Modern Selling: Social Media for Sales

Social media is no longer a new thing in the security industry. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed a chasm between marketing departments and sales people in their social media efforts. Only a small percentage of sales people utilize social media as a platform. Don’t get me wrong, most sales people review social media to see what’s happening or promote their victories, but very few are using it to become perceived as an expert in the market place. And that’s the real value of social media to a sales professional.

So, what do you do? Below are five things to implement and one idea to consider.

1. Pick two channels (three at the most). It’s better to focus on two social media channels and make a real impact than it is to skim through eight different channels every week. Pick two – three at the most. For the security industry, I like LinkedIn and Twitter. Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and Snapchat are gaining some security business following and could become a primary option in the next few years, but for now LinkedIn and Twitter seem to be the best for our industry.
2. Update your profiles. Immediately after reading this column, update your profiles. The information should be current, your photo should be professional, and your background photo should be action-oriented. If someone is interested enough to check out your profile, then they take profiles seriously. If you’re wearing sunglasses and the last job you have listed ended in 2007, then you’re losing potential customers right now. I mean right now. It may not seem fair, but that’s how many social media snobs make their judgement.
3. Become an educational content curator. The best way to become perceived as an expert is to teach others. Social media provides a platform to teach thousands (or millions if you’re lucky) with one post. Being a curator means sharing interesting material – you don’t have to create anything. Subscribe to blogs, unique periodicals, Google alerts, and other sources of information to find the material. Once you find something interesting, share it with a comment. For example: “Great article on the hidden costs of outdated video systems.”
4. Promote people and companies in your eco-system. When someone shares a post on social media, they put themselves out there and may feel vulnerable. Rescue them by liking or sharing their post, and you’ll have a friend for life.
5. Work on your channels for fifteen to thirty minutes every day. Dedicate fifteen to thirty minutes every day to run through your channels. Check out what others are posting, promote them, and post your material. Consistency is critical to growing a following, but don’t become addicted and forget about your day job of selling. Limit your time to thirty minutes, and then turn it off.
6. For the ambitious, begin a video blog. There are hundreds of articles about video being a better platform to communicate a message than text. The statistic that seems to be the most consistent is that a reader is twelve times more likely to click a video than read the same message in a written article. Twelve times! As our industry becomes more populated each year with younger people, that multiplier will increase. Don’t feel compelled to create a recording studio in your basement. However, if you’ve bought into the concept of social media launching your reputation as a sales person, then video might be a good next step for you.

In conclusion, success from your social media efforts depends on you consistently contributing and providing stimulating information. In general, your goal as a sales professional is to become perceived as a subject matter expert. Social media is one of the most effective platforms to share your knowledge and become the perceived expert. Use it and use it wisely.

Chris Peterson is the founder and president of Vector Firm (www.vectorfirm.com), a sales consulting and training company built specifically for the security industry. To request more info about the company, visit www.securityinfowatch.com/12361573.