{"id":78286,"date":"2024-01-31T17:42:53","date_gmt":"2024-01-31T17:42:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/glosario\/social-selling\/"},"modified":"2026-10-06T16:49:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T16:49:01","slug":"social-selling","status":"publish","type":"glossary","link":"https:\/\/mailrelay.com\/en\/glossary\/social-selling\/","title":{"rendered":"Social selling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Social selling is the use of social media to find potential customers, build relationships with them and guide them all the way to the sale.<\/strong> Instead of cold calling or cold emailing, the salesperson shares useful content and talks with their contacts until an opportunity comes up.<\/p>\n\n

It is sometimes also called social sales<\/strong>. It is very common in B2B, especially on LinkedIn.<\/p>\n\n

What does social selling mean?<\/h2>\n\n

Social<\/em> refers to social media and selling<\/em> means \u201cto sell\u201d. It is not about posting ads or sending sales messages to strangers. It is about earning trust before proposing anything.<\/p>\n\n

Here is how it differs from traditional selling:<\/p>\n\n

<\/th>Traditional selling<\/th>Social selling<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
First contact<\/td>Cold call or cold email<\/td>Interaction on social media<\/td><\/tr>
Customer information<\/td>Little, before talking<\/td>Profile, posts and interests<\/td><\/tr>
Message<\/td>Present the product<\/td>Add value and answer questions<\/td><\/tr>
Relationship<\/td>Starts with the sale<\/td>Starts before the sale<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

How does social selling work?<\/h2>\n\n

The process usually has four stages:<\/p>\n\n

1. Create a professional profile.<\/strong> A photo, headline and summary that explain who you help and how.<\/p>\n\n

2. Find the right people.<\/strong> Look for those who match your buyer persona<\/a> by job title, industry or company.<\/p>\n\n

3. Add value.<\/strong> Post and comment on useful content: tips, industry data or customer stories.<\/p>\n\n

4. Build the relationship.<\/strong> Talk, answer questions and suggest a call only when there is real interest.<\/p>\n\n

\"Infographic<\/figure>\n\n

What is LinkedIn\u2019s Social Selling Index (SSI)?<\/h2>\n\n

The Social Selling Index<\/strong> is a score from 0 to 100 that LinkedIn calculates for each profile. It measures whether you are using the network well to sell. It is updated daily.<\/p>\n\n

It is divided into four components, each worth up to 25 points:<\/p>\n\n

Component<\/th>What it measures<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Establish your professional brand<\/td>A complete profile and valuable posts<\/td><\/tr>
Find the right people<\/td>Whether you search for and connect with the right contacts<\/td><\/tr>
Engage with insights<\/td>Whether you share and comment on useful content<\/td><\/tr>
Build relationships<\/td>Whether you hold conversations with decision-makers<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n

You can check your score at linkedin.com\/sales\/ssi while logged in to LinkedIn. More than the number itself, it helps you see which component is your weakest.<\/p>\n\n

Social networks for social selling<\/h2>\n\n

Each network suits a different type of selling:<\/p>\n\n

LinkedIn.<\/strong> The main one for B2B<\/a>: it is where purchasing managers and companies are.<\/p>\n\n

X (formerly Twitter).<\/strong> Useful in industries where current events are discussed, such as technology or finance.<\/p>\n\n

Instagram and Facebook.<\/strong> For businesses that sell to consumers, with visual content and direct messages.<\/p>\n\n

YouTube.<\/strong> To explain products with demos and tutorials.<\/p>\n\n

More details in our guide to social media for businesses<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

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Don\u2019t lose your LinkedIn contacts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Create a form with Mailrelay, link to it from your profile and turn conversations into subscribers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Create a free account<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

How to do social selling in 6 steps<\/h2>\n\n

1. Define who you want to reach.<\/strong> Your ideal customer\u2019s industry, job title and problems.<\/p>\n\n

2. Optimize your profile.<\/strong> A headline that says what you solve, not just your job title.<\/p>\n\n

3. Post consistently.<\/strong> Two or three useful posts a week are worth more than a one-off campaign.<\/p>\n\n

4. Comment before you message.<\/strong> Engage with your contacts\u2019 posts before sending them a message.<\/p>\n\n

5. Personalize every message.<\/strong> Mention something specific from their profile or from something they posted.<\/p>\n\n

6. Move the relationship to a channel you own.<\/strong> Invite them to your newsletter or to a call when there is interest.<\/p>\n\n

\"Infographic<\/figure>\n\n

Example of a LinkedIn message<\/h2>\n\n

This is what a first message could look like after commenting on several of a contact\u2019s posts:<\/p>\n\n

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Hi Laura,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I read your post about how your team is reducing unsubscribes from your newsletter and found it really practical. Our team tried something similar with interest-based segmentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it helps, I have a short guide with the results. Shall I send it to you?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

It doesn\u2019t ask for a meeting or present the product. It offers something useful and lets the other person decide.<\/p>\n\n

Common mistakes<\/h2>\n\n

Selling in the first message.<\/strong> Asking for a meeting right after connecting usually gets no reply.<\/p>\n\n

Copying and pasting.<\/strong> Generic messages are easy to spot and hurt your credibility.<\/p>\n\n

Posting only about your product.<\/strong> Your content should help, not advertise.<\/p>\n\n

Not measuring.<\/strong> Check which posts start conversations and which contacts move forward.<\/p>\n\n

Social selling and email marketing<\/h2>\n\n

Social selling opens the conversation, but your reach on social media depends on the algorithm. That is why it is a good idea to bring interested contacts to your email list.<\/p>\n\n

You can link a subscription form<\/a> from your profile or offer a lead magnet<\/a>, such as a guide or a template. Then, a lead nurturing<\/a> sequence keeps in touch with them until they are ready to buy.<\/p>\n\n

How Mailrelay helps you<\/h2>\n\n

With Mailrelay you can create the form you link to from your social profiles, store where each contact came from in a custom field and send them a welcome sequence automatically. That way you don\u2019t lose the people you met on LinkedIn.<\/p>\n\n

The free account includes up to 80,000 emails a month and 20,000 contacts, with human support by chat, ticket and phone.<\/p>\n\n

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Send your newsletters with Mailrelay<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Up to 80,000 emails a month and 20,000 contacts for free, with human support on every plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Try Mailrelay for free<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n

These are the most common questions about selling on social media.<\/p>\n\n

What is social selling in a nutshell?<\/h3>\n\n

It is selling through social media by building relationships and adding value, instead of advertising or reaching out cold.<\/p>\n\n

What is a good Social Selling Index?<\/h3>\n\n

There is no official figure. Many professionals consider a score above 70 to be good, but what really helps is improving your lowest components.<\/p>\n\n

Does social selling only work on LinkedIn?<\/h3>\n\n

No. LinkedIn is the main network for B2B, but it also works on Instagram, Facebook or X, depending on your customer.<\/p>\n\n

What is the difference between social selling and social ads?<\/h3>\n\n

Social selling is based on personal relationships and organic content. Social ads<\/a> are paid advertisements.<\/p>\n\n

How long does it take to get results?<\/h3>\n\n

It usually takes several months of consistent effort, because trust is built little by little.<\/p>\n\n

Related entries<\/h2>\n\n