by MIMO Solutions | goals, marketing, sales, social media, social media marketing, Social Networking
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| Having A Sales Mindset on Social Media Isn’t A Bad Thing! |
You might want to change your mindset about “sales” to be successful in your social networking online…
Chances are you have the wrong idea about “sales” as it relates to your behavior.
Most people are either deathly afraid of being considered a salespeople or too pushy, or they have no idea about what sales actually is and they are the one’s being to pushy.
So that’s the problem, about half of the people are too weak and the other half are too strong. It has always been a funny fact of life to me that about half of the population is afraid to do what they dislike in others, and the other half has no fear, but no filter either. This is especially true when it comes to the sales profession and what an actual professional salesperson looks like, sounds like, and behaves like.
Did you know that “sales” has been one of the most hated professions since is was officially created in the 1920’s? It is right up there with lawyers, politicians, and dentists every time they do the surveys. The most loved professions are things like teachers, clergy, and firefighters. These should come as no surprise to most people I would guess.
How many third graders do you think you would have to ask to get just one that said they wanted to grow up to be a “salesperson”? About a 1,000 is what we have come up with, you will find an occasional kid with the gift of gab and professional salesperson as a mother or father who is a strong role model for the child. The rest of us would rather be astronauts, doctors, and teachers.
However, do you happen to know what the most popular profession is in the United States? Surprise, it is “sales” with over 4.2 Million people performing the role, not including inside sales, waiters, or cashiers who all also happen to sell for their profession!
Last one, do you know what professional is a perennial contender for the highest paid profession? If you didn’t guess it, you need to pay better attention. Salesperson has almost always been in the top 5 highest paid professions since its inception. Now there are a lot of people making low wages as salespeople, so the average doesn’t come out in the top 10, but as far as top earners are concerned, salespeople come in right with CEOs, doctors, engineers and lawyers.
Why you might have the wrong idea about what professional salespeople do:
- Salespeople have a bad PR department. We take a bad rap in commercials, movies, and TV shows. We are associated with used-cars, polyester suits, and either the most pushy or most slick of our kind. Eventually, we need to get together and sell some marketing people to take on the task of changing our public image…
- Good salespeople make a lot of money. Did you notice the correlation above between the income of the most hated and most loved professions? The most hated generally rake in the dough, while the most loved are notoriously underpaid for what they do.
- There are a ton of bad salespeople out there. This one I will grant you. There are a ton of people doing it wrong. Hey, we have 4.2 Million salespeople out there; they can’t all be winners. People rarely talk about the good ones though. They silently propel companies and communities forward without being noticed.
It seems like our perception as a people of “sales” is bipolar. We love that people are willing to do it, we just don’t want to be one, and we don’t want them calling on us. We will gladly pay salespeople large sums of money for what they do, but then run and hide with our phones turned off if they are being paid by someone else.
People hate to be sold, but they love to buy!
In order to have the best of both worlds, to make sales and make friends, it takes a special mindset and a balance of the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of sales.
What can you do to make sure you have the right sales mindset when you are on social media sites?
To me, great salespeople are like great waiters and your favorite restaurant. This is the sales mindset you should have on social media.
- You want to compliment the experience not force or artificially create it.
- You want to make suggestions about ideas that will enhance the experience.
- You want to be likable as a person and a company, and create an atmosphere that compliments your brand.
- You want to listen and anticipate the needs of your audience.
- You want to solve problems and make sure the customer is happy.
- You want to encourage your customers to try new offerings.
- You want to use your expertise to point the customers to the right solution for them.
- You want to welcome new guests and explain why people love you and why they made a good choice to check you out.
- You want to have fun and promote an environment that matches the customers expectations.
- You want to let them know when things have an up charge or will take longer to receive.
- You want to make sure they understand their purchase if people make common mistakes.
- You want to make sure they are 100% satisfied with the experience before you deliver the bill.
- You want to clean up after there messes if they make a mistake with your product or service.
- Finally, you encourage them to spread the word if they liked the experience, or ask for feedback if they did not.
All of those things a waiter does well, are the exact same things that will help you grow your business on social media sites, and create a raving fan base of loyal customers, who refer you often. Some people call it customer service, some people call it marketing, some people proudly call it sales. It really doesn’t matter, but those things that make a waiter great, are the same things that make salespeople great.
