I was recently reminded of social media’s critical importance to marketing when asked by Vicara Books, the publisher of my latest book, how many hits I was getting on my website. Vicara explained that if I wanted to be successful in writing, selling books, and public speaking — my current endeavors — I needed to be involved in “social selling.”
What is social selling? In A Sales Rep Guide to Social Selling Success, author Steven MacDonald defines social selling as the use of social media platforms to find and engage new prospects. Throughout the buying process social media can be used to answer questions from potential customers, respond to their comments, or to share content about the item or application for sale. From creating awareness of a product to helping close the deal, social media platforms can be effective tools in the sales process.
I have been active on LinkedIn for a long time but only recently learned how to use this social media platform to boost readership of my books and promote my services as a speaker. By taking a more participatory approach to LinkedIn, I now have over 600 connections and in one week had 72 people view my profile. Through ongoing dialogue messages I am able to be in touch with people without leaving my office. Best of all, people who have heard me speak or have read one of my books, have contacted me though social media to request my weekly and/or monthly feeds, to buy books, and/or to set up a seminar.
My recent experience taught me that social selling does not need to be difficult. It’s just selling in a new, more effective way. I’ve built my career on the premise that selling starts with building relationships. As I see it, now I have a host of new ways to create and improve those connections.