The integrated use of social media, digital, and traditional communication tools in the B2B sales process of international SMEs

被引:77
作者
Fraccastoro, Sara [1 ]
Gabrielsson, Mika [1 ]
Pullins, Ellen Bolman [2 ]
机构
[1] Univ Eastern Finland, Microkatu 1,POB 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
[2] Univ Toledo, Coll Business & Innovat, W Bancroft St 2801,POB 43606, Toledo, OH USA
基金
欧洲研究理事会; 芬兰科学院;
关键词
B2B sales process; Social media; Digital communication tools; Traditional face-to-face selling; International SMEs; SALESPERSON CUSTOMER ORIENTATION; IMPACT; BUSINESS; FUTURE; ONLINE; PERFORMANCE; TECHNOLOGY; STRATEGIES; EVOLUTION; PRODUCT;
D O I
10.1016/j.ibusrev.2020.101776
中图分类号
F [经济];
学科分类号
02 ;
摘要
Social media and digital tools are gradually changing the way firms market themselves. Understanding how these communication tools are used by sales functions within business-to-business (B2B) markets could clarify the dynamics underpinning the sales process in an increasingly technology-mediated world. This paper explores how social media, digital, and traditional sales communication tools are leveraged during the three main phases of the B2B sales process within international SMEs. The article's grounded-theory approach illustrates that social media can be particularly helpful in engaging international prospects. Digital communication tools seem to be most prevalent in the persuasion phase, whereas more traditional communication tools still prevail in customer relationship management. However, there seem to be some important potential boundary conditions, including relationship culture, location proximity, technology innovation/resources, and strategic importance of the customer that affect the way international SMEs use different communication tools during a sales process. We develop a framework for understanding the B2B sales process flow with sales communication tools included for international SMEs.
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页数:15
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