What’s the difference between Social Marketing & Social Selling?

Recently I had the honor to speak to a group of young university students from the Netherlands who were writing a paper about “Social Selling” 

I was very impressed with the group and the questions they asked. 

The question that most caught my attention is one that is often asked but rarely understood.

What’s the difference between Social marketing and Digital or Social Selling? 

First, we need to clarify that “Social marketing” in this case is not about marketing for social causes but rather for Marketing through social media.

So the question is better stated as what’s the difference between marketing over social media and selling through social media? 

Marketing, in general, is the process of creating brand awareness about your product or service and is done using all media…So marketing over social media is simply doing so by placing content and or advertising on social media. 

The goal is to create awareness of the brand.

Digital or social selling is quite different.

Here the goal is much more focused, in that the goal is direct engagement with your customers and potential customers.

While the content can be similar it’s really the goals and activities that differentiate the two. 

In Digital Selling we are educating, sharing, entertaining, and actually connecting with our customers in order to have real conversations with them based on their specific interests.

Today’s customers are constantly “searching” for something…the trick is to have them find you through digital selling and create that first conversation! 

Today’s customer journey is radically different and very real. 

To ignore this reality is to spend all your time fishing in an empty lake wondering why you can’t catch any fish?! 

You need to find a better fishing spot!

Go where your customers are!! 

Start your 14-day free digital training today! 

My thanks to Louise Lebeaupin of Avans University!