They create an atmosphere and environment which allows the customer to buy, while the salesperson stays out of the way.
Some, so called sales and marketing gurus, will tell you that this means the salesperson is unnecessary. That could not be further from the truth. Please don’t think that you can use marketing automation, can the salespeople, and still create that kind of environment.
There is a reason that a drive-through, fast food experience is different than being served by a great waiter who helps create a memorable experience. It is called “salesmanship” and it results from interpersonal communication and treating each person like the individual that they are.
You cannot substitute information and automation for interpersonal communication and expect the same results!
Don’t be afraid of being a salesperson, be afraid of not selling anything or not serving your customers the way you want and they deserve. Learn how to develop a sales mindset appropriate for social media and create the experience you would want when dealing with your company.
by MIMO Solutions | communication skills, marketing, sales, social media, social media marketing, Social Networking
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| How do you put together the pieces of a great social networking campaign? |
I was teaching a sales class about how to use social media the other day and this question was posed to me. I thought it was very interesting and something I have been struggling with for awhile. I am going to share my thoughts here, but I would love some feedback in the comments. Do you think businesses should be training salespeople to use social media or social media people and marketers how to sell?
Is it easier to train sales people to use social media or to train social media people to sell?
I have dealt with this from the sales side a lot as a
Sandler Sales Trainer. Everyone wants to know if it is actually something you can learn, or it is something you naturally have. I have also taught introductory computer classes for the elderly and out of work. I can absolutely say without a shadow of a doubt in my mind that you can train people to be better at sales, and you can train people to be better at computers and social media. I have done it for thousands of people.
However, that doesn’t really answer the question of which is better or easier… Really, it is a fundamental question of human behavior. There are generally four things that people are good at: working with the big picture and making decisions, working with people and influencing them, working steadily and keeping the peace, and working with details, systems and compliance. This is know and the DISC behavioral model if you want to learn more.
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| DISC Behavioral Styles |
Here is what you need to know for sales vs. social media:
People who are naturally gifted at sales are called “Influencers“. They are good at things related to social situations and communications. They are extroverts and people-oriented.
People who are naturally gifted and computers are called “Compliants“. The are good at things related to structure and organization. They are introverts and task-oriented.
These two types of people are exact opposites. Most people have some combination of all four types because all of those things are necessary to survive as a human being. However, Influencers and Compliants are on the opposite sides of the spectrum, so it is rare to find someone who will be high in both of these categories.
So which type of person makes the best and easiest social networker on the Internet?
The answer is training one person in the opposite task from their natural strength will be equally painful for both.
If you try to get an Influencer to sit behind a computer by themselves and focus on a task, they will be very stressed. If you try to get a Compliant to go out to a business networking function and deal with people, they will be very stressed. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to give up.
So who do you put in charge of social networking?
You can find the rare person who can do both well. Since there are millions of companies and some are existing entirely of 1 person, there is a good chance you can’t find yourself an I-C combo who happens to be an expert in Internet marketing and your business.
You can team up an Influencer with a Compliant and teach them the value of the other persons strengths. Salespeople generally know that they hate details and paperwork, and would much rather have someone else do it, and IT people generally realize they are not good at dealing with people’s irrational behavior and that they dislike trying to build relationships or popular. So as long as you explain why they need to team up and help them build a strong working relationship even though they are different, you can get the best of both worlds without stretching either outside there comfort zone.
If it is only you or you are currently in charge of social media and you are not an I-C or either, then you are going to be stressed, but you are not out of options. You can always outsource the creative or production to someone that has what you are lacking, or you can just realize that this task is going to be uncomfortable but you have to do it. There is a funny thing about human beings that we hate to do things that are uncomfortable, but the more we do the less uncomfortable the become. If you are not good at computers but you force yourself to learn, eventually they become easier deal with and you gain an appreciation for what they bring to the table.
