When nearly 80% of salespeople who use Social Media as a selling tool outperform those who don’t, you might see this as the right time to jump on the Social Media bandwagon. Many successful salespeople are finding that their leads just aren’t what they used to be and they’re taking matters into their own hands to generate warmer leads from their respective networks. It’s awesome to see these numbers for Social selling but the fact is they don’t tell the whole story.
Using Social Media to sell and succeeding at it are two very different affairs. Creating a Facebook page is easy (and free) but filling up the real estate, building a trusted network and generating referrals from it are quite difficult. Social is a medium (just like the phone or email). Social networking is the act of successfully engaging individuals as customers or referral partners via your personal brand. It takes time, hard work, and seasoned networking ability – just like in real life.
How adept are you at reminding your friends and family that you’d love to be referred whenever they or someone in their network is looking for what you sell? There’s a secret to Social selling success and it doesn’t revolve around how many Facebook likes or Twitter followers you have. It’s something much deeper that takes an honest commitment.
Show Up to Give.
Simon Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people. He’s best known for discovering the Golden Circle and popularizing the concept of Why – the purpose, cause or belief that drives every one of us in our career, business or personal life. “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” Simon’s TED talk is the second most popular talk ever, clocking in at nearly 14 million views as of this writing.
Simon was recently interviewed by my friend Srivinas Rao for BlogcastFM. Simon shares his own story and this secret he uncovered on how to succeed at Social selling (or any selling for that matter):
Show up to Give.
It’s a radical shift in thinking and behaving. As humans, it’s our nature is to show up and take. Showing up to give takes hard work because you must focus on and channel your energy towards others. Think about it – isn’t that the only true way you’ll have lasting sales relationships with your customers and continue to build new ones?
People want to be comfortable when they make buying decisions. When you show up to take, people feel pressured and they don’t feel safe.
Your selfless approach allows people to accept the idea rather than reject the person.
I’m a Show Up to Give kinda gal. I created Kruse Control out of a mere thought and here I am 5 years later with that thought turning into a growing business. From the start I decided that I wanted to serve others. I got to test this out a few years ago when I was invited to attend a large meeting up in Sacramento CA of the state’s most influential car dealers and CA legislators. Due to a mix up in communication, when I arrived at the meeting I was turned away.
I first tried to solve the issue but it soon became apparent that this just wasn’t where I was meant to be. I could’ve fought and/or got upset but instead I called someone who worked in the area who’d been wanting to meet with me for along time. This someone needed my help with something and had said many times, “If you’re ever in the area…”
Well, I was now in the area so I called him. I ended up renting a car and driving to their offices. I met with this contact and we developed a great referral relationship between us. Had they allowed me into the meeting in Sacramento, I probably would’ve never had the opportunity to build such a great connection. That company is now the premier luxury electric vehicle manufacturer in the world and my friend (yes, he’s a friend now) has secured himself a wonderful place in their success.
Show Up to Give is a not only a radical mindset shift, it’s a scary proposition…and that’s why so many choose to go run the other way.
Staying stuck or holding onto the old ways may not seem like “taking” but it is. You’re not serving yourself. “Me? What do I have to give?” might sound like a familiar excuse – especially when you’re new to sales. It can feel like you have nothing to give. ALL of us have something to give and there’s no time to waste pondering your excuses. In fact, while you’re figuring out what you can give, take the stance to be radically useful. Soon your expertise will shine, giving will come naturally and you’ll be mastering the art of Social selling.
- The Ultimate Secret to Success in Social Selling - November 26, 2013
- How to Capture the Power of Facebook Ads and Why You Need It Now! - July 25, 2013
- The Best Social Media Strategy: Have You Got What It Takes? - July 8, 2013
