“social selling is lead generation rooted in social media.”
by jody padar
from success to significance: the radical cpa guide
social media is the underdog of business development. although i build relationships in both an offline and the online world, most my firm’s business comes directly from having both an online and an offline connection. i have multiple clients now whom i have never met irl (in real life).
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it’s all about relationships; it always has been.
customer service has always been about relationships – whether responding to an email, returning a phone call or meeting the customer for lunch. however, in today’s online world, one must include social media as an everyday conversation tool. this tool also needs to be part of our productized services and what we are selling. if it is not, we are losing an opportunity to connect with the next-generation business owner.
social business takes many forms. it could be content-driven, like a podcast, or it could be a relationship connection on facebook or linkedin.
most of you already know this by now, but in the new world of social selling, the more a potential customer gets to know you via blogs or podcasts, the more likely they are going to do business with you. they understand you and who you are. they feel like they know you, and that’s why it’s easier for them to decide to work with you.
social selling is lead generation rooted in social media.
right now, there are buyers all over the world who want to buy your solutions. they have a need, they have a timeframe for purchase, they even have budget. if only you could get in front of them, they’d buy from you right now.
at new vision, and at other radical firms across the united states, we are in front of them because we live and breathe in places on the internet where they frequent. and we’ve proven to them that we have the expertise to solve their problems.
the radical way to finding out more about your customer
it can be overwhelming when you think about all the ways to connect via social media. instagram. snapchat. periscope. facebook. linkedin. twitter. and that’s only a handful of mediums. while it can be overwhelming, it’s also a vast opportunity to gather information on the people you work with and the people you want to work with. it’s in this opportunity that you can offer additional value to your customers.
now, i know you can’t be everywhere all the time.
however, if just 10 percent of the time you can catch something new and special from one of your relationships online, your relationships will automatically get stronger. the opportunity to build stronger relationships via online is easier than meeting someone for coffee or lunch.
we know that personas are important from a marketing and business development perspective. but how do you find out more about your customers? find them online! find out their likes and dislikes, who they follow, and the connections you share. discover what their style is like and who they admire. you can get a lot of information about people online.
who are your facebook friends?
are you friends with your customers and vendors on facebook? i am. i believe that facebook is one is the easiest platforms on which to maintain relationships. it is through pictures of what they eat and their kids, and through the silly things they post that you can get to know your customers better.
for example, one of our largest customers is my friend on facebook. i saw that he had the opportunity to go golfing with arnold palmer. the next time i saw him i asked him how that came to be. we could connect on a deeper level. i didn’t even have to go golfing.
you can’t just lurk on facebook. if you’re going to use facebook as a relationship-building tool, you’ll need to share information about yourself and you’ll need to respond to your customers’ posts.
how to negotiate boundaries in a social, mobile world
the concept of working and being available all the time is exhausting, and just not possible. but the expectation is there. the problem with social business is not the “how to use” piece, but in having to negotiate boundaries with people who want your attention all the time!
the bottom line is: it’s a personal, somewhat generational, choice. you get to decide how accessible you want to be, how available you can be and how you ultimately want to communicate.
however, i strongly recommend you think about this carefully and figure out how to meet your customers and vendors where they are without sacrificing your sustainability or sanity. it’s one of the hardest things you’ll have to manage about being social.