2002 – LinkedIn Launched
2004 – Facebook Launched
2006 – Twitter Launched
The Digital B2C world as we know it truly started in 2002 and since that time our world has been revolutionised by a plethora of “shiny new objects”. Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram et al – all offered us new and better ways to connect with our customers and prospects. Some hailed the advent of Social Selling as the death toll of traditional solutions across the globe and in some ways, they could be right!
The place for new, quick-win solutions
The sales process can be long, challenging and above all – expensive. So new, quick-win solutions that deliver prospects to your door can be a valid and useful way to fill your pipeline without the associated expense of tele and field-based sales teams. For example – identifying a core group of followers that share a common interest in hiking can be a great way of targeting new prospects for compass sales or tent promotions.
But B2C sales and marketing teams benefit much more from the simple, mass targeting and filter process that social media platforms offer. In theory, this should map onto B2B Sales and Marketing in the same way. B2B sales and marketing teams however, are not experiencing the same “social revolution” - WHY?
B2B sales and marketing favours a different approach
B2B sales and marketing was not born in 2002 and is not built on the same core channels as B2C. Instead of above the line, mass media and other promotional tools, considered B2B Sales has always shown more success from Human Touch activity. Building trusted, close relationships and delivering larger, more profitable sales as a result.
Human Touch is an underused term in B2B Sales and Marketing teams and is regularly overlooked as a distinguishing factor. Often it will be assigned to Sales instead, as they're “physically” talking and interacting with prospects and customers. Succinctly, Human Touch can be described as a core, person to person interaction. On the phone or face to face, it is the difference between “yet another email” and a real, human voice with a personality and a willingness to add value to the recipient.
How to add Human Touch to your campaigns
As we move through the digital age, we must align Human Touch with the real benefits that social, email and online platforms can bring. We must consider how best to integrate the new with the established in order to deliver leads, prospects and sales. Best-of-breed Tele-Services including unscripted telemarketing, lead generation and appointment setting, have proved their value and ROI over and over. Used by Enterprise and SMB sales teams all over the globe to connect sales teams with new prospects.
Simply relying on online platforms and email awareness is a dangerous strategy for any sales and marketing team. Similarly, relying on a Human Touch with no online presence or brand awareness is neglecting the many channels that we choose to inform ourselves through. In today’s world, we are forced to embrace the new. And then blend it with best practice Human Touch to generate the pipeline, prospects and sales that our businesses require. An email alone will not generate a Multi -Million Pound Customer. But blending awareness, contact, messaging, relationships and human touch will build and sustain a successful sales and marketing team.
Find out how to optimise the human touch in B2B marketing with our telemarketing ebook.
