Social Media Affordances and Sequential Use to Engage Clients During the Sales Process

Abstract

Social media has changed the ways salespeople communicate and build relationships with clients. This study explores how social media are integrated into the communication repertoires of sellers using an affordances framework. Based on data from a large multinational corporation, seller strategies used to build and develop relationships with customers are analyzed. The findings reveal that employees strategically select media that allow for common affordances in order to build stronger client relationships. The discussion outlines practical implications for managers, and aligns the process of social media selection with the sales cycle based on capabilities afforded by various media choices. 2. Organizations, Social Media and Client Communication As the use of proprietary and public social media in large multinational organizations grows, organizations are focusing on how social media tools can be utilized by sellers as part of the sales process. Social media have made communication more instantaneous by allowing sellers to respond faster to communication from clients, demonstrating the perceived importance of social media as an external communication tool [10]. External engagement via social media is beneficial because interactions may result in increased connectedness with clients [11]. Yet social media is not the only tool available to sellers; rather most large multinational organizations provide sellers with a repertoire of ICTs from which the seller must select the most appropriate tool to engage with clients. As a result of the trend towards availability of multiple communication tools, prior research establishes that organizational members often use multiple media to communicate with others at work [12], but has not explicitly focused on how communication tools are selected. Building on prior research [13], we use an affordances lens to examine the use of multiple media in external communication processes (e.g. the sales process).

Marketing-sales-service interface and social media marketing influence on B2B sales process

“…Overall, the results show that managers of the electronics firms are focusing more on leveraging Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to drive sales process and in turn boost business performance. Indeed, aligning social media marketing with sales process (Weber and Haseki, 2019) can help to move a lead from understanding the customer to generating new deals (Andzulis et al , 2012).…”

“…To keep pace with sales practices, many multinational firms have invested significant resources into new information communication technologies (Weber and Haseki, 2019). Extant literature documents increasing SMM importance in today’s marketplace (Chang et al , 2018; Opute, 2017, 2020a), a shift that finds its plausibility in the market power shift from organizations to consumers (Agnihotri et al , 2012; Opute, 2017; Constantinides, 2014).…”

“…According to Weber and Haseki (2019), sellers in multinational organizations are using SMM platforms as part of their sales process. Theoretical support is provided by Hamilton (2016) who suggests a significant influence of SMM on sales process.…”

“…Theoretical support is provided by Hamilton (2016) who suggests a significant influence of SMM on sales process. Arguably, aligning SMM channels with sales process (Weber and Haseki, 2019) will support M-S-S team effort in understanding the customer (Andzulis et al , 2012), enhancing marketing, sales and customer service performance, a plausible expectation, given that interdependent functional areas are symbiotically involved in the sales process and marketing implementation. Organizations aiming for optimal market orientation must ensure a strategic marketing focus that, amongst others, recognizes the fundamental importance of cross-functional alignment (Opute, 2008; Opute and Madichie, 2017; Kim et al , 2011).…”

Introduction to the Minitrack on Digital and Social Media in Enterprise

“…The implementation of digital social media in enterprise not only affects employees' behaviors and work outcomes, but also changes stakeholders' interactions and communication patterns in traditional work processes. In their research, Weber and Haseki [4] focus on understanding how digital social media has changed the ways salespeople communicate and build relationships with clients.…”