The document discusses the transformative impact of social media on sales and marketing processes, emphasizing the shift from traditional communication methods to more interactive, consumer-driven platforms. It outlines how consumers now control the buying journey through online research and peer reviews, increasing the need for businesses to adapt their sales approaches and focus on building trust and delivering exceptional service. Additionally, it highlights the importance of actively engaging with customers on social networks to leverage positive feedback and protect brand reputation in a competitive landscape.

1. Sales and Social MediaThe New Process

2. Executive SummarySocial media is changing everything. It is changing the way we live, the way we communicate, the way we learn, the way we define ourselves and of course; the way we buy. Social Media has changed how people discover, decide, purchase, retain and spread messages about consumer goods. We attempt to define with clarity the new sales process and how businesses can capitalize on impactful opportunities. Although network tools will ultimately change, (MySpace relevancy, augmented reality) the process of capturing information, managing digital interaction and promotional marketing has forever changed. We want to shed some light on this process and create simple steps to capitalize on opportunities. Our processes has the potential to not only impact your business’s marketing strategy, but also pivot your internal company structure.Cheers,Ryan Lewis – President, Bonfire Social Media

3. Current Marketing WorksheetTo truly understand opportunities within social media, first we must analyze what marketing channels your company is currently utilizing. Please fill in the appropriate columns

4. Medium BreakdownPros and Cons

5. Old Tools

6. New Tools

7. The buying cycleHow consumers become customers

8. Old Buying CycleBuying cycles in the past relied heavily on consumer attention with traditional mediums such as Radio, Newspaper and Television. Awareness was driven by exclusivity or time sensitive calls to action. Interest drove consumers to researched products and merchants through their 1st degree contacts (family, close friends, coworkers) and evaluated their buying options. Consumers would also read trade periodicals and industry specific Television shows for deeper insight.After expending all other “outside” resources, consumers would then visit the merchant to “kick the tires” and learn more about the product from the sales staff. Once the consumer has converted to a customer, feedback was received through word of mouth testimonial and corporate feedback surveys.Good experiences would only be known by the consumer’s 1st degree contacts and the brand.AwarenessRepeatInterestEvaluationChevyFordCommitmentSalesReferral

9. New Buying CycleRepeatAs you can see, media has changed. Radio and Newspaper are losing market share yearly and TV is the only viable traditional medium left because it’s combination of sensory stimulation and established market share. Sales departments now heavily influence media. Because of the ease for consumers to broadcast a review to a large audience, the sales department shoulder a large responsibility to maintain the company brand. Sales people are the company’s new Public Relations Department and should be trained to handle consumer needs accordingly.In this new buying cycle, most of the purchase decision is made prior to reaching the merchant. The final decision is based on how they are treated by the merchant and if their basic needs are addressed. Sales must be less about closing the deal and more about reinforcing a customer evaluation process and building trust. Customers know they can get the same product for the same price anywhere. It is all about what you can provide outside of price (service, speed, financing, education) that will differentiate your company’s brand. Consumers have the power to define your brand positively or negatively based on their overall buying experience.AwarenessInterestEvaluationChevyFordCommitmentSalesReferral

10. The sales processHow consumers research and decide

11. Old Sales ProcessThe old sales process took customers from a light evaluation using traditional media sources to a chosen merchant where consumers would extend their evaluation. They would expect sales people to assist in the buying experience and move them toward making an informed decision. Trust was based on the satisfaction of the product and the overall buying experience.The last stage was the finance department where there were far fewer options and typically processed through a local bank.EvaluationMerchantSalesCommitmentFinance

12. New Sales ProcessBecause of increased competition and consumer knowledge, customers have become less loyal to merchants and salespeople. Years of a broken sales process riddled with customers being taken advantage of has made consumers disenfranchised with merchants that stand in the way of what they want. And because of improved evaluation of products and peer reviews online, customers now know exactly what they want before stepping foot in a store.There is too much competition for merchants to negotiate on old variables. Consumers can find price, financing and their exact desired product anywhere. The tipping points for conversion in the future are service, warranty, process simplicity and merchant reputation. Merchant reputation is a direct product of the first 3 variables.Consumer Problem: No time, Increased Knowledge, Many ChoicesMerchant Solution: Streamlined Process, Product Wisdom, Simplified Purchase Path.EvaluationMerchantSalesCommitmentFinance

13. Contact capturingMaking your marketing budget go further

14. Old Contact CaptureTelephone, Emails and Home Addresses had been effective in their focus of contacting people on a one-to-one basis but have become overused and thus consumers have learned how to turn them off.In short, the information businesses capture to contact consumers uses mediums consumers have become immune to the message. TelemarketingInputPhone NumberService ReminderOutputRepeat Business

15. WOM Marketing

16. Positive Feedback

17. Promotional AwarenessEmail BlastsInputEmail AddressSales FollowOutputDirect MailInputHome AddressClient Appreciation

18. New Contact CaptureThe most dramatic shifts in media have been in the way we communicate. Where old communication mediums operated on a one-to-one scale, new mediums are based on a one-to-many structure. Communication can occur between two entities, but the conversation is visible to those within the party’s social graph. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Reviews, Blogs and Forums were all built to make communication more transparent. Businesses need to shift their contact capturing methods and focus on communicating with consumers over mediums using a social graph.Social tools for communication are permission based so customers have to allow a business to interact. Once allowed, a business has visibility to a customer's entire social graphOutputFacebook “Like”600 Million Active Facebook Users

19. 130 Average Facebook Friends per Interaction