The Art (and Science) of Social Selling

Social Selling: Where Marketing and Sales Collide

Marketing and sales are two separate departments (and functions).

Marketing is how you get the word out.

Sales is closing the deal, making the sale, holding money 🤑 in your hand.

Many small business owners conflate marketing and sales all.the.time., and then wonder why their overly salesy marketing doesn't convert. (IMHO, it's because it's neither marketing nor sales, but I digress.)

I see this the most with social selling.

What's Social Selling?

Social selling is the process of developing relationships as part of the sales process. Today this often takes place via social networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest, but can take place either online or offline. — Wikipedia

Gold Standard of Social Selling

Lately.ai NAILS IT when it comes to social selling.

Years ago, CoFounder and CEO, Kate Bradley Chernis (follow her) shared daily 1-minute behind-the-scenes founder stories (before it was all the rage).

Every member of their team is devoted to the art of developing relationships. They do demos, bring in guest presenters, teach how to write great marketing copy, comment on other people's posts ... you name it.

Do you know when I became a customer?

A couple of years ago, Kate unsubscribed from my newsletter and sent me a personal note. I thanked her, and in the process of that conversation, she sold me on Lately.

Think about that for a minute. She'd built the social capital to sell to me after she unsubscribed from my newsletter. That's next level social selling 🤩

Relationships take time. And, it's how you get customers for life.

Dark Side of Social Selling

We can't talk about the good without also acknowledging the bad.

Unfortunately, this is what's taught to solopreneurs and small businesses all.the.time.

People engaged in "connect -> slide into DMs and sell" spray and pray tactics believe social selling is the science of a numbers game.

It's not. It's all about relationships.

And relationships take time.

Jumping into DMs with a pitch is like walking up to someone, shoving your business card in their face, and walking away.

If you're thinking, yeah Jen, but it must work because so many people are doing it 🧐 .....

Consider this

• Opportunity costs: how many people would be interested if they knew you cared about more than the sale?
• Burned bridges: how many people have you lost forever?
• Word of mouth can be both good or bad.
• Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Build up the social capital through connection and value with actual relationships to increase the effectiveness of your social selling efforts.

Women Conquer Business Show

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🙃 I started an irreverant side project with colleague Bridget Willard called 302 Marketing Redirect.

💌 That's a wrap.
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Have a great day,
Jen

Jen McFarland, CEO
Women Conquer Business

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