How can you integrate social networks into your prospecting strategy?

It's wrong to think that communication, marketing and business development are three separate areas. On the contrary, the first two serve the third. Among the means of communication, social networks are particularly effective tools when it comes to prospecting.

Why prospect in 2024?

Sales prospecting may sometimes have a bad connotation, as it is often seen as intrusive, but it is nonetheless particularly effective, at least when carried out intelligently. According to Hubspot, 82% of btob customers say they are willing to meet a sales rep who has contacted them. That's a high figure, but one that requires a certain amount of knowledge if your sales prospecting strategy is to succeed. It's not a question of phoning your prospects three times a day to force a sale, but rather of adopting a multi-channel plan, which will enable you to ensure that your message is well received by your target. We'll explain.

Why use social networks for prospecting?

According to a study by Hubspot, companies that prospected on social networks in 2022 generated an average of 25% more sales than companies that didn't use this strategy. While this increase is due to several factors, such as the growth in the number of active users (5.16 billion worldwide), or the evolution of social networking capabilities, it's the changes in user behavior that have really changed the game. For some years now, social networks have been the primary showcases for companies. Whether BtoB or BtoC, companies' social media accounts are consulted first, well ahead of their websites.

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How can I use social networks to prospect?

For social network prospecting to be effective, it must be based on three pillars:

Relevant content

What you post reflects who you are, but also the quality of your services/products. It's important that your content reflects what you're selling. That's why it's important to create a social media communication strategy that's tailored to your target audience. Make sure you post content regularly, and combine creativity, dynamism and trendiness.

The right message

In 2024, personalization must be at the heart of your approach. The messages you send to your database must respond to a real need for personalization. And no, just adding a "first name" variable won't cut it. With this in mind, Waalaxy is currently working on an artificial intelligence capable of detecting relevant information about your target, in order to effectively personalize messages. It's a great development, but unfortunately it's not yet available. In the meantime, don't hesitate to create databases by sector, grouped by similarities, so as to be able to bring highly targeted information to your messages.

Good targeting

Targeting everyone means targeting no one. Although social networks are a rather large mishmash of professionals and individuals, it's totally possible to target only your future customers. Depending on the social network you use, this will be more or less easy and precise to set up. The use of hashtags and appropriate solutions such as Instaboss or Salesnavigator can help. And let's not forget keywords, which for the past two years have been used as tags in the same way as hashtags. If you're used to thinking SEO on your website, adopting the same strategy in your social media publications, but with shorter texts, can only help you rank higher in search engine results on social networks.

A mix of messaging and content

Social networks are your company's first showcase. This is especially true when prospecting through them. Chances are, your target will first consult your content, and then respond to the message you've sent them. That's why regularity is once again essential. Take the time to post regularly, and adjust your content according to the prospecting you're doing. Each post should be a response to your target's implicit or explicit needs.

Social networks: using them as part of a multi-channel prospecting strategy

Multi-channel strategies are particularly effective in sales prospecting. On average, it takes seven follow-ups before a lead responds. A high average, which says a lot about the energy it takes to close. By using multi-channel prospecting, you interact with your target through several channels. E-mail, telephone and social networks are a good mix for winning your business. It's up to you to establish sequences that flow over time. For example:

• Monday: e-mail
• Wednesday: Linkedin
• Friday: telephone
• Monday: e-mail reminder.

According to a survey conducted by Forrester, companies adopting a multi-channel prospecting approach have a 20% higher probability of completing a sale than those limiting themselves to a single channel. The results also indicate that a multi-channel strategy can generate up to 30% additional revenue for companies.

Social networks are a real combat weapon in sales prospecting. By combining relevant content , regularity and prospecting, you're bound to achieve conclusive results.