Driving to Sales

September 15, 2009 · Comments

chili stand I met with some really clever new friends yesterday for a business meeting, and in so doing, we talked about the impact of social media tools in the sales cycle. The conversation was just as exhilarating as if I’d just discovered this all for myself at the same time, because we both could see the potential in what we were talking about. We were discussing how social media tools can improve the sales cycle.

In one example, we created pathways for end consumers to take on some of the in-store process via online tools, because part of the process involved walking into a brick and mortar store, flipping through catalogs, talking with designers, and laying out potential solutions before they even had a sense of the price. We talked about how YouTube would impact this by showing some serving suggestions, and how we could create a lot of blog and/or Facebook content to walk someone through the process so that they saved time before entering the store.

In another example, we talked about how mobile isn’t used enough in social media, and how several of the company’s target audience are very heavy mobile users, but aren’t really desktop/laptop users (in like a 90/10 time ratio of which they prefer using in a given day). To that end, we talked about snackable content and the mobile web and how SMS-enabled technologies would be the right way to drive information exchange.

We talked about putting some faces to the brand, so that people were doing business with Maria and not just “bigcompany.”

None of this conversation was about “you’ve got to get on Twitter,” or “Facebook groups are dead, but fan pages rock.” We talked instead about how people bought from the company, and which tools in my experience would help.

I’m telling you all this so that you can consider how you’re looking at the tools. I look at the tools as a way to build influence, improve reputation, and earn trust. We understand the other ways that the revolution will be blogged/podcasted/videoblogged/tweeted, but the way I earn my living is by showing companies how to be human at a distance, and how they can improve their business objectives.

Driving to sales is definitely one way, and with that comes a whole different way to consider how you’re using the tools.

What’s your take? How are you using the tools to drive sales? What matters most to you with regards to social software?

Photo credit dbking

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  • Hi there, thanks for this, I bookmarked this post last month and had been meaning to write a post about it myself. It's live now and I just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration!
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  • socialsoftware123
    social bookmarking sites really are seen as a community, a place where users can get together to discuss the things that they do and don’t like on the web.
  • korenmotekaitis
    Chris, I so often feel "sold to" online and I RUN away from the computer FAST. I have a high amount of perceptual blindness to being sold to online or other advertising. But what I do enjoy and what draws me in as a customer is when the relationship occurs. What you do for companies is of huge value "I earn my living is by showing companies how to be human at a distance, and how they can improve their business objectives."

    I am new to social media and that is what I am trying to do. Be human and build trust. Thanks for helping me synthesize my goals.
  • What a valuable conversation! This has been "the next step" initiative I've been pondering for a while now.

    Although the introduction of social media has just recently garnered its own section in book stores, those of us who have been here for a while are comfortable and now asking "So What"?

    We've trained the brands, helped them build the fastest race car, recruited expert drivers, hired fast and dedicated pit crews and are finally headed for the checkered flag. How do we ensure that we turn that final corner smoothly and win the $$ sales conversion trophy?
  • I like to research a company, it's competition, and it's brand message before creating any Social Media sites. Sales, although the obvious end goal, shouldn't be the creative focus. What should be? The brand message and faithful target audience. When done properly, the sales will follow. We all know that everyone is trying to sell us everything all the time. My advice? Don't insult your audience's intelligence by making desparate sales pitches via social media sites. Instead, make a good impression by being a part of the community instead of just pitching to it.
  • Chris, In my industry, business software, I recommend that sales people get involved with the blogging and write quick posts that address some of the educational-type questions they frequently answer on sales calls. Just a few of the benefits - It positions them as an expert. It's an easy post to write. It's valuable to the customer. It helps the sales person really think through how to best respond. They can save time in the sales process by linking to these posts when they get the questions on email. ... Melissa
  • I like how you specifically use the word tools... everyone needs to know that social media is not a means to an end its just another avenue to help grow your business and connect to your current and potential customers.

    Thanks for keeping it real! It was great having you on the radio show :) www.blogtalkradio.com/say-it-social

    All the best,

    Lori Lorusso
    @LoriLorusso
  • creatorbase
    Chris,

    This is a good discussion to have and this topic has been coming up more frequently. I'd say it's OK to view social media as a way to serve people [sell]. That said, taking a user experience or user-centered design approach is always a good practice.
  • carolyntaylor
    Hi. The clients for my advisory business on corporate culture, Walking the Talk, are mostly senior executives of large, traditional organizations. I am surprised by how many of them are not regular internet users, let along social media. The HR people much more so, and they are contributors to my sales process, but often not to ultimate buyer. I have been able to build my on-line reputation as helpful in the corporate culture change space. And I am trying to work out how to blend sales strategies for techie and non techie buyers. Anyone else have experience here? Chris you focus on on-line savvy buyers, is that correct? What do you do with those who are not? I have written a book and do key note addresses at industry conferences, and I talk a lot to these executives about how they need to get on-line if they are going to understand their customers. Any other ways to use on-line presence to non-online people?
  • Chris, My favorite part of this post is soemthing you say often...helping companie be human at a distance. It connects with my personal branding work inside companies. Many companies get it - understanding that their people are their greatest asset.

