I recently finished the book “The Social Media Sales Revolution” written by Landy Chase and Kevin Knebl, which discussed how our sales strategies and techniques are changing with the integration of social media into business. Chase and Knebl suggest that the ways we traditionally would have prospected for our companies are becoming a thing of the past; the cold call, although effective, is being partnered with others means of reaching your customers. Although we believe that new forms of selling should be taught, learned and embraced, that is not to say that what has worked in the past is no longer relevant. Instead of dropping your current or past sales techniques, simply add to your abilities by embracing the strategies that can come from utilizing social media.

Below are guidelines from the book to help you understand the transition from traditional selling to selling using social media.  

Online communication is surpassing the use of communicating over the telephone. The telephone is still a great way to create a personal connection with your prospects – having them hear your voice adds to their perception of your personality and their comfort level in doing business with you. The following, however, are advantages of online communication:

  • Ability to communicate with more people; a tweet can reach 1 person or 1 million people
  • You can communicate at anytime and anywhere
  • Send documents with your conversation. Documents can be shared over a Linkedin inbox conversation; your phone does not have this capability.

The sphere of influence is changing. You no longer come across people of interest through an occasional reference or mention from a colleague or friend. Linkedin displays your connections and allows you to connect with people through one click. If one of your 1st degree connections is connected with someone of interest to you, instead of waiting to be introduced, you can request an introduction with whom you wish at any time. Here are some suggestions for finding more connections on Linkedin:

  • Visit “Contact” and “Add Connections.” Click on “People You May Know” and look through the list to find people who may be of interest
  • Each new connection you make, look through their connections. Find someone of interest? Ask for an introduction

The Salesperson of the future is a value generator. Use social media to position yourself as a hub of valuable information for your audience. Being valued as a trusted source ads to your value as a salesperson.

  • Reviewing your Twitter followers is a great way to see who values your information a.k.a. who might classify as a lead
  • Twitter can introduce you to people and companies you may have never been aware of before. By sharing valuable information about your industry, you can attract attention from prospects or potential partners.

Social Media is a great tool to enhance your selling efforts, but it should not be used as a crutch. As a salesperson, you should continue to brush up on your selling techniques and networking capabilities. A well rounded person will make for a successful salesperson. For information or help on your sales efforts or to brush up on your selling techniques, visit our Sales page and see how our team can help. If you’re looking for Marketing and Social Media assistance, contact Stephanie Goodman for more information.

 

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