How to make sales calls on social media. Kind of.

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Letter from a fan:

Hello Mr. Gitomer, I read your article on LinkedIn in the Daily Herald Business Ledger here in the Chicago Suburbs. I am a fan. You make great points and observations that many people miss. I’m in the process of retooling my profile. I can’t help but to ask if you have ever made a sale through LinkedIn? Thanks, Kyle

The simple answer is YES. But it ain’t that simple.

I have a business brand, a personal brand, and a social brand. All of which are interconnected. All of which are mature. All of which provide value messages. All of which create attraction. All of which generate leads. All of which make sales.

MY MARKETING MANTRA IS THE CORE OF MY SOCIAL EFFORT: I put myself in front of people that can say ‘yes’ to me and I deliver value first.

Long before social media, or as I prefer to refer to it business social media, my marketing mantra was the hallmark of my sales success. As a writer and speaker in the early ’90s, I built my brand in print media and created attraction through value messaging. Still do.

It was hard to create attraction (leads and sales) if you weren’t in print.

The HUGE difference (and your advantage) is that now there are a variety of additional media and social media outlets available. Most of them are free. And you can become attractive on all of them, if you choose the right path.

The value messaging path.
The path that will attract the all-important CLICK.
CLICK means someone wants to see more.
Especially if they’re looking to buy or connect.

CLICK AROUND: There are very few ‘one source’ sales anymore. Too many options available. People, you included, click around before they connect, interact, and especially buy.

The omnipresence of mother Google, combined with the advent of business social media, has created new and better ways to search, find, connect, attract, and interact. And one social media outlet proves, promotes, and reinforces the other to someone that clicks around.

Everyone clicks around.

People searching do not just search one source. They keep searching until they find comfort enough to click, and click again in the same spot. And my value messages promote multiple clicks.

ONE CLICK MEANS NOTHING. One click means you get a ‘look.’ Two or more clicks on the same page or site gets a deeper look and maybe a connection. Especially in social media.

If I’m looking for someone or something, I click ALL their social media. Don’t you?

NOTE: Your customers, your prospects, and your potential connections are clicking you. And you can’t stop them.

NUMBERS MATTER: The number of followers and connections you have can be the difference between click and no click. Your prospect is seeking some comfort and assurance that you are safe to connect with or do business with.

COMMENTS, RATINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND ENDORSEMENTS MATTER MORE THAN NUMBERS: Especially in the business world. If you have 500 business connections on LinkedIn, it pales in comparison to who has recommended and endorsed you. Recommendations and endorsements are proof. So are positive ratings and comments. And many businesses live and die by them.

RULE OF THE MORE THE MORE: The more a prospective customer clicks on you and your stuff, the easier it is for them to make a buying decision in your favor. They are more likely to click if your site is easy to navigate, your information is easy to understand, there is clear value to the possible purchaser, and you offer social and video proof that others have purchased from you and love it.

FINAL POINT OF UNDERSTANDING: Building and growing your ‘attraction platform’ is not just about what you say, post, or do; it’s all about what OTHERS think of what you say, post, and do combined with what actions THEY take as a result of it.

Do they post a favorable a comment? Do they re-tweet to their followers? Do they share with their connections? Do they ‘like’ you or what you do? Will they subscribe? And (of course) will they buy?

Those are the actions I seek to achieve in those who click on me.

Am I perfect at it? Heck no.
Do I work on making it better every day? Heck yes!

“OK, SO DID YOU MAKE A LINKEDIN SALE?” No, I made hundreds of them. I have more than 15,000 connections on LinkedIn, and EVERY DAY I post a value message.

Here’s what happens: People comment, people share the post with THEIR connections, people email me, and people call our office. EVERY DAY. And whether they want a twenty-dollar book or a fifty-thousand-dollar training program, the cost of that lead (and that sale) was ZERO.

Understand it was a value message that created the attraction and the sale(s), not an ad or a self-promoting message. Yes, I send out an occasional sales offer, but it’s less that 10% of the time. No one is gonna re-post an ad.

Next week you’ll see the detail of what my social game plan is, how one element ties into and supports the other, and how that creates attraction that leads to sales.

Stay tuned…

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].