Conclusion
Social networking takes an interesting balance of skills. You need a minimum level of skill at relationship building and computers and social media. If you are lacking in one area or the other, it is probably because it goes against your behavior style. You can except this and sure up your weakness or you can pass it off to a team member that is naturally more gifted than you. I generally recommend the latter.
by MIMO Solutions | marketing, social media marketing, tips
Social networking is the #1 online activity, used by 1.2 billion people worldwide. Nearly one in 5 minutes online is spent on social networking websites, and 75% of that is on Facebook.
“Social media is like teenage sex – everyone wants to do it. When they do they’re a bit awkward and disappointed, but as they practice and it gets much better.”
– LinkedIn’s marketing director, Josh Graff.
Getting Started:
ð Sign up and complete your profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Google +, and Twitter.
ð Use the same picture on all four profiles, and same logo on company pages.
ð Make sure you include links to your company website and other profiles.
ð Follow the favorites, join popular groups, and connect with key influencers.
ð Send personalized invitations to connect to your network and suggested friends.
ð Request recommendations and favorites politely and return the favor.
Being Social:
ð Use the 80-20 rule – 80% content and 20% promotion.
ð Update your status at least 3 times per day – morning, lunch, and night.
ð Share and comment on other people’s posts at least once per day.
ð Send invitations to connect to new people at least one per day.
ð Comment or answer questions in groups 3 times per week.
ð Cross-promote your other profiles, email newsletter, and website or blog once per week.
ð Spy on your competition, research potential clients, and help referral partners.
ð Be consistent, dead profiles make people think you and your company are dead too.
Netiquette:
1. NEVER USE ALL CAPS!
2. Never us social media or email to cancel plans or send urgent messages.
3. Avoid shorthand, buzzwords, and other jargon that can confuse people.
4. Keep private stuff private and personal stuff with personal friends.
5. Respond to every message from a real person, even if it is just “Thanks.”
6. Respond on the social media site you were contact, unless asked to call or email.
7. Don’t send out or respond to invitations for games or other timewasters.
8. Be patient when waiting for a response. If someone doesn’t add you back, accept it gracefully.
9. You are judged by the company you keep, so be careful about who you add to your network.
10. The internet is forever. Make posts you can be proud of. Manage your reputation.
by MIMO Solutions | marketing, sales, social media, social media marketing, Social Networking, tips
Whether you’re an experienced social networker or just a newbie, here are 10 secrets to growing your target market network online:
1. Create an up-to-date profile and/or fan page
Before you begin a “friending” (i.e. request to become another’s friend), be sure that your profile is up-to-date with an accurate description of what you do, your interests, and your contact info. Make sure you include your website addresses. If you have multiple businesses invite people in your appropriate target market to become fans of your niche-specific fan page.
2. Follow the favorites
Follow leaders in your field/industry and “friend” them. This includes popular products, TV shows, or other specific interests of your target market. Anytime you make a friend request, include a personal note, as that will improve the likelihood that they will accept your request. Say something like, “I’m a big fan and I’d love to have you in my network on Facebook.” Once they have accepted your invitation, make comments about their status updates to help you get on the radar and in front of their thousands of friends.
3. Friends of friends
Take a look at the people in the network of your industry leaders, as they are probably part of your target market as well. Send friend requests to those of interest to you. When you friend someone that you only know by association, send a personal note as well, like “I discovered your profile in <name here>’s network and would like to get to know you better by adding you to my network.”
4. Use groups
Look for groups that may contain your target market. In your search for groups, use keywords that describe your niche, industry, geographic area, interests, or whatever other terms you might use to find members of your target market. Join and begin to participate in the group so that they begin to get to know you. Then pursue the member lists for good prospects, start with the members you’ve connected with or have commented on similar posts.
5. Invite your existing email lists and address books
You can use your existing email database to add people from your clients, prospects, and other current contacts if they fall within your target market definition. Add a note to the invitation and make sure you are clear and professional about your motivation.
6. Recommended friends
Most of the popular social networking sites will have a suggestion list for people you might know. These recommendations are pretty solid, because they are based on similar work history, mutual friends and interests. Take them up on their recommendation and add these to your network.
7. Add by interest or industry
Do a people search by job title, industry, geographic location, or interest. People with those terms in their profile will show up in your search, and you can request to add them based on common interests.
