Using social media to help build relationships and sales

"Before anything else and above anything else, we are relational creatures." For many years, that was a banner that hung at a church I attended. Today even in this digital era with social media driving many aspects of our lives, that phrase still holds true.

Social media has changed our perception of relationships, but have also underscored the need of all of us to connect with each other. For sales, social media offers a unique opportunity to connect with our customers, and potential customers. It is a tool that most of us are not maximizing the potential on presently.

With a small investment of time, a sales rep can end the era of the cold call. A quick Google search and a trip around LinkedIN, and you can very quickly have a wealth of information about the company and the key people you need to connect with to do business. Researching online helps that offline connection over the phone or in person more likely to pay off, by learning the basics about the organization before picking up the phone and merely asking who is in charge of marketing.

1. Find out general information about the company, including their history.
2. How digitally savvy the business is can be learned based on their digital footprint with a company website, blogs and social media.
3. Learn about their company and the industry trends.
4. The "About Us" or "Contact Us" section, if they have one, may tell you the person you need to reach for your sale. Much better to have a name in mind when you call the company instead of having to asking who the person is blindly.
5. Possibly learn how the company sets up email for its employees through their website. For instance, if they do firstname.lastname@companydomain.com for their email protocol, then you can often times determine the email address of the person you need to reach out.

Connecting with people on social media, especially LinkedIN, is about building a relationship. Amassing a large number of friends online doesn't add to your bottom line as a salesperson. Starting and building that relationship is the reason you connected with someone, especially on LinkedIN. The sales opportunity will come eventually, but it is best to not lead with that.

It's tempting, I know. You have discovered the person that can say yes to your sales pitch and you've successfully connect with them on LinkedIN. The next email or LinkedIN 'inbox' from you is a sales pitch. I've been guilty of this, and perhaps you too. I also receive a lot of these unwelcomed advances on a pretty regular basis in my LinkedIN or Twitter inbox, and all they do is act as a turn off. Sending a message is a good thing, but not a sales pitch.

The initial goal is to build a relationship, add value to the partnership and gain their trust. You do that by engaging with them when they post something on their page. You send them relevant information you found about their industry. And you post information about your industry, showing that you are an expert in your own industry. The goals and tactics of using social media for sales isn't any different than traditional sales. Only the platform for the relationship has changed. 

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