Every salesperson wants to be the ONE who customers choose, over and over again. But many salespeople are lost with today's technology that facilitates that choice. The advancements in social media and content management platforms have made it easier than ever to engage and stay connected, but with so many options, it’s difficult to know where to start.
Social Selling is a new term but its roots are in traditional networking. What’s new is the leveraging technology to network, nurture relationships, and establish credibility to generate referrals and leads.
10 Right-Now Actions to Master Social Selling
1. Know Thyself.
There are three things that differentiate you from any other person and no one can ever take these assets away from you:
• Your name
• Your face
• Your expertise
These three assets are kingpins of your personal brand. Identify the values you want to be known for; the reasons people buy from you instead of the competitor. When you dissect the components of your unique promise of value, it's much easier to represent yourself online in the best light.
2. Research Where Your Customers Spend Time.
A salesperson who wants to build a network of loyal customers and referral partners plans where he/she wants to go.
Pinpoint which channel your current customers and prospects occupy the most. Facebook is where most people spend their time but don’t discount LinkedIn as a good choice. Investigate other channels too, just don’t feel like you have to be everywhere.
3. Build Your Profiles.
Success in Social Selling starts with a great looking profile. Take advantage of the "free real estate" and be consistent with your image and text.
Customers are Googling salespeople now so even if you're not going to leverage every channel right now, it's best to have a placeholder. Social Media changes quickly so stay up-to-date on the values of each network.
4. Launch the Social Channel that Scares You the Least.
Go easy on yourself. Pick the platform you feel the most comfortable with. If you don't have one, dive in and make a choice. If you have some trepidation, set your privacy setting high to give your "lizard brain" a sense of control.
There's never been a better time to incorporate Social Selling into your sales process but if you're a beginner, it's can be a scary place.
FACT: 79% of salespeople who use social media in the sales process outsell those who don’t.
Trying new things isn’t easy and often people fall back into the familiarity trap. Complacency sets in and the next thing you know, leads dry up and you've got nothing in the pipeline.
Social Selling begins with a customer-centric mindset. Maintaining a customer-centric mindset keeps you focused on "what's in it for them" (instead of what's in it for you). You summon your empathy and think about the sale from their standpoint.
Applying how you would feel during the entire Social Selling process helps you understand customers better. Your next steps are crucial.
By: Kathi Kruse
Kathi Kruse, Kruse Control Inc