    Best.
    William
    www.williamarruda.com
  • Funny, I'm in the Twin Cities to meet with the board of directors of an aerospace electronics manufacturer to show them the same thing.

    Working closely with the CEO and his senior staff, I dissected their traditional customer sourcing habits, sales cycle, and sales process to craft my recommendations, but instead of showing them how SM tools will make the current sales process better, I'm focusing on the way it broadens their net to include accommodations (paths of lesser resistance and easier points of engagement) for more potential customers.

    Be in touch, babe.
  • kblueheron
    Chris, focused, informative, food for thought, as are all your posts. Some are appetizers, others are dessert (thinking of your zombie book posts,all of which I devoured... so to speak).

    This post and your previous one reminded me of mobile small business owners using Twitter: mobile food carts. I follow several in NYC, DC, and SF. The two I enjoy most are 1) RickshawTruck because they have included the human element in Twitter posts and on their web site "Meet the people who serve you," and 2) OnTheFlyDC because their posts are so entertaining.
  • I was in the event rental business for the past 8 years and we provided equipment and services for everything from the Grammy Awards to backyard birthday parties. If we did our job right, the equipment (or tools) became transparent to the people's experience and they were able to enjoy the magic of the moment and celebrate. In most cases, these events were some of the best days of people's lives (particularly weddings).

    I see the tools of SM also becoming transparent if used with the purpose of relating to and building relationships with people. In order to master the use of a tool, we must select the right tool, learn how to use it, and then actually use it many times in many ways. (I like the learning to drive metaphor for watching how we learn...ok, so how most of us learn). Once you've learned how to use a tool, the question becomes "What are you going to do with it?"

    Right now, I'm using the tools to build relationships, increase the awareness of what I do, and learn how my clients can use these tools. I'm sure that as I progress further up the learning curve, my use of Twittter, Facebook, blogs, etc. will become more second nature and I'll gain more insight into the use of SM. But I suspect that all of SM will get distilled down to the lowest common denominator of enabling people to communicate and relate to each other, and that includes everything from my mom seeing pictures of her grandchildren to me facilitating simultaneous idea exchange between clients, banks, investors, etc. I’m excited to see where this takes us all.
  • Sales means a lot of different things to different people.

    A typical b2b or high $ amt sale is very different than a sale that occurs in a store.

    In a more "complex" sale, salespeople are responsible for helping buyers become informed and then make decisions so the buyer can solve their problems. This is more common in a b2b selling environment.

    In my experience with this type of sale, there's lots of potential for the web and social media to facilitate the buying process and help "make a sale".

    Here's some typical stories:

    - Identifying a prospect that needs your solution. Paying attention on twitter, linkedin answers, etc has uncovered a bunch of opportunities for me to engage and start a dialog.
    - Connecting with the prospect can now be done through social networking sites, increasing the "connect rate" between lead and salesperson. Often times, leads/prospects get inundated by vmails and emails. Yet, they spend time using twitter and facebook. Paying attention to what they have to say and responding appropriately at the right time can start the dialog, which then can move to the phone.
    - Nurturing a lead. Someone might not be ready to spend money to solve xyz problem now. But, they might be ready (or the pain might get intense enough) in 6,9,12 months. If a salesperson (or marketing department) can stay in touch with a prospect via social networks and through blogging, they stand a much better chance of making a sale when the prospect is ready to buy.
    - Influencing influencers & finding decision makers. In a complex sale, usually more than one buyer is involved. There's an economic buyer, a "user" buyer and there can be countless influencers, internal and external. Social media can help a salesperson identify and engage each of these people.
  • You hit on one big issue we discussed when you were in Indianapolis a few weeks ago..

    "We talked about putting some faces to the brand, so that people were doing business with Maria and not just “bigcompany.” "

    Richard Edelman said that employees are 5 times more credible than C-level people in an organization. Getting the "maria's" of your company involved in your blogging initiatives not only puts a human face on your business, it also puts your stories out where they can be found. All the talk about social media as a destination..(twitter, facebook) Remember most of your future customers don't know who you are yet. This is why Search needs to be part of any Social-Media-for-Business conversation.

    Search is all about people looking to solve problems...your business is all about solving problems.....freeing up your "Maria's" to tell the stories is a social media win win

    The other aspect is how do customers find Maria and her equally passionate, intelligent and helpful co-workers?
  • i like what you said.
  • Sales are going to be (and are) more influenced via social media. Sales always follows the conversation and looks for openings to insert themselves into the flow with relevant information. Social media is going to make it that much easier for them to acquire and pursue leads. (They need to be careful though, it could backfire.)
  • Great post. Was just telling a room full of grocery store and shopper card marketers yesterday at VRMS that they were totally missing where so many mid to low income (and high income traveling) consumers were by not having mobile as a focus and getting mobile NOW while it was still growing. Also, to not solely focus on iPhone apps - many people have just a regular cell phone still, or a winMo or Android now.
  • And not for nothing, but your picture has made me crave a Half Smoke, Extra Onions, Chili, No Cheese for days now. #dcjunkfood
  • Human at a distance... . build influence, improve reputation, and earn trust. Sounds simple enough... Then why is it so hard for a lot of companies to just do it?
    Leadership is the answer..Buy-in..change agent turning into change agents...

