| Sales representatives and business owners know | | | | without the actual sales conversation - and you still |
| what it's like to go to networking meetings, make cold | | | | have to earn this. But when you use social networking |
| calls, and knock on doors to find new business leads. | | | | the right way, it's easier to earn the right for a sales |
| While these traditional methods can produce results, | | | | conversation because you can leverage your existing |
| online social networking offers an additional strategy | | | | contacts. Ask first-level connections to make |
| for nurturing sales and growing your business. In fact, | | | | introductions with prospects and to provide you with |
| these days, if you're not using social networking tools, | | | | information about them. Then use this advantage as |
| you're missing out on a wealth of untapped | | | | well as information from the prospect's profile to start |
| opportunities that your competitors are taking | | | | building a relationship. You'll end up having warmer, |
| advantage of. But you won't get much out of social | | | | friendlier calls, which will condense your sales cycle. |
| networking if you're not using it strategically and | | | | This saves you time and increases your chances of |
| integrating these tools into your day-to-day selling | | | | success because you're not starting at ground zero. |
| efforts. This paper offers some crucial advice about | | | | Keep in mind that your conversations will be much |
| rethinking social networking and outlines four key steps | | | | more productive if you've seen each others profiles |
| for using it to cultivate sales: being willing to try | | | | first. Make sure your profile is complete and that your |
| something new, digitizing your contacts, earning | | | | website links work - people are much more reluctant |
| conversations, and maximizing your time spent on | | | | today to talk on the phone with you if your credibility |
| social networking. | | | | doesn't check out online. |
| 1 - Try Something New | | | | 4 - Maximize Your Time |
| The first step is to change your thinking and your | | | | The time you spend on social networking for business |
| behavior. This means being willing and fully committed | | | | development will vary depending on your role and |
| to trying new techniques that you likely haven't used | | | | responsibilities. Sales representatives, marketing |
| before. You'll get the best results if you completely | | | | professionals, recruiters, and business owners will likely |
| integrate your new social networking habits into your | | | | spend more time prospecting, sharing and gathering |
| day-to-day business - it won't do much good if you | | | | information, monitoring their brand, and marketing their |
| use it only once to fill out your profile. Invest at least | | | | products and services online than other professionals. |
| one hour a week in finding new ways to meet and | | | | But no matter your role, devote time to social |
| engage with people on a social networking site such | | | | networking on a regular basis and make it a focused |
| as LinkedIn. These days, if you're not using online social | | | | effort. |
| networking to nurture sales, you're missing out on a | | | | A good strategy is to set specific goals or outcomes |
| wealth of untapped opportunities that your competitors | | | | to keep yourself focused. Make a decision to spend a |
| are taking advantage of. | | | | minimum of 30 minutes to an hour every day or every |
| 2 - Digitize Your Contacts | | | | week on online social networking activities. During this |
| A lot of people have a substantial collection of | | | | regularly scheduled time, concentrate on updating your |
| business cards and only work from that Rolodex to | | | | profile(s), looking through the Companies tab in LinkedIn, |
| nurture sales. But utilizing only these first-level | | | | finding connections to leverage, browsing group |
| connections limits you to a one-dimensional pool of | | | | discussions for potential leads or to start a discussion, |
| contacts. Now is the time to connect your rolodex to | | | | and exploring the Answers tab in LinkedIn to answer |
| your computer and digitize those contacts! Take | | | | or ask appropriate questions in your field or target |
| advantage of the power of social networking by | | | | area. Whatever you do, make a committed, consistent |
| building a community online. Search for people you | | | | effort to use this time productively. You'll get as much |
| know in LinkedIn and/or Twitter, then request to | | | | out of it as you put in. |
| connect to them. Once you've connected to all the | | | | Conclusion |
| people you know, leverage those first-level | | | | Selling isn't easy, especially in a challenging economy. |
| connections and let them work for you - see who | | | | To be successful, sales professionals and business |
| they're connected to and use those connections to get | | | | owners need to be able to use social networking tools |
| into an account and build relationships. | | | | effectively. Decide today to make a commitment to |
| When finding others to connect to, try to balance | | | | nurture this opportunity - just as you would with |
| quality and quantity - you can't (and shouldn't) connect | | | | face-to-face and traditional prospecting methods. |
| to everyone in the world. To be successful, you need | | | | Cultivate the process through digital efforts by keeping |
| to feel comfortable communicating with second and | | | | your profile updated, using the search functions |
| third-level connections. If your first-level connections | | | | available to you, and monitoring and participating in |
| aren't solid, your second and third-level contacts won't | | | | groups. If you devote yourself to social networking |
| be as powerful or prosperous. | | | | wholeheartedly, you'll quickly begin to see positive |
| 3 - Earn Conversations | | | | outcomes and increased results. |
| Connecting to others online doesn't mean much | | | | |