Shane Gibson's Podcast – Social Selling – B2B Sales and Influence

You no longer own your brand. The customer owns your brand. Listen to this podcast and tell me what you think.

To Donate the the Vancouver Food Bank Click here or the image below. Every bit helps!

This podcast is in response to the following question (via twitter):From @jaypiddy @shanegibson should front line sales staff blog? If so what should they blog about?

Have a listen to this podcast to hear my thoughts on the subject.

To Donate the the Vancouver Food Bank Click here or the image below. Every bit helps!

For my 7th charity Blogathon entry I’m taking a topic suggestion from Twitter. This podcast is about “The Seven Habits of Highly Defective Leaders.”

It came from, @ganga_narayanan. Here was his suggestion: @shanegibson how “about seven habits of highly defective leaders”?

Last week in our podcast we discussed “Integrating Social Media Into Your Sales and Marketing Process.”  Today I would like to talk about what a social media roll-out plan could look like for your company or department.  If you’re a lone ranger, don’t worry, this will work for you too.  Based upon sections from our book Sociable! here’s a 13 point outline.  Listen to the podcast for a full description of these points:

* Agree goals (Buy-in)

* Pick your Platforms

* Assess Resources and Allocate them

* Social Media policy and guidelines

* Listening strategy and tool implementation (includes analytics, alerts and social search)

* Populate and customize build platforms

* Content development and roll-out social media calendar (Think notes in a symphony)

* Train and teach internal contributors

* Recruit or connect with external contributors (Encourage conversation and contribution)

* Train and develop external pro-active contributors

* Marketing and exposure for social media destinations

* Blogger and press outreach

* Spin-off Marketing Stage

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Today’s social media podcast is on Integrating Social Media into Your Sales and Marketing Process. I will discuss the Social Media Matrix that Stephen Jagger and I developed for Sociable! as well as the 7 Steps to Strategic Engagement and Integration which are:

* Identify Your Goal

* Identify Your Target Audience

* Pick the Right Platforms

* Map out Social Etiquette

* Implement Listening and Engagement Strategy

* Know Core Pains

* Uniquely Communicate Pills Mixing Marketing and Community

Related posts:

22 Social Media Tips Under 140 Characters

Twitter for sales tutorial video Part 1 & Part 2

The Future of Sales and Marketing Social CRM

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Following are the five key elements of Operationalizing sales (Full explanation in text is here):

1.    Tools

2.    Measurement

3.    Processes and Knowledge

4.    Maximize Selling Time

5.    Support and Accountability Structure

After you listen to today’s podcast your assignment is to:

* List the 5 headings for operationalizing sales discussed

* Fill in under each heading what actions or steps you are going to take

* Once mapped out make sure you assign a specific time to implement the steps

* Find someone you can be accountable to in the process.

Today for day 27 of the 28 Days to Better Selling we are covering 15 ways to close a sale. After you listen to the podcast identify how many of the closes listed below that you could apply to your sales process.

* The Alternative Close

* The Assumed Close

* The Minor Decision Close

* The Courtesy Close – “silent principle”

* The Direct Close

* The Urgency Close

* The “Shut-up Principle” Close

* The “Bonus” Close –

* The Objection Close

* The “Use of Terms” Close

* The Third Party Close

* The Summary Close

* The Similar Situation Close

* The Empathy Close

* The Consultant Close

Energy management in sales is just as important as time management. Worry and anxiety can be big energy drainers.  Your assignment today is to implement as many of the strategies outlined in today’s podcast as possible.

The following are some ideas, strategies, and tips to proactively help reduce your worry and anxiety:

* Set a Specific Time for Worry

* Move to Action

* Try Exercise

* Get Out of Bed Quickly

* Post Good News

* Surround Yourself with Positive People

* Make Meetings Productive with the Worry Chart

* Time Limit on Hard Work

* Know the Value of the Present

* Laugh at Yourself

* Give Yourself Special Treatment

Yesterday we talked about the importance of proving or selling inangible results related to your products or services.  Today we are going to focus on some of the key attributes needed to do so.  The following provides a brief overview of some of the skills and strengths needed to be great at selling intangibles.

Personal Brand of You

When selling intangible solutions, it really is about credibility and the relationship.  Because the solution is intangible, the purchase is largely based upon the believability of the salesperson.

Having a strong personal brand helps people understand who we are, what we are about, and it removes uncertainty.

Differentiation

People who are good at this type of sales often communicate what they do in a unique way. This means specializing and unique positioning is often necessary.

Passionate Evangelist/Industry Authority or Both

As an extension of our personal brand and our ability to differentiate, our passion and knowledge are critical in selling intangibles. Because the client cannot often experience the service or solution in a tangible way, their experience of you has to be credible and inspiring.

Clarity

“In communicating, your greatest enemy isn’t the noise around you – it’s the noise you create, un-wittingly” – Harry Beckwith, author of What Clients Love and Selling the Invisible.

Brevity and focus are key. If we focus on one or two core things we are good at and communicate those proficiencies really well, we can own a large portion of client mindshare and wallet share.

Value Builders

Because what we are selling cannot be seen, touched, or measured, we need to be good at building value. Your ability to articulate the real value in terms of return on investment is very important. Solutions must be presented in a way that solves a core client pain or challenge.

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Top level decision makers are results-orientated. Both tangible results and intangible results appeal to them.  In order to be seen as a resource and potential supplier you must tap into their desire to produce results.

The kind of tangible results that appeal to them are:

Raising Revenues:

Show them how their overall volume can be increased; in other words, an increase in sales.

Increase Efficiency:

If they see that their employees, or their equipment, or other capital  will be more efficient, then the chance of their buy-in is higher.

Keeping Shareholders Happy:

Top level decision makers are the ones who have to answer to the Board of Directors and to the Shareholders in a large corporation. Keeping the Board or shareholders happy is their main priority.

Lowering Cost of Production:

Lower costs equal better margins and bigger profits.

Increasing Market Share:

They are interested in advertising, marketing and business development strategies, tactics and methods to increase market share.

Higher Return On Investment:

Can you show them how they will get a bigger return on their investment for the money they invest with your services, products, ideas and concepts?

Dealing With Market Changes:

If you come with solutions for  market changes that affect them, then they will  take the time to explore the possibilities with you.

Intangible Results:

The types of intangible results that appeal to top level decision makers are:

Lower the Risk And Worry:

Anything that you can do to lower or eliminate the risk makes them feel better.

Personal and Corporate Pride:

Senior executives and top level decision makers are at the top because they have personal pride and are proud of the business results that they achieve.

Image – Personally And Corporately:

Yes the car they drive reflects their success level. The suits, the shoes they wear, the house they live in, the office address, and the image their marketing material portrays are all examples of personal and/or corporate image.

Retaining And Attracting Good Employees Who Work Beyond The Norm:

The top level decision maker knows that you win when you have exceptional people working with you.

Your assignment today after listening to the podcast is to:

1) Look at how many of these results your products or services can achieve for your clients.

2) Develop a unique way to present these results you produce

3) Memorize and practice presenting those core results statements that you will use with senior decision makers.

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