9 Common Social Selling Mistakes You Need to Avoid, According to Experts

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A solid social selling strategy falls somewhere between "nice-to-have" and "need-to-have" in the modern sales landscape. Activities like prospect outreach, cultivating brand awareness, and online relationship building are all enhanced by social media - so having a solid presence on these platforms can really help your case.

But navigating social selling isn't always straightforward. There are some common pitfalls sales reps tend to run into when leveraging social media as a sales resource. That's why we here at The HubSpot Sales Blog reached out to some experts for their takes on the mistakes you need to avoid while social selling. Let's take a look!

9 Social Selling Mistakes You Need to Avoid

1. Treating Social Selling Like Conventional

Bhavik Sarkhedi, Growth Head & CMO of Content Whale, says, "One of the biggest mistakes sales reps make in social selling is treating it like traditional cold outreach. Social selling isn't about bombarding prospects with generic sales pitches; it's about building relationships.

"When reps connect and immediately push for a sale, it turns people off. Instead, they should be sharing value-whether through insights, content, or engaging in meaningful conversations."

2. Neglecting Trust and Relationship-Building

Michele Potts, Director at Zoe Communications Group, says, "Sales is about building trust, instilling confidence, and making it easy for prospects to say yes. A deep understanding of prospects' specific needs and pain points is crucial, as it enables reps to tailor their approach and provide relevant, valuable solutions. Common mistakes in social selling include over-pitching too early without establishing rapport, failing to personalize outreach, and neglecting to engage meaningfully with prospects.

"Success in social selling hinges on relationship-building, not just pushing products. By addressing the real challenges prospects face, reps can create genuine connections, build trust, and significantly improve their chances of a positive outcome."

3. Not Using a Friendly Tone

Rahul Kumar, CEO of Ranksoldier, says, "Professionalism is crucial in making successful sales deals. Hence, sales reps use a formal tone while dealing with prospects. However, it doesn't work on social media. Even on LinkedIn, a very formal tone is generally not well-received by its users. The other social media platforms won't accept formal tones in any way. A formal tone sounds stiff and detached on social media. As a result, social media users will ignore it, which will be detrimental to social selling.

"Sales representatives should be friendly while interacting with target customers or clients. Their tone should be approachable and relatable. It will make the target customers or clients comfortable and unwary. It will facilitate trust and rapport with them."

4. Failing to Align Your Presence With Your Audience's Platform Preferences

Ace Zhuo, Business Development Director at TradingFXVPS, says, "I prioritize understanding my target audience and where they spend their time online before choosing social media platforms for business. Each platform attracts different demographics, so it's crucial to align our presence where potential clients are most active. For instance, LinkedIn is a go-to for B2B connections, offering professional networking opportunities, whereas Instagram is ideal for engaging visuals that attract a younger audience.

"I also analyze the types of content that perform well on each platform, ensuring we deliver the most impactful messages. Practicality and cost-efficiency are key-bearing in mind that maintaining a strong presence across multiple channels demands resources. I've learned that starting small but focused, then expanding strategically, yields the best results."

5. Giving up too Early

Dávid Breitenbach, CMO of PatentRenewal.com, says, "One of the most common mistakes sales reps make when social selling is giving up too early. Social selling is a long-term strategy that requires consistent engagement and relationship-building, but many reps abandon the process if they don't see immediate results. Building trust and meaningful relationships on social platforms takes time, and reps often overlook this, pushing for quick wins instead of focusing on nurturing connections.

"Social selling requires consistent engagement and follow-up. Posting one LinkedIn post and expecting results won't work. Sales reps need to continuously interact, share relevant content, and stay active in the conversation to keep prospects engaged and build trust over time. Embracing the process and staying committed to long-term relationship building is key to effective social selling."

6. Not Conducting Thorough Research on Prospects

Janice Si, Marketing & PR Specialist, says, "A common mistake among reps is not conducting thorough research on their prospects before reaching out. It's essential to understand a prospect's industry, challenges, and interests to personalize communication and build rapport. Without this knowledge, your messages can come off as generic and irrelevant.

"You need to grasp their pain points, budget, deadlines, and who the decision-makers are. It's important to know what might be holding them back from purchasing, whether they are still exploring solutions or are already in the decision phase. Understanding what drives them, whether they are new or existing customers, and what matters most to them is key."

7. Not Using Social Selling as a Complementary Resource

Michelle J Raymond, Founder of B2B Growth Co., says, "The mistake sales experts often make is that they see social selling as they approach it with the wrong mindset. They think social selling takes away from the activities they are already doing offline (e.g., 'I already have a solid network, so I don't need LinkedIn for that,' or, 'My customers aren't active on LinkedIn, so why bother?').

"Successful salespeople approach their social selling as a tool that complements their traditional selling methods and can really enhance results. Social selling can help you expand your network beyond your existing contacts; it helps to deepen relationships with current clients by showcasing your expertise, and the visibility keeps you top of mind and memorable. This way, your network becomes not only larger but more engaged. It's about adding another tool to your kit to reach a wider audience."

8. Prioritizing Self-Promotion Over Engagement

Valentina Serjant, Sales Manager at Index, says "In the past few years as a Sales Manager, I've noticed a recurring trend among sales reps when it comes to social selling. Many of them fall into the trap of treating social media platforms as glorified digital billboards. Instead of building genuine connections and building trust, they often focus on self-promotion and hard selling. This approach not only turns off potential customers but also undermines the credibility of the sales team.

"To avoid this common pitfall, sales reps should shift their focus from broadcasting to engaging. Instead of constantly pushing their products or services, they should aim to provide value to their target audience by sharing relevant content, answering questions, and participating in discussions. This will help them build relationships and establish themselves as thought leaders, thus creating a more receptive environment for future sales conversations."

9. Not Maintaining Consistent Activity

Grant Fuellenbach, Head of Revenue Operations at Drone Pros, LLC, says, "Some sales reps treat social selling as an occasional activity instead of a continuous effort. Consistency in posting, engaging with prospects, and providing value through comments, shares, and responses is essential for building trust and visibility."

And there you have it: nine key social selling mistakes you need to have a pulse on if you want to sell via social media effectively. Obviously, this list isn't exhaustive - but if you stay on top of the examples detailed here, you'll put yourself in a solid position to leverage these platforms and enhance your broader sales efforts.

Topics:Social Selling

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