In today’s world of digital communications, business-to-business marketers are getting the message that, like their business-to-consumer counterparts, engaging buyers through multiple channels is vital to increased sales.

That means going beyond traditional communications methods such as in-person sales calls and telephone and email campaigns and expanding to such social media as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Successful B2B companies are uniting sales and marketing departments to develop social selling programs to build relationships with buyers, Forrester Research Inc. says in a recent report.

In social selling, the emphasis is more on the “social” at least initially, as sellers can use social media to identify prospects, understand their needs and interact informally. Buyers in turn get a feel for a seller outside of a traditional sales situation, and such interactions can personalize future transactions, Forrester says.

Most B2B companies have far to go in implementing social selling programs, writes report author and Forrester analyst Mary Shea. “While there are some successful B2B social selling programs in place, many B2B firms only dabble—some have not yet launched and others struggle to deliver measurable value from their investments,” she says. Forrester interviewed 17 vendor and user companies for the report, titled “Embrace B2B Social And Meet Buyers On Their Terms.”

In today’s “digital-first buyer environment, where the salesperson is no longer the sole purveyor of information, B2B buyers have more choices around how, when and where they engage with vendors,” Shea writes.

Forrester’s report describes key factors for sellers as they seek to master social selling:

Present an authentic personal brand. B2B sellers must first set up an authentic and buyer-focused brand presence, and follow protocols and etiquette for each channel.

Understand and have empathy. Research and active social listening will help B2B sellers learn how existing and potential clients’ businesses work, as well as behaviors and tastes of individual customers.

Share expertise. By understanding what’s important to buyers, B2B sellers can share relevant customized content, providing insights to their contacts at the right time and in the right way. The report cites Phil Horn, vice president of ticket sales and service for the National Basketball Association’s Sacramento Kings, regarding the launch of a new social selling sales initiative. His corporate sales team, he says, “reinvented the way they sold—with innovative tools that allowed them to reach customers in the targeted channels and methods each buyer preferred—making each action a frictionless and more personalized conversation.”

Build trust. Building trust through social networks is even more important than doing so in traditional selling situations. The report quotes Chris Boudreaux, lead director for social strategy and operations for accounting firm Ernst & Young, as saying: “Trust in social channels comes when your audience perceives you either as an expert or similar to them in some way.”

Find allies and influencers. Subject matter experts can serve as another resource for mutual information flow. UPS, for example, seeks social influencers to provide insight into its products and services.

Integrate into a daily cadence. The best B2B sellers make social research, listening and selling activities part of their daily business rhythm, Shea writes.

“Buyers are now desensitized to standard sales tactics, messages and channels, so B2B sellers who leverage social networks for sustained relationship-building with existing and new connections will enjoy greater access through more personalized connections,” Shea notes.

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