Christian van Vessem, Commercial Director at Techsharks, discovered the power of social selling during a sales management program at Nyenrode. Inspired by the possibilities, he developed a structured approach to strengthen thought leadership and integrate a strong online routine into the organization. What challenges did he encounter? What are the results? And which skills are, according to him, indispensable for a successful social selling strategy?
In early 2022, Christian van Vessem learned a lot about social selling during a sales management program at Nyenrode. “That was a real eye-opener,” he recalls. “I was already doing a lot of things well, but without coherence. While there is so much more to be gained if you approach it in a structured way.” He decided not only to improve his own approach, but to roll out social selling throughout the organization. “The benefits are obvious: your network, your reach and your brand awareness grow, and you delve deeper into your relationships.”
He started with a strategy to build a valuable network. “A list of 200 to 300 potential customers in the Netherlands had been drawn up, but this list was not yet integrated online, so I started sending structured connection requests,” he explains. “Not randomly, but with personalized messages and strategic interactions. The goal? Strengthening thought leadership and seeking connections. For example, post something about a customer — a striking text or photo — to which others can respond. In this way, every message becomes an opportunity to make new connections.” In this way, Van Vessem carefully builds a pyramid of contacts, which not only leads to increased visibility, but also to more valuable customer relationships. “The structural approach to social selling shows that daily, consistent online efforts pay off.”
Implementation and challenges
The first step is awareness, Van Vessem emphasizes. “I show what I do, explain the effect, and ask my team if they are open to trying it too.” Objections such as lack of creativity or doubts or connections are countered by organizing workshops and expert sessions that clearly explain what an ideal LinkedIn profile looks like and how you can use it. “Some people pick it up right away and start working on it themselves, while others are less enthusiastic at first. But they also eventually see that when they post something, the likes and reactions increase. In that respect, we have taken a huge step within the organization. People notice that structurally integrating social selling into their daily work really delivers results.”
But how do you maintain that routine?
Van Vessem: “By explicitly naming it as an essential sales activity. I am also considering developing a commercial blueprint: a manual in which you record what we want to achieve and how. Practical tools are key! If necessary, people can stick post-its with ‘LinkedIn: add five connections’ on their dashboard. As long as it remains top of mind. By continuously engaging in conversation, being active yourself and sharing successes, social selling will continue to occupy a prominent place in your commercial approach.”
Results and skills
A great example of a success story at Techsharks is an important customer relationship that was created during the corona period. Van Vessem says: “I spent a lot of time behind my screen and started an active online routine. Someone I knew on the side responded to my LinkedIn message.” After a few Teams conversations and a joint football match, this relationship grew into one of their largest customers with multiple locations in the Netherlands. “Sometimes you get a bit lucky, but behind every business relationship there is a person. It is up to us to make that connection.”
Important skills are environmental awareness, creativity and structured work. “It is about relevance, knowing what appeals to people and continuously scanning current topics,” Van Vessem explains. Empathy also plays a role in converting business contacts into personal relationships. “And always trying to improve,” he adds. Daily adjustments and striving for greater effectiveness make social selling a powerful tool for long-term success.
Advice to skeptics
For organizations that still doubt the value of social selling, the commercial director has a simple piece of advice: “Try it out and see what the effect is. It may not be equally valuable for every industry, but done well it can yield many benefits. Show who you are, what you stand for, and what you do – people generally like that. And if it doesn’t work, then it doesn’t. But if it does work, keep going and seek professional advice regularly to improve your approach. An expert can help you optimize your social selling strategy and roll it out widely within your organization.”