Twitter thoughts and Twitter thinking. Tweet and Re-Tweet.

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Most people reading this have never tweeted. (You included?) On the off chance that you have tweeted, my guess is you have less than 5,000 Twitter followers – maybe less than 500.

Whatever your situation is there’s no denying that Twitter is a major force in business social media. The next few paragraphs will challenge your thinking in regards to participation, specifically why you need to begin to take advantage of it today.

This is not simply a lesson. It’s also a perspective and a business building challenge. Or to put it into your language more sales NOW!

I began tweeting several years ago, but I didn’t really understand the impact it could make or the opportunity it presented. I just took quotes from my books and began to post them.

What happened was very surprising to me. Not only did I gain more followers, but people also began to retweet my tweets to their followers. Cool.

That put my message in front of the followers of my followers. For free. Many of their followers then became my followers. For free. Is that cool, or what?

That was 50,000 followers ago. I now have a much more sophisticated strategy to distribute my message, to add to my followers, and to gain new customers. For free.

Here are my Twitter actions and the thoughts behind them:

  • I tweet several times a day. I’m consistent. Never miss.
  • I include links to my videos or promotions on less than 30% of my tweets. Some days none.
  • I tweet my own thoughts 95% of the time. The other tweets are profound quotes of others, or people I believe are worth following.
  • I only tweet what I believe my followers will benefit from.
  • I tweet what I believe is valuable enough to pass along.

Here are several actual examples of my tweets:

  • Fear of being wrong is more powerful than risk of being right. Leaders emerge as they become fearless. #gitomer #fear #power
  • Social media is everywhere, you may not like it, but you can’t ignore it. #gitomer
  • In a nuts and bolts world, there are far too many nuts, and an extreme shortage of bolts. #gitomer #greatquote
  • Are you a thinker beyond your business? If not you’ll wallow in mediocrity. #gitomer #think

Two hours ago I tweeted: It’s no sin not to tweet or use Twitter, it’s just a tremendous lost opportunity to sell and become known. #gitomer #twitter #opportunity. So far this tweet has been retweeted fifteen times and seven people favored it. It has already reached more than 20,000 followers of other people. With my name on it. For free!

Two days ago, this tweet: The key to selling is to ask for the sale in a sincere, friendly manner. Don’t push or use high pressure. #sales #gitomer had twenty-four retweets and thirteen ‘favorites’ within twenty-four hours (on a SUNDAY). This tweet reached another 20,000 people. With my name on it. For free!

Three days ago, this tweet: If you lose, ask yourself this all powerful question. Did I do my BEST? If you didn’t, you’ll blame the world for your own lack of effort got fifty-six retweets and twenty-four favorites. ON A HOLIDAY. This tweet reached another 50,000 people. With my name on it. For free.

DESIRED OUTCOME: My Twitter goals are to be re-tweeted 100 times a day, be “favored” fifty times a day, and pick up 250 new followers a week. I usually tweet three or four times a day.

CAUTION: I have been tweeting for four years. In that time I have learned what to do and what not to do. I am far from an expert, but I have more followers than most people who claim they are.

The advice I’m offering is based on my own experience and my own strategy. The best advice that I can give you is to create your own strategy focused around what you believe will help your customers the most. Then follow that strategy consistently. Daily.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].

The world is going mobile. Are you moving or standing?

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When The Who recorded the song Going Mobile in 1971, they had no idea what the future held, nor that they were the predictors of it.

They thought going mobile was all about being on the road, and maybe flying on an airplane. But today, going mobile means a whole lot more.

Any business today that isn’t going mobile is going backwards.
Any business today that isn’t going mobile is losing to a competitor that is.
Any business today that isn’t going mobile is admitting their failure to see the PRESENT.

  • How good is your mobile app? Does it serve the customer, or just you? Where’s the value? Can I easily get what I want? Can I pay easily? Can I schedule a service appointment? Make a comment? Can I also call you and get right to a human?
  • Is all of your training and product instruction/information downloadable? Your manuals?
  • How easy is it for people to read your message? What’s the format? Is it made-for-mobile, or just a poor adaptation of your blog or website?
  • Size matters. (The size of type, that is.) Why not subscribe to your own posts and see. If I need to adjust the size, tell me how to view it in mobile format.
  • Is everything you sell downloadable? Can I click, buy, download, and listen or watch in a minute or two? (Like iTunes or Kindle.) Think about it – more than 100 billion downloads can’t be wrong.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Instagram completely ignored the computer in favor of smartphones and tablets. How are they doing? HINT: Facebook didn’t buy Instagram as an investment – they bought out of fear.

