Oops! I used the word sells within the context of social media.
I should duck before the social media gurus take a shot at my indiscretion. How dare I use that word on the sacred social media grounds? It is interesting how this word elicits a response from most people, and often a negative one.
Isn't professional selling an honorable profession? After earning my MBA I somewhat reluctantly took a position in sales because that is what the recruiters were offering. In short, I needed the work. Yet, that choice is one that I have never regretted, because much of what I learned is just as relevant in this social media influenced business environment as it was back in those days of traditional marketing.
There is an expression in selling circles that on the average, you need to engage with a prospect at least 7 times before they will buy. I believe this commitment to your craft is what separates professional selling from spamming. But most of us would not even consider selling and spamming in the same arena. Aren't they both designed to elicit a desired action?
Gathering followers is one thing. That's not really an action. But getting someone to sign up for your Newsletter or subscribe to your blog – that's a sale. I know you may not want to call it that if you hate the word selling, but indeed you are asking someone to take action based upon their relationship or perceived trust in you.
If you expect to magically build your social media communities in one or two touches, then you are closer on the continuum to spamming then selling. I'll bet this alters your perspective of selling a bit. Selling produces a productive and desired result, spamming doesn't.
If you take the traditional view of selling, that of somehow wrangling a purchase out of someone that may or may not have otherwise made one, then I understand why you would have a favorable view of selling. However, if you take the perspective that selling is a process of making connections and building relationships that create trust, then I believe your will recognize selling in the more favorable light that shines on the social networks.
Professional salespeople know that buyers buy into you before they buy your product. And the social networks are a productive means for encouraging this behavior. That is because the social networks help us to discover what kind of a person you really are. And foremost in that discovery is the consistency of your behavior. That consistency in your interactions is what supports continued relationships.
We are Driven by Expectations
By now we understand that the key to effective social networking is engagement – getting to know people on a personal level. Here are some activities that can undermine your social media effectiveness, and all of them in some way hinge on consistency.
- Posting erratically - You don't have to blog nearly every day as I do. Posting with inconsistent consistency, such as a few times a week or month, is also an effective strategy.
- Delivering inconsistent value - Years ago I called a meeting with a prospect. I was unprepared and he knew it. I have never forgotten his comment: "If you are going to bring someone to your office, have something to show them." Applied to the social networks, this means if you expect your connections to return to your blog or other social media communities, you should plan on having some value there to show them.
- Behaving inconsistently - It is human nature to develop expectations. You cannot logically expect to build relationships – either on or offline, if your behavior swings wildly from one end of the spectrum to another.
- Being too consistent - And yes, while most of us are challenged with consistency, too much of it is boring. Many of us love surprises. Here is one example where I surprised my readers by being honest, consistent to my commitment of daily posting, and inconsistent in that there was not a business message. Or was there? Their favorable response was a refreshing surprise that speaks to the human qualities of this medium.
Your Brand
In this social media environment, human behavior is indeed one of the vital qualities of your brand.
If you perceive selling as a positive human experience, then it is relevant to enhancing your brand.
This post is inspired by my lifelong fascination with the human qualities of selling and marketing. They are disciplines that when practiced with honor share a great deal with social networking and marketing.
And since there are decades of experience and mountains of information about selling and marketing, I believe we can learn a great deal from them to achieve positive results within this sparkling new social media platform.
How about you?
What gets you excited about this?
If you are looking for tips on selling from a seasoned professional, my friend David Cooke has published a couple of books that can help. I just read Cooked Up Sales and enjoyed the conversational approach and practical advice.
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Photo Credit: mattjiggins