DO YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE THE DIGITAL AND SOCIAL MEDIA SKILLS REQUIRED FOR GROWTH..?

By Eric Doyle

We are in the midst of the biggest evolution in modern commerce since the industrial revolution. Sales, Marketing and Business development has evolved more in the last 3 years than it has in the last 30 years… yet the entire subject of digital and social is ignored by hirers.

The same flat, uninspiring list of basic requirements from Sales, Marketing and BD job adverts for the last 40 years…

“Car wanted, must have wheels and engine…”

If we are hiring people to help us grow in the 2020’s, we must be sure and hire people who have the digital and social media skills to network, prospect, create influence, and grow relationships online.

They also need to understand and have the skills to convert all of this into valuable commercial interaction.

If you don’t do this, you are hiring yet more people who will plug into your organisations and fail to deliver, all whilst eating away at your precious overhead.

Hiring the digital first Sales. Marketing and Business development professionals is a leadership imperative now and for the future.

This begs the question, where do you start..?

Hiring for digital and social skills in sales and business development

Perform a full Commercial Activity Risk Assessment of where your Sales, Marketing and Bd activity is right now. Not a little half an hour discussion at the end of a Sales meeting, this is important.

We see the best success when organisations make this an internal improvement project and have Quality, HR, Ops and Finance involved. Really opening the ‘box’ that is Sales, Marketing and Business Development to same level of improvement scrutiny we give our other critical business processes.

In the digital world of B2B commerce, the rules have changed and so has the language so, we need to be thinking differently:

Building Digital Communities:

These communities serve as virtual spaces where professionals share industry insights, discuss emerging trends, and seek solutions to common challenges.

By actively participating in these communities, professionals can establish themselves as thought leaders, gain visibility, and build credibility within their respective fields. Furthermore, these communities provide fertile ground for networking, lead generation, and potential business collaborations. Digital and social media skills empower professionals to convert their network growth and digital community engagement into tangible commercial interactions.

A study by BCG found that 75% of B2B buyers use social media to support their purchase decisions, and 84% of C-level and VP-level buyers are influenced by social media when considering suppliers.

This underscores the significance of having a strong digital presence and actively engaging with potential clients through relevant content, thought leadership, and relationship-building activities.

Investing in Digital and Social Media Training:

Given the significant impact of digital and social media on B2B buying decisions, it is crucial for organisations to invest in training their teams. Engineers, Human Resources, Sales, HSE, Quality, Marketing, Operations, the leadership team…everyone has a vital role to play in your digital commercial future.

By providing comprehensive training programs, businesses can equip their teams with the necessary skills to navigate the digital landscape effectively.

Training should encompass social media strategy development, content creation, analytics, engagement techniques and most importantly, how to convert all of this into conversations that turn to commercial interaction.

Moreover, organisations should encourage continuous learning and adaptation to stay abreast of the ever-evolving digital landscape. In a world driven by digital connectivity, professionals armed with robust digital and social media skills are poised for success. These skills empower individuals to grow their networks, build thriving digital communities, and convert these interactions into valuable commercial opportunities.

As B2B buyers increasingly rely on digital and social media for supplier choices, organisations must recognise the transformative power of digital and social media skills and invest in training their crossfunctional teams accordingly.

By doing so, you will unlock new growth channels, establish yourselves as industry leaders, and become the digitally dominant voice of your sector…and that's just the start.

“GOOD MEDIA MAKES PEOPLE VISIBLE, GREAT MEDIA MAKES THEM THE LEADERS IN THEIR SECTORS...”

Eric Doyle is the Managing Director of The OGV Studio, a Digital Media Strategy company whose mission is to Energise your Media for growth. Eric is a Fellow of the Institute of Sales Professionals.