Can Salespeople Use Social Media to Enhance Brand Awareness and Sales Performance? The Role of Manager Empowerment and Creativity
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-20-2023
Publication Source
Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing
Abstract
Purpose
Although research analyzing the consequences of salesperson social media use in driving sales behaviors and performance outcomes has proliferated in the recent past, there are significant research gaps in the domain. Grounded in task-technology fit theory, this paper aims to propose a conceptual framework that integrates between previously disjointed areas of research and analyzes the relationships between salesperson social media use, brand awareness, creativity, manager empowerment and company performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey responses were collected from a multi-industry sample of 158 business-to-business salespeople. Structural relationships were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling.
Findings
The analysis shows that salesperson social media use positively affects brand awareness. The relationship between social media and brand awareness is magnified with the increase in salesperson creativity. Findings also show that manager empowerment increases salesperson creativity. Finally, brand awareness positively affects company performance.
Practical implications
Sales organizations should focus on developing digital strategies, especially focusing on salesperson social media use to enhance company’s brand awareness, which in turn increases company performance. Moreover, sales managers should also follow empowering leader behaviors to enhance creativity.
Originality/value
The authors amalgamate salesperson social media use literature and branding literature by proposing salesperson social media use’s positive effects on brand awareness. This study also expands the knowledge by exploring the moderating effect of individual-level variables such as salesperson creativity on driving the effects of salesperson social media use.
Inclusive pages
1738-1753
ISBN/ISSN
ISSN: 0885-8624
Publisher
Emerald
Volume
38
Issue
8
Peer Reviewed
yes
Keywords
Salesperson social media use, Creativity, Manager empowerment, Brand awareness, Company performance
eCommons Citation
Kalra, Ashish; Itani, Omar S.; and Rostami, Amin, "Can Salespeople Use Social Media to Enhance Brand Awareness and Sales Performance? The Role of Manager Empowerment and Creativity" (2023). Management and Marketing Faculty Publications. 75.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/mgt_fac_pub/75
COinS
