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Social Selling Do's and Don'ts for Small - Or Any Sized -Businesses
Social Selling absolutely is not sales pitches on social media. Instead, social selling is all about building trust and relationships that lead to a purchase. Here’s what to do – and not do – for success:
Do have a plan.
Just as you wouldn’t open a brick-and-mortar business without a plan in place, don’t jump into social selling without one. Do the research to learn who your potential clients are and what they respond to instead of throwing your brand around with no plan for what you hope to achieve.
Do choose the right social platform.
Once you know who you are trying to reach, you’ll know the best way to reach them. Be sure your chosen social platform is where your prospective customer is hanging out. All the work in the world will fall flat if you’re talking to the wrong people.
Don’t stop halfway.
Study the best practices for your chosen platform. Fill out all the information completely and with SEO in mind. Take advantage of every option the platform offers. Use professional-looking photos and images. Put your very best foot forward!
Don’t be self-centered.
I see a lot of me, me, and me from businesses on social media. Things like “why we’re the best” and “we beat the competition.” Social selling isn’t about you. It’s about your readers, their problems, and their search for solutions. Don’t make your brand that guy at the dinner party who can’t stop talking about himself. Instead, find out what your customers are thinking and how you can engage with them about that.
Do be social.
No social media platform is set-it-and-forget-it. You have to socialize there! Answer questions, respond to comments, address critiques, and start conversations of your own. It’s all about relationship building.
Do provide both fun and useful information.
If your audience likes funny photos on Fridays or contests once a month or a giveaway every so often, appease them! If they are looking for recipes or photography tips or vacation suggestions, and it’s something that makes sense for your business, give them that value-added info to underscore your brand and build trust.
Don’t give up too soon.
Since social selling is not the same as running sales ads, your efforts will be measured with a long-range goal. The people you reach are just getting to know and trust you. They may not be ready to buy what you’re offering today. But if you continue to prove yourself as an expert in your field who cares about their customers and shares interesting content on social media, you will build a nice network of prospective customers.
The Sprocket team likes to work hand-in-hand with clients on social selling campaigns. We know all the top strategies for setting up an effective social media platform and the best practices for posting. You know everything about your business and your industry. Together, we can create a plan, craft engaging content, and start laying that strong network foundation. Call today to talk over how we can be partners in your success!
Photo by RDNE Stock project
This article is an update to “Top Mistakes of People Who Have Just Started Social Selling.” dated 10/9/2015.
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Breanne Bannon
Breanne is a Content Writer, Social Media Marketeer, and Sales Associate for Sprocket Websites.
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