8. Build the relationship
Once you friend someone, you need to begin to get to know them and start building trust so that you become their top-of-mind expert in a particular area. Begin building the relationship by posting a quick “thank you” note on their wall, as well as a comment about something on their profile that interests you or in which you have in common. Watch for their status updates, as well, and comment on these when appropriate.
9. Create a group
Once you’ve got about 500 followers, create a group for your target market. Provide the group with useful content and ask questions to stimulate discussion and get the members to return to participate in the group. You can post articles, links to blog posts, or videos you have created. Invite group members to any free virtual or face-to-face events you’re hosting. This is where you really establish your expert status and credibility.
10. Integrate your marketing strategy
Once you have a good list of friends and credibility on the site, you can begin mixing in your marketing messages. Social networking sites are designed to be casual and personal, so don’t just copy an advertisement or sales messages. All you want to do is keep what you do and who you are on the top of your prospects minds. You can casually mention what you’re working on in your status, announce events, and make comments offering to help people with your product or service. Remember, people can remove or block you as easily as they added you in the first place.
No marketing strategy works unless you consistently implement it over time. As a newbie to Facebook, you might want to spend as much as 60 minutes per day researching friends and participating in groups. As your network grows, you may spend only 15 minutes 3 times per week on Facebook. The key to success is to put this strategy on your calendar and make it a routine part of your ongoing Internet marketing tasks.
Many of these social networking sites are strict and very particular about how its participants contact each other. Many sites limit the number of new invitations allowed in a given day or week. If you exceed this amount you can get penalized or removed for spamming. If you stick with about 50 per day, you should stay within most limits. If you ever receive a warning, you should stop immediately for that day and reduce your efforts moving forward.
While social networking is an inexpensive marketing tool, it can be effective in helping you grow your business. You should maintain your other marketing strategies, and simply add this strategy to your marketing mix. A well-rounded internet marketing plan includes social networking, and it could mean that your prospect well will never run dry.
by MIMO Solutions | communication skills, marketing, sales, social media, tips
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| Generate Social Media Engagement |
I just read an email tip about how to use social media for marketing your business and the gave 7 easy steps to follow. Sounds good doesn’t it?
Step number 4 caught my eye though… Generate engagement. Sounds even better on paper! I will just get thousands of follower and then I will get them engaged in a living discussion about my business and they will have to buy something… They won’t have a choice!
If you can’t tell, I am being sarcastic here. If it were as easy as crossing “generate engagement” of the checklist then everyone would be successful already, and we would all be on permanent vacation. This is why, I have started this blog, “Following The Like.” I have read dozens of books, articles and emails about how to attract followers, but very little about what happens after the “like.”
So you can communicate will thousands or millions of people with a simple status update…
- How does that make you money?
- What do you say?
- How exactly do you generate engagement following the like?
I have an answer for you, but you are not going to like it… You have to work hard and you have to be able to sell. These days, it seems like everyone wants to take the easy way out. They want the quick buck, the magic words, the social media bullet that destroys your old sales records and shoots you into early retirement. Unfortunately, it doesn’t exist.
Communication skills, sales skills, and the ability to engage a person in a meaningful discussion are learned and perfected over time. They don’t just happen, and they don’t happen quickly. Sure some people are born with the gift of gab, but that doesn’t mean anyone will buy from them, and more often than not they over-talk people and end up failing to listen. Great communicators and salespeople are trained craftsman. They study communications, psychology and motivation, and they practice and perfect their delivery.
Over time, on this blog, I will attempt to help you do the same. I will share thoughts, tips and stories to help you perfect the art of communication in order to motivate and mobilize your social media followers into fans and buyers.
Here is teaser of my step one:
Stop what you are doing and listen! Think about it for a second. We have a social media world larger than the population of the US online posting about themselves. People are starved for attention, and they are dying for a person who listens and who cares. People love great listeners, people love people they can relate to, people love to belong, and they love to be heard.
I will share more later, but for now just listen and be real. People are bombarded with thousands of sales messages a day; adding your two cents will most likely not be heard anyway. So many companies are out there pushing products, it is impossible to pay attention to them all. So what is a business to do? Listen. How many companies can you name that are listening and following your updates? How many are responding with thoughtful, emotionally real comments without a sales message? That crowd is a lot smaller.