    Great Post.
  • Chris, great post. When we're talking about social media in Oklahoma, we are talking about those relationships between business and customers and how to get them to move seamlessly between online and offline, almost like the small-town, small-biz folks operate. How you amplify that message to people who haven't turned down your street and how you converse with them is where the tools come in. Of course, right tool for the right job is always key.
  • carolynjones
    Thank you for the post. Very informative. What matters most to me is connecting with people. On Twitter, I love the spiritual sayings that float around. As far as my business goes, I like seeing that others have acted upon my blog posting. This has been minimal and I hope to generate more interest, as the blog is about a book I have written, "Opening the Gates of the Heart." I will be generating a fan page on FB and will keep tweeting. :-))
  • Chris, will you give an example or a some links to other articles regarding "showing companies how to be human at a distance"?

    Like the slant you introduced on SM
  • Chris, you might want to take a look at delivr.com and the mobile distribution network/tool that's available.
  • Were you in D.C.? Did you eat at the incredible Ben's Chili Bowl? I hope you have a half smoke.
  • Yes, driving to sales is what it’s all about. Social media is the exciting new “How” but it’s not cookie cutter or exclusive. In my effort to understand the depths of SM in order to help my clients, I headed down the seductive Twitter trail….listening for a long time and then trying to jump into the party. Realized in the last few days that my Twitter participation should not look like that those I follow. My prospects are not yet on Twitter. My mentors are and it’s helpful listening to them. But not having thousands of followers does not make me any less helpful to my clients of very small businesses. What’s important is that I understand which of my clients should be on Twitter and why. Not just because it’s “what everyone’s doing” but because the strategic marketing plan we’ve developed includes Twitter (and other appropriate SM venues) for good reasons that will impact the bottomline.
  • knealemann
    Chris, you keep giving delicious nuggets every single day, thank-you!

    If we fail to pay attention to human behavior (including our own!) we are leaving relationships, clients, customers and each other on the proverbial table.

    If you have the means to buy a Porsche 911 and all you want to do is feel the car hug the s-curve on that mountain drive, you may not care about how the engineering team built the thing.

    Without Content, Context AND Community, all we're talking about is flat surfaces that serve no one.

    @knealemann
  • Chris,
    At Kilgannon, we work with consideration brands, what some call high-involvement products. Stuff people tend to think about before buying. We see social media tools as another way to aid people in learning about the products and services we represent.

    There are three phases to making these non-impulse purchases.
    Passive: not yet shopping.
    Active: gathering information.
    Engaged: they've bought, now they're a brand advocate.

    You can probably already see how different tools and executions make sense for different phases of the purchase. Example: during the active phase, an informational video would great. Or, during the engaged phase, a FB fan page could help drive wall commentary to people still in the passive phase.

    There's more information on purchase phases here: http://bit.ly/RLFCY
    jimmygilmore.wordpress.com
  • Well thought-out piece, Chris... sounds like we have very similar conversations with friends/clients.

    Question to you: why did you send people on Facebook to a Note and not directly here to your site? I use Notes a lot but for the power of comments, the added traffic to my site, and lots of other reasons I send people to my site as soon as I can. Clearly I arrived here but had to search to find this.

    Curious and ready to learn. (Great seeing you at #PCB4 - hope your son is doing great!)
  • mtrehan
    Mobile isn't used enough in business. Proximity Marketing with Bluetooth has great potential. Proximity Marketing has been used for years, in the form of a person wearing a chicken suit standing at the corner of an intersection to get the attention of customers who won't have to go far for a great deal/opportunity. Why not tap into Bluetooth technology and invite potential customers into your brick and mortar site?
  • Chris

    Love that you're taking the conversation out of "platform" and into "purchase path" as that is a far more consumer centric approach, which is always better IMHO.
    @TomMartin
  • I'd love it if companies would quit using my mobile to tell me that "Our new program only has 5 slots left!" and "You're losing out on big money!". It really annoys me when I get text or email messages that distract me from what I'm doing.

    How about sending me usable information? Or possibly something that is REALLY time-sensitive? Or allowing me to text you a simple question and give me a quick answer?

    (Retailers -- I'd LOVE to text you a SKU and get a price back, right while I'm in your store. Would that require a Rocket Surgeon?)
  • Debbie Ferm
    By reading your posts and others like it, I am really beginning to understand this. I am but a beginner to all of this, but it is fascinating. Great Post!
  • Ed
    "What matters most to you with regards to social software?"

    Invert for answer:

    What matters most to you with regards to social software
    when you're the customer?
  • TomRoyce
    Excellent post. Social media is cool unto itself if you have the time and inclination. The real driving force is when businesses learn to harness it to grow their business. Going away from the typical Facebook and Twitter cocktail that most SM experts recommend is going to be a decisive factor in driving corporate acceptance.
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