Inside sales social media use and its strategic implications for salesperson-customer digital engagement and performance

Chaker, Nawar N.; Nowlin, Edward L.; Pivonka, Maxwell T.; Itani, Omar S.; Agnihotri, Raj

doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2021.10.006

Cited by 60 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…The increasing rates of worldwide smartphone adoption and access to the internet pose a unique threat to the marketing landscape in the wake of the spread of fake news. From a marketing perspective, social networking sites (SNS) have turned consumers into "prosumers" (Borges-Tiago et al, 2020;Chaker et al, 2022) through their influential electronic word of mouth (eWOM). Consumers' eWOM facilitates the spread of fake news on SNS, which can negatively impact consumers' attitudes and behaviors toward brands and SNS (Farah et al, 2021;Talwar et al, 2019Talwar et al, , 2020Visentin et al, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What to believe, whom to blame, and when to share: exploring the fake news experience in the marketing context

Mahdi

Farah

Ramadan

2022

JCM

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Purpose The spread of fake news on social networking sites (SNS) poses a threat to the marketing landscape, yet little is known about how fake news affect consumers’ perceptions, attitudes and behaviors. This study aims to explore when consumers believe fake news, whom they blame for it (e.g. negative attitudes toward brands or SNS) and when they choose to share it. Design/methodology/approach Data obtained from 80 open-ended, semistructured interviews, conducted with SNS consumers and experts, is analyzed following the principles of grounded theory and the Gioia methodology. Findings Factors affecting consumers’ perceptions of fake news include skepticism, awareness, previous experience, appeal and message cues. Consumers’ brand- and SNS-related attitudes are affected by consumers’ blame, which is determined by consumers’ perceptions of the vetting efforts, role and ethical obligation of SNS. Consumers’ motives for sharing fake news include duty, retaliation, authentication and status-seeking. Theoretical and practical implications derived from the study’s novel conceptual framework are discussed. Practical implications This study identifies communication strategies that marketing professionals can use to mitigate and counter the negative effects of fake news. Originality/value By simultaneously considering consumers’ perceptions of the source, information and medium (i.e. SNS), this study presents a novel conceptual framework providing a marketing-centered, dynamic view on consumers’ fake news experience and connecting consumers’ perceptions, attitudes and behaviors in the context of fake news.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What to believe, whom to blame, and when to share: exploring the fake news experience in the marketing context

Mahdi

Farah

Ramadan

2022

JCM

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“…For every new outside sales position, ten inside salespeople are being hired (SalesLoft, 2013). However, academic research has not been able to keep up with the changing environment; in fact, there is a deficiency of research studies on inside salespeople in general (Chaker et al, 2022;Conde and Prybutok, 2020;Ohiomah et al, 2019;Sleep et al, 2020). Particularly, little is known about potential differences in how to motivate and retain inside vs. outside salespeople.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To keep up with the rapid changes in sales operations, most organizations have restructured their sales functions by increasing the utilization of inside sales (Gessner and Scott, 2009; Järvinen and Taiminen, 2016). In fact, inside sales is one of the fastest-growing areas of the sales organization, as a typical outside sales call costs approximately $308 while an inside sales call costs only $50 (Spotio, 2020), highlighting the strategic importance of the inside salesperson (Chaker et al , 2022; Sleep et al , 2020). Further, due to advances in technology, both in the buying and selling organizations, the traditional inside salesperson has enhanced responsibilities in the organization (Chaker et al , 2022; Thaichon et al , 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In fact, inside sales is one of the fastest-growing areas of the sales organization, as a typical outside sales call costs approximately $308 while an inside sales call costs only $50 (Spotio, 2020), highlighting the strategic importance of the inside salesperson (Chaker et al , 2022; Sleep et al , 2020). Further, due to advances in technology, both in the buying and selling organizations, the traditional inside salesperson has enhanced responsibilities in the organization (Chaker et al , 2022; Thaichon et al , 2018). Inside sales is defined as a sales method that uses one or more information technology (IT) tools to perform routine sales tasks remotely (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Does the type of sales position matter? A multi-group analysis of inside vs outside sales

Matthews

Edmondson

2022

JBIM

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Purpose This study aims to investigate the differences between inside and outside business-to-business salespeople. Although prior research has highlighted a need to compare these two distinct sales positions, limited research examines the two. Specifically, this study investigates differences between inside and outside salespeople for the following constructs: positivity, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction and turnover intentions. Design/methodology/approach A Qualtrics panel of 210 business-to-business salespeople from a variety of US industries was used, with 43.8% classifying themselves as inside. Multi-group analysis using partial least squares structural equations modeling (PLS-SEM) was conducted where job type serves as the moderator for the entire model. Findings Results indicated four of six significant differences based on position. Specifically, positivity had a significant impact on emotional exhaustion for outside salespeople only. For extrinsic motivation, inside salespeople exhibited a stronger impact on emotional exhaustion. Furthermore, the impact of emotional exhaustion on turnover intentions was stronger for outside salespeople. The impact of job satisfaction on turnover intentions was stronger for inside salespeople. These results are supported by social exchange theory and distraction conflict theory. Practical implications This research highlights that sales managers and organizations need to consider different policies based on position type to increase job satisfaction and reduce turnover intentions. Practical guidelines for effectively managing the two positions are provided. Originality/value The value of this paper is that it indicates that there are indeed significant differences between these two types of sales positions, and thus, future research should not combine them into a single sample.

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“…More advanced applications involve the analysis of clients’ behavior over time to qualify leads with a longitudinal perspective. Through social selling, salespeople can also convey tailored promotional messages and connect with prospects and existing customers, establishing a personal connection and maintaining relationships without an aggressive presence typical of a two-way communication with clients (Chaker et al, 2022). Social media is also contributing to the transformation of sales by re-shaping the way relationships within the service ecosystem are developed involving multiple actors simultaneously with dedicated content. “We are an integral part of our customers’ social media world.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The transformation of selling for value co-creation: Antecedents and boundary conditions

Corsaro

Maggioni²

2022

Marketing Theory

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The selling practice is facing an unprecedented process of change that is redefining the logic of value co-creation and disrupting the nature of B2B relationships across several industries. This phenomenon is well-known in managerial practice but under-investigated at a theoretical level. Sales literature aligns on acknowledging that selling and value co-creation unfold within broader service ecosystems. However, the changes occurring in sales have been predominantly studied by focusing on the single elements affecting them. Based on a qualitative study of 48 sales experts, this research draws on the service ecosystem theory to offer a holistic perspective of the factors driving the transformation of selling for value co-creation. The proposal from the study is that value co-creation through selling is a systemic and multi-actor phenomenon, including two antecedents: Hybridization of salespeople and Digital ecosystem empowerment, two boundary conditions: Multi-actor integration and Acceleration, and 23 sub-dimensions driving change in selling. The study also provides guidance for managerial practices, which is crucial due to the high failure rate of attempts at transforming sales.

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Inside sales social media use and its strategic implications for salesperson-customer digital engagement and performance

Cited by 60 publications

References 68 publications

What to believe, whom to blame, and when to share: exploring the fake news experience in the marketing context

What to believe, whom to blame, and when to share: exploring the fake news experience in the marketing context

Does the type of sales position matter? A multi-group analysis of inside vs outside sales

The transformation of selling for value co-creation: Antecedents and boundary conditions

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