“The guy who hustles the most is the guy who just catches that loose ball.” -Will Smith
I really like that quote from Will Smith because it reminds us that perseverance and resilience are probably the two most important skills in sales. Unfortunately, these are the skills that aren’t discussed enough.
The reason I’m talking about this is simple: when it comes to social selling, sales reps just aren’t trying hard enough. They’re getting lazy and doing things the same old way. Remember, every new communication medium requires a bit of a different language.
Do You Like Sales Pitches?
That’s what this all comes down to: do you personally like getting a sales pitch thrown at you? If your answer is no (and I’m fairly confident it is), then why would you assume that your buyers do?
The world is full of sales people that are doing the same thing as everyone else. What are you going to do to differentiate yourself? May I humbly suggest that you focus on engaging and educating your buyers versus giving them sales pitches (as poignant and rehearsed as they may be).
If buyers are usually turned off by sales pitches, then isn’t it time we also invested in other forms of sparking their interest? If you provide great content instead you’ll have a far better chance of getting their interest.
Providing relevant content may not get you a buyer immediately, but don’t just think about the short-term, my friend. Focus on the long-term. Build relationships with potential buyers who are at least interested in what you’re offering and not so quick to dismiss you.
Great Content Doesn’t Mean “No Plan”
I think a lot of sales people here the word “content” and think it just means sharing some company brochures. That’s the furthest thing from the truth!
Great content has to do with sharing information in a way that will educate the potential buyer and bring them along a path. Make no mistake about it, you define the path. From your own experience, you probably know what your potential buyers are looking for in terms of information. If you just focus on providing that info, without any heavy-handed sales pitches, you can start to put that person at ease.
The buyer still knows you’re a sales person, and therefore they still know what your end game is, but now you’re interacting with the buyer in a way that’s tactful. It’s not as blatantly aggressive as a sales pitch.
The Bottom Line
Let me know if you agree with what I’ve said above. It makes intuitive sense, right?
I really believe that social selling can allow you to engage and educate potential buyers like never before. Yes, it sucks that you have to wait “so long” before you get someone’s interest (which is a myth), but I believe you’ll be a lot more successful at your job if you could talk to an additional 5-10 genuinely interested people every day.
Remember, social selling isn’t difficult, it’s just different.