NOTE WELL: Every major company has a mobile app so you can easily access their stuff. Every social media channel has a mobile app reliant on smartphone and tablet use for as much as 50% of their traffic.

Social media is there at the forefront of mobile app development – whether you’re there or not. Social media is the PERFECT place for your customers to share their message and their praise, and voice their concerns.

Going mobile is not an option.

REALITY: Mobile apps are now accessed more than the Internet. Mobile apps are an imperative, not an option, or an added service. They are the future. Your future. If you don’t have one, you are a jackapp.
BIGGER REALITY: The iPad is the new laptop. The smartphone is the NOW communication device, growing by millions weekly.
BIGGEST REALITY: The easier it is for people to access what you have, the more they will buy from you.

CONFESSION: WE ARE IN THE SAME PREDICAMENT. That’s why I’m writing this. To put myself on notice that my own offerings need to be ahead of the market and ahead of my competition.

Here’s my present situation and what I’m going to be doing to ensure my leadership position for the next decade:

  • I have an app. Unfortunately it’s only available for the iPhone. BUT, we’re adding an additional cross-platform mobile application that will allow easier access to my website and all of my existing books and CDs. This app will be easier to use, easier to navigate, and easier for customers to purchase and pay.
  • All of my products will be available as downloads.
  • We will be providing an on-demand subscription service to all of my training offerings and all of my books on laptop, tablet, and smartphone – oh yes, even for desktop.

CAUTION: Don’t just think about how business is being done today. Think of how ‘mobile’ has progressed it, making it faster and easier to conduct and how online, tablet, and smartphones have transformed the e-commerce economy to the mobile economy. It’s here, and it’s not going away.

Look around and take notice of the non-traditional changes taking place:

  • Coffee shop offices. Any Starbucks will reveal people running their business from their iPad and their app.
  • Mobile accessibility both for the purpose to connect and to purchase is becoming dominant among retailers.
  • In sales calls and presentations, iPad (tablet) mobile brochures are replacing print, and iPad (tablet) presentations, and GoToMeeting appointments are replacing traditional sales presentations.

TODAY’S CUSTOMER: Be where they are, when they are – on demand. It’s not just smart business – it’s smartphone business.
TOMORROW’S CUSTOMER: When our four-year-old daughter hands me my iPad and says, “Papa, download this,” you know what the next generation will be doing and buying (sooner than you think).

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].

Recommended Resources – Little Red Book of Sales Answers

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StrategyDriven Recommended ResourcesLittle Red Book of Sales Answers: 99.5 Real World Answers That Make Sense, Make Sales, and Make Money
by Jeffrey Gitomer

About the Book

Little Red Book of Sales Answers by Jeffrey Gitomer addresses the questions all sales people ask, particularly those questions holding them back from making the sales and the money they should. Jeffrey’s 99.5 answers address:

  • Personal Improvement that Leads to Personal Growth
  • Prospecting for Golden Leads and Making Solid Appointments
  • How to Win the Sales Battle AND the Sales War
  • Sales Skill Building… One Brick at a Time
  • Building the Friendship. Building the Relationship. Earning the Referral. Earning the Testimonial. Earning the Reorder.
  • Building Your Personal Brand
  • The Final AHA!

Why You Should Read This Book

StrategyDriven Contributors like Little Red Book of Sales Answers for its practical, easy-to-implement actions that help expand one’s relationships and earn more sales. Jeffrey goes directly to the core of doubt many sales people harbor and provides them with the tools needed to create confidence and immediately improve sales performance.

Each of Jeffrey’s answers provides a step-by-step common sense approach to selling that anyone can implement. Truth be told, we at StrategyDriven have successfully implemented many of Jeffrey’s recommendations.

