The era of industrial valve salespeople visiting customers with their sample case and technical product binders is over. Social selling via social media has become the modus operandi in the valve industry today. While valve salespeople at smaller companies without the technical savvy and capital to adapt to social selling are still pounding the pavement and knocking on doors – their days are numbered.
By Bob Donnelly – Consultant
End user engineers today have grown up on the internet and are tech-savvy. They are at ease electronically locating the valves and valve automation components that they need and do not need to talk to or see anyone to collect technical specifications. If they have a question, they go to the “chat feature” of the valve manufacturer’s website and get an answer electronically via a chat with the valve manufacturer’s engineering team.
Online sophisticated “configurators” are also available that can do the same thing for valve engineers without any human interaction, and supply them with specifications, technical data, and photos of the valve or valve automation assembly.
The dynamic change in the selling process has been further enhanced by the digitization of all the technical specifications and applications of valves and valve automation components by valve manufacturers. This data in an electronic format has transformed the traditional sales process into a more efficient and more profitable social selling model.
Additionally, product presentations and applications can be captured in a variety of video formats and shared and posted on valve suppliers’ websites. Historically, valve salespeople had to make the same presentation over and over again on every sales call. Given that each salesperson had a different level of knowledge, their presentations typically varied. By developing standardized sophisticated video presentations, a much more effective explanation of the unique aspect of each valve and best application has been achieved.
All of these social sales tools in electronic formats are contributing to a new generation of valve sales activities that can be not only much more effective, but also more personal in terms of relationships with customers. In effect, valve suppliers are making their relationships with users more efficient, productive, and profitable, by making the entire sales process “easier”.
Other social selling enhancements can be developed in the form of electronic newsletters that can also contain video presentations of new products, new applications, and success stories. Likewise, LinkedIn platforms can be developed to inform industry followers of valve technology developments via blogs and posts on the company’s LinkedIn page.
The days of “telephone tag”, weekly traveling, and technical binders are over. Customers and prospects are a “tap” away on smart devices.
Where are you in terms of adapting to social selling?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bob Donnelly is the Vice President of Business Development for Flo-Tite Valves & Controls.