For many years, cold calling was the safe and well-trusted approach for salespeople when trying to sell a product or a service. There is no need to define cold calling in depth, since it is very simple to understand: it involves calling people you don’t know and offering them something under the assumption that they might need it.
Cold calling has been part of the sales scene for several decades. Over the years it has had its fair share of ups and downs. On the one hand, for a long period it was essentially the only approach salespeople had for getting in touch with potential clients or simply advertising a product. On the other hand, in almost all situations, cold calling has been received as bothersome and invasive by the recipient of the call, and as time-consuming and ineffective by the caller. Still, for a certain period it was the only suitable solution marketers could use to gain favorable results.
Be that as it may, with the rather rapid growth of social media and the interaction that takes place through it, the rise of Social Selling came.
According to the Digital Marketing Institute (2018), 78% of sellers using social selling are achieving more success than those who are not practicing this approach.
Social selling is exactly what it sounds like: fundamentally, selling or promoting a product or service through social media channels. With the immense expansion of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat and so on, this type of selling has never been more popular and, as a result, so widely accepted. The era of the Millennials is a big proof of that. Currently this generation is the most active and engaged on all social platforms, and let’s be honest: Millennials breathe and live technology and social channels. Nonetheless, it would be inaccurate to assume that only this generation benefits from social prospecting and social selling. Like a rising tide, this type of selling has steadily reached all types of people who simply have access to the Internet and hold an account on a social media platform.
The benefits of social selling are numerous. To begin with, connecting with a prospect to promote or sell a product is much easier and more direct, without invading the privacy of the potential client. Unlike cold calling, where the number of follow-ups is limited, social selling is quite different: the networks do not limit you in the number of messages or pitches sent. There are many ways to reach a prospect, and each attempt can be unique and offer the same product or service with a little twist. Case in point: a DM on Instagram, a video in their news feed on Facebook, or a promotional offer with an expiration date in their email, and so on. In this way, prospects do not feel suffocated; rather, they are informed in a timely manner, at a time of their choosing.
One of the main differences between these two types of selling is the possibility of building a relationship with the customer or potential prospect. With social selling, a stronger and more authentic connection can be established, since the client can take the time to research and get to know you and verify your credibility. Living in the advanced technology era has brought a lot of doubt about what is genuine and what is not. Creating a trustworthy relationship is what social selling is based on.
Ultimately, picking a winner between cold calling and social selling is impossible. Truly, one method is rather dated and perhaps not as widely used, but when combined with the new kid on the block, they can create a sales technique that blends the best of both worlds. That is why marketers are not ditching cold calling and adopting solely social selling.
A winning fusion of both methods could result in an authentic client relationship and successful sales outcomes.