I’m currently reading “Social First Brands – How Modern Brands Create Community, Loyalty and Growth” by Tom Miner (Kogan Page)

In chapter 5, Tom explores the concept of “social personality – your competitive edge.”

Tom makes a crucial point: the buyer’s journey today often begins with a prompt in ChatGPT

 What people learn about your brand and your story increasingly comes from AI, not Google searches, SEO spend, or your carefully designed website

But it doesn’t stop there

Alongside the AI journey, there’s also a buyer’s journey on social media

Whenever we’re about to buy something, we turn to our networks, the people we know and trust

(If you’re nodding along so far, I’ll assume you’ve already shifted budget away from websites and SEO and started investing in empowering your salespeople and employees on social)

Here’s why that’s critical:
You need to exist in your buyers’ networks and be trusted for this second part of the journey to work for you

If your salespeople look and sound just like “salespeople” and aren’t trusted, buyers will scroll right past them

And you've left money on the table

As Tom puts it:

“Following an individual versus following a logo are two very different things.”

"Buyers can sniff out “corporate speak” from a mile away

There’s skepticism baked into how people consume content from brands"

That’s why you need to empower your salespeople to speak with an authentic voice

I know a salesperson who’s set her sights on becoming an influencer (small “i”) in her territory

 She wants to be the person her buyers naturally turn to for insights

She’s already building trust and relationships in her network

When her buyers are ready to purchase, she’ll be the obvious choice

In the battle for attention, you've lost and this salesperson has won

And what about brands? The same logic applies

A Vox Media and Digitas report found that 75% of social users say brands that shed their corporate image on social media are the ones that grab their attention.

The takeaway?

Your brand isn’t what you say it is anymore, it’s what your network says it is

In an AI-powered world and a socially connected buyer journey, people trust people

Empower your sales team

Give them the tools, confidence, and permission to show up authentically on social

Because when trust is the currency, relationships, not logos, will win