It should always be remembered that a relationship is more valuable than a sale. Being cognizant of this when using social media to support the sales process can make the difference between success and failure. The emphasis in social selling should always focus on social interaction and relationship building. Due to the personal nature of social media interactions with a sales focus will most likely be self-defeating. Social media venues like LinkedIn and Facebook have advertising options that can be utilized for outbound marketing. But to be successful – social selling should be kept social.
- Be Open and Accessible – The very premise of social media is openness. People open up and share more about themselves via social media than in any other way. In the art of Social Selling the key is to be open and social. Invite interaction from others.
- Share Your Expertise – An easy way to build relationships is to help others. Through social media an automotive expert can share knowledge on vehicle ownership that people will find very valuable. In social marketing this can be done through content posting. In social selling expertise can be shared on a more personal level thus fostering one to one relationships.
- Know when to be Personal – In social selling it’s easy to cross over the line and become too personal. In fact experts say that Facebook is the easiest social media venue to accidentally appear creepy. So it’s important to keep the emphasis on social but without becoming to personal.
