Mark Hillary’s new book has just been published and this time he is exploring how companies sell to each other in the 2020s – this is intelligent sourcing! The book is called The Social Sales Playbook: Developing a B2B Sales Plan That Drives Results and it is available now.
Click here for more information on the book.
Below is the foreword to the book, written by B2B sales expect Paul O’Hara.
Throughout my career, I have been deeply entrenched in the world of sales, particularly focused on developing strategies for business-to-business (B2B) sales teams.
Today, I’m privileged to be a leading contributor to a global sales organization for a BPO leader, but my journey has also seen me at the helm of entire companies. Through these experiences, one truth has become undeniable: the alignment between the CEO, board, and sales strategy is absolutely critical.
Sales is the frontline, the coalface where the action unfolds. You might have the best product on the market, the most cutting-edge service, or be considered best-in-class—but if you’re not selling, none of that matters. Revenue is the lifeblood of a business, and without it, even the most innovative companies can fade into obscurity.
There’s something distinct about B2B sales that sets it apart from business-to-consumer (B2C) sales. In B2C, branding and emotional connection reign supreme. Why does one consumer choose Coke over Pepsi when the products are nearly identical?
In B2B, the relationship is more complex. Trust, accountability, and credibility take center stage. It’s not just about what you’re selling; it’s about the relationship you build with your potential buyers. You want to become a trusted advisor so that when the time comes to make a decision, the first person they turn to is you. No hard selling, no cold calls—just genuine help when they need it.
Earlier in my career, I took the traditional route that most sales professionals follow: countless calls, lunches, and endless networking at events. That’s how you get noticed.
However, about a decade ago, I began experimenting with social sales strategies. It started with a simple blog where I shared insights and ideas I was hearing from clients —nothing promotional, just honest thoughts on customer experience and company culture. You can find my first blog linked at the end of this foreword.
What I discovered was powerful.
By engaging my network with authentic content about the topics that mattered to them, I wasn’t just starting conversations — I was building relationships. Over the years, this approach has led to real, measurable business success. Not in terms of likes or page views, but in the number of meaningful conversations with clients and prospects that have resulted in new opportunities.
Social sales won’t fill your pipeline overnight. But it can build credibility, foster relationships, and create opportunities with people who would never respond to a cold email or direct sales pitch. Most B2B buyers don’t want to be sold to—but when they have a problem, they do want to turn to someone they trust.
Mark’s book distills this entire process beautifully. It’s both a detailed guide and a simple, actionable plan: just start. Post a few blogs or share your thoughts regularly, and in a year’s time, you’ll have built a significant foundation of content that reflects your expertise.
Social sales isn’t about feel-good posts on LinkedIn. It’s about proving your authority in your industry, demonstrating your trustworthiness, and showing that you have valuable ideas for the future of your field.
To echo a question Mark poses in Chapter One: when a prospect searches for you on LinkedIn or Google, what will they find?
Will they see nothing? Outdated content from years ago? Or will they discover a leading authority who regularly shares insights that could be pivotal to their business?
That’s the person they’ll want to meet for coffee.
Paul O’Hara
Tyneside, United Kingdom
September 24, 2024
