I am trying to get more into social selling but I’m not sure where to start or how to fit it into my busy schedule. Any tips?
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The best way to start is just to update your profile. Having a LinkedIn account with a current experience section, summary, and picture can go a long way. When prospects look up your profile before a meeting, they need to get a good glimpse on who you are and what kind of salesperson you will be.
This thread has some stuff on how you can use LinkedIn. (LinkedIn for Sales)
If you have any, you can include product videos or presentations on to your profile so a prospect can easily look at your product and what you will probably offer them when you meet them.
Make sure to be active on your profile! You can either share some of your company’s content (like blog posts, videos, or articles) or post something that you find interesting about your industry. It is also helpful to stay informed on your connections. You can like or comment on things that appear on your feed and make even more connections that way.
Join some LinkedIn groups and get involved. You can ask questions or answer whatever you can.
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@graysonf Is your employer okay with you spending part of your work day on social media?
@sherri87 Well, that depends. Ideally, everyone on your sales team is working to keep their profiles active.
Don’t be on LinkedIn all the time but if management is on board for social selling, they should be okay with seeing you on the site for a little bit.
The main part of social selling is to create your own brand, and by doing so you can build better relationships with potential clients wherever they hang out on the web, for example, Linkedin or Twitter. But to be honest being active on social media doesn’t mean you have to spend half of your time there. I spend maybe an hour or two each day on LinkedIn just liking posts and tagging people who I think would like the posts and commenting on them. It doesn’t take much time but it does make an impact and lets them know you’re thinking of them.
You can easily get into social selling. I agree with @suzym, one hour a day should be enough.
When it comes to social selling, one thing is really important: You are there to help, not to sell!
You want to build relationships by helping people with your expertise. Post and share content that is valuable to your network. Learn what matters to them. Make people like and trust you. That’s it. Do not DM people and try to close sales right away.
Generally, you should view Social Media as a great tool to make an introduction. It will prepare you for the moment when your client is ready to buy.
It’s important to remember that social selling isn’t only directed towards prospects. It’s a good habit to actively interact with current customers on social media, as well. You can send them articles, videos, or other resources that you think may be of use to them. On top of that, don’t be afraid to like and comment on their posts (in moderation, of course). Both will help you stay on top of mind and build rapport. Check out this article for more info on how to practice social selling. Good luck!