Little Red Book of Sales Answers actionably addresses sales persons’ questions and doubts; enabling them to achieve more for their clients, their organizations, and themselves. For its immediately actionable sales methods, Little Red Book of Sales Answers is a StrategyDriven recommended read.

When you walk in empty headed, you walk out empty handed.

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How much of your presentation is ‘standard?’

Whether you sell a product or service, whether it’s simple or sophisticated, how much (what percentage) of your presentation is the way you usually present it? Void of personalization? Void of customization? Void of interaction? And all about you.

What kind of presentation do you think your prospect wants?

  • They want to know what the value is to THEM.
  • They want to know how this fits into THEIR business or life.
  • They want to know how THEY benefit.
  • They want to know how THEY win.
  • They want to know how THEY produce.
  • They want to know how it affects THEM.
  • They want to know how THEY profit.
  • They want to know how easy it will be put to use in THEIR environment.

And NONE of those elements exist in your standard (canned) presentation. Rats.

Why are you giving a ‘we-we’ presentation (all about you and how great you are), when the customer only wants a presentation in terms of them?

HERE’S THE REALTY: When you walk in empty headed, you walk out empty handed.

IDEA: Take all the boring crap you were going to say to the customer, and send it to them in an email saying, “Here’s my presentation for the part you could find on Google or on our website, so that when we’re together I don’t bore you. Rather, I’ll be prepared to give you ideas that lead to (state how they win). Fair enough?”

Now you’re a real salesperson. Now you’re forced to go in with ideas and information about THEM that they can use for their own productivity, enjoyment, use, and profit.

And you now have a better than 50% chance of making the sale.

CAUTION: Unless your presentation is customized and personalized for the customer AND in favor of the customer, there will be a disconnect. Their dominant thought will be, “this guy doesn’t understand me and/or my business.”

Here are some keys to understanding whose favor your presentation is geared toward:
WE-WE – Statements about you that boast rather than prove.
WE-WE – Unfavorable statements about the competition.
WE-WE – Comparing yourself to the competition.
WE-WE – Self serving questions. “What do you know about us?”
WE-WE – Qualifying questions about who decides, budget, or payment.
WE-WE – Non-specific testimonials that praise you, but give no reason why.
WE-WE – Excuses about why you don’t have Twitter activity or a YouTube channel (they searched for it before you arrived).
WE-WE – No social media recommendations from customers.

THEM – Questions about THEM that reveal their history, their situation, and their motives – their past experience, their wisdom, their opinion. True engagement.
THEM – Testimonials that overcome specific objections – price and quality.
THEM – Any third party media that supports you or your product – articles or interviews.
THEM – Great (current) social media presence (your reputation that helps put the buyer at ease rather than on guard), including direct interaction with customers.
THEM – Ideas you created that they can use. Proof you did your ‘homework.’

KEY POINT OF UNDERSTANDING: Features are about you and benefits are in the middle. They can be stated either way. But value is about them. And value, customer perceived value, needs to be the focus of a ‘them-based’ presentation.

WARNING: Don’t be defensive. I can hear you telling me that you give a customized presentation. I can hear you telling me that you’re different than all the other people on the planet. And I can hear you telling me that customers love your presentation, and all about the fact you can close three out of four people once you get in front of them.

I hope you can hear me say, “That’s a bunch of crap!”

Here’s how to measure your customization reality:
1. Amount of time spent on pre-call research. How well do you know the person and the company you are visiting?
2. The two great ideas you are walking in the door with will benefit them whether they buy or not.
3. The variations that you made in your presentation that adapt to their company, their present situation, their needs, their productivity, and their success.
3.5 Your knowledge of the customer’s buying motives are as good or greater than your selling skills.

Them-based are the most difficult sales presentations of all. Marketing departments have no concept of them, and most salespeople aren’t willing to do the work to prepare them.

That’s great news for the 5% of salespeople who are willing. They’re easy to identify. They’re always the highest performers and the highest earners.

Reprinted with permission from Jeffrey H. Gitomer and Buy Gitomer.

About the Author

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Satisfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The Little Black Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude, The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little Platinum Book of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Book of Leadership, and Social BOOM! His website, www.gitomer.com, will lead you to more information about training and seminars, or email him personally at [email protected].