your social media game to the next level with these social selling tips.  

With decades worth of traction, it’s clear that social media in one form or another is here to stay. Once viewed solely as a tool to connect people, social media can now be leveraged for marketing and sales. But it’s not just about buying social media ad space. Social selling is a newer method for relationship building that can ultimately bring you and your business new leads. Check out these seven social selling tips for ways to incorporate social media into your selling strategies.

1. Be present and active

One of the most important social selling tips is simple: show up. Be present and active on your social media accounts. Nothing looks more suspicious than a business social media account whose last post was from 2019. If you want to take advantage of social selling, you have to go where people are congregating. That sometimes means learning new social media trends and platforms. If it doesn’t come naturally to you, build it into your calendar by carving out a chunk of time each week. Take advantage of software that allows you to schedule posts in batches so you can pre-load your week’s activity. Scheduled posts are great, but follow-up interactions are key. Respond to comments on your business profile.

2. Start conversations

Be a conversation starter. Ask your followers what parts of the insurance sales process they want to learn more about. Open-ended questions are key because you want to get more information.  Your online interactions don’t always have to be directly related to insurances sales, either. On National Ice Cream Day, ask people what their favorite flavor is. If it’s nearing a holiday, ask how folks plan to celebrate. Asking these types of questions shows off a more human side to a business social media profile.

3. Take advantage of professional networks and online community groups

Social selling tips aren’t a one size fits all model. Find the communities and platforms that work best for your business. You might not think of professional networks like LinkedIn as a place to interact for social selling, but it’s a great platform to share your knowledge and aptitude for the insurance sales industry. Of course, it’s a great place to recruit talent. But view it as an opportunity to strengthen your business brand in general. Interacting with other businesses, especially local ones, is a great way to develop a mutually beneficial referral network.

4. Establish expertise by educating

Social selling tips don’t always focus on selling. A great social selling tip is to establish yourself and your business as an expert in your field. The easiest way to do this is to offer information and education via your social networks. Link to articles and blog posts and other useful resources. Answer frequently asked questions to help demystify the insurance buying process. Be the voice of reason in the comments section. Offer tips and guidelines to help others make the best insurance decisions for their families. Every public interaction might not become a new customer, but when you consider the number of eyes potentially reading the interaction, your impact is exponential.

5. Be a connector

Building connections is one of the easiest social selling tips because social media makes it so easy. Connecting followers to other businesses and services that are adjacent to yours is a great way to build goodwill among your followers and fellow business owners. If you sell home insurance, for instance, and someone is looking for a recommendation for a realtor, you can tag the realtors in your network in the comment section. A small gesture like this goes a long way with other businesses who will be inclined to do the same for you next time. It also demonstrates to your social media followers that you are a team player and a community builder with a vested interest in the success of your clients. All of these things are gentle reminders that you and your business are reliable community builders.

6. Leverage video content

Video content is more and more valuable these days. Customers like it because they can be tuning into a short clip while multi-tasking another project or chore. With platforms like TikTok and Instagram, video content has become the main form of communication. Take advantage of technology and create short FAQ videos. Walk a potential customer through the insurance buying process. With live-stream capabilities, you can even host live Q & A sessions where folks can interact with you and your business in real-time. The key to video content is making sure it gets posted on your social networks. And be sure to cross-pollinate by posting your TikTok links to your Facebook Page, etc.

7. Be courteous

Of all the social selling tips out there, the most important tip is to be courteous. For better or worse, the internet is forever. Negativity has no place on your personal social media profiles, especially when they are oftentimes connected to your business social media pages. Keep it classy, even if others in your comment section are not. Always give people the benefit of the doubt. And always take the high road in contentious conversations. If possible, request to take tense public comments/conversations to direct messages or emails. Remember, you’re not just interacting with one person. You’re interacting with everyone who can read their comments. Utilize tense conversations to your advantage by demonstrating to potential and current customers your grace under fire.

Make time to implement these social selling tips by letting HBW Leads take cold-calling off your plate. The insurance and technology experts at HBW Leads will provide you with double-verified, exclusive leads.

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