SMEs, sell more and better using digital tools

Want to review your sales techniques? What if you strengthened your digital presence? Website, social networks, etc., digital tools are your best allies. Discover their potential and how to use them, with Françoise Landuré, communications consultant and trainer.

Standardized emails, telephone calls… traditional sales techniques are no longer successful.

Informed, the consumer carries out searches on Google, browses social networks, visits online comparison sites… and often only meets the salesperson when they are making their decision.

From then on, digital tools become essential to make yourself known and be chosen. By using these tools well, you can be present in the minds of your prospects throughout their journey, from consideration to the act of purchase. A good way to convince them, when the time comes!

Where to start ? Let’s take a look at the two essential levers that constitute your website and social networks. Then let's see how to implement a winning commercial strategy by relying on the power of digital tools.

Optimize your website and bring your prospects to you

Your website allows you to attract new customers and develop your turnover, under three conditions: be well referenced, be attractive and offer calls to action.

The objective of a search engine is to offer Internet users quality content that meets their queries. Ask yourself what queries your prospects are likely to write: what questions are they asking? What problems do they have to solve? This way, you will be able to choose the right keywords and write relevant content.

SEO, best practices

It is appropriate to apply good practices in terms of natural referencing:

• use one key expression per page, as well as synonyms;
• position these expressions strategically (titles, subtitles);
• write rich and informative content;
• regularly update the content;
• write qualitative URLs, complete the tags (TITLE, ALT, description);
• appropriately insert links to other pages of the site (internal) and to other sites (external);
• get links from credible sites.

Other criteria contribute to good SEO, such as the structure of your website and its loading time. Keep in mind that a web page takes time to be referenced. Be patient and persistent.

Attract and incite

Attracting many visitors is good. But that’s not enough to turn them into customers! Once on your site, Internet users must want to discover what you offer. Attractive visuals, a clear presentation of your offer and intuitively organized content help to attract them. Most websites are now viewed from smartphones; Think of optimize yours for mobile.

Make a concrete proposition to your visitor through clear and encouraging calls to action. Suggest that they subscribe to the newsletter, fill out an information or quote request form, get a call back, etc.

By applying the right methods, you can make your website a real lever for commercial development.

Be visible and attractive on social networks

According to the We Are Social report in 2023, 80.5 % of French people are present on social networks. For a quarter of users, the goal is to find inspiration for activities or purchases. These media therefore offer excellent opportunities to increase your notoriety and generate sales. 

To develop an effective strategy, first ask yourself the right questions: on which networks are your prospects located? For what uses? What are they looking for? Also ask yourself what resources you can mobilize. It is better to ensure an effective and regular presence on one or two platforms rather than spreading yourself thin. 

Best practices on social networks

Sharing your expertise, conversing with your community, advertising... different approaches are possible, but some good practices remain essential:

• publish regularly based on an editorial schedule;
• distribute informative and useful content for your target audiences;
• diversify content by using videos, images, infographics, carousels, surveys, etc.;
• interact with your subscribers by asking questions and responding to comments;
• use relevant hashtags so that your content is discovered by a wider audience;
• maintain consistency in terms of brand image and communication tone.

Social networks are not just for communicators. THE social selling (or social selling) is booming. The idea is that salespeople take advantage of social networks to develop business opportunities. Not by multiplying contacts and flooding them with private messages! The right attitude consists of conversing, answering questions, publishing content showing your expertise. The goal is to establish your credibility and establish relationships of trust, part of which will lead to sales.

Respond to customer reviews

Some platforms are also the recipient of customer reviews. It is essential not to remain passive in this area and to use these opinions as opportunities to strengthen your image. First, monitor reviews, especially on your Google business listing. Respond systematically and appropriately (courtesy, transparency, constructive response, etc.).

Customers are more likely to leave reviews when they are unhappy. Hence the importance of encouraging satisfied customers to express themselves. Tools exist to automate the collection and distribution of reviews.

Support your prospects, from first contact to the act of purchasing

By being visible on the Internet and on social networks, you attract your potential customers.

This should not be done intrusively, but by offering qualitative content at each stage of the customer journey:

• awareness of the subject: article, white paper, etc. ;
• consideration: case study, customer testimonial, etc. ;
• conversion: demonstration, simulator, conditions of sale, etc. ;
• loyalty: tutorials, support, training, etc.

In doing so, it is essential to encourage your targets to express their interest in your subject, your products or your services. This is called lead generation. Via a call to action, you ask them to fill out a form to obtain a document, participate in an event, subscribe to a newsletter, etc. You thus obtain their contact details and can continue to send them content that meets their expectations.

Tools allow you to automate the segmentation of your prospect base and the sending of personalized campaigns via different channels (emails, SMS, posts on social networks). These are marketing automation solutions, some of which, like Plezi or Hubspot, are adapted to SMEs.

You have understood, sales techniques have entered a new era. Used well, digital tools help companies to be found and chosen by their future customers, provided you get on board and train your teams, from management to communication, including marketing and sales.

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