How TV Sales People Can Use Social Media for Business – Back By Popular Demand

My most FAQs pertain to Social Media. “How can I use it for business? Why should I care about someone standing in a line at Starbuck’s? What’s the big deal??? I don’t have time!”

Well, the big deal is the “social” in “social media.  How do you use going to a Chamber of Commerce event for business? You see people you know and deepen your relationship with them, you meet some new people and forge new relationships, you have the opportunity to ask questions, to learn, to give information, for people to get to know you, you show you care enough to just attend, etc.  It’s a social environment and you behave accordingly. If they tell you they stood in line at Starbuck’s you politely listen because they may tell you in their next sentence they are planning to open up a coffee shop of their own! You know and do all of this.

Well, the same things are true in the “social media” world. First, never forget it’s social! Have fun!! Jason Baer wrote a blog about this I loved.  Yes, when you physically go to that Chamber meeting it’s for work but c’mon – you’re having fun too! It’s the same thing on Twitter or Facebook or any of the other SM sites. Connect with people you know, meet some new people to expand your base (and the social media world has no boundaries so you can learn from people all over the country or the world), listen to what is being said, respond appropriately with meaningful information, become known for your great info and care enough to show up!

So here are some rules and hints for TV Salespeople (with a focus on Twitter because I get asked about it more than anything else):

1. Keep it social and GIVE of yourself
2. Use SM to learn, share information and build relationships
3. RESEARCH companies and industries. Use “twitter search” to listen in to conversations about the specific company you are calling on or learn about the industry in general. What are customers saying?  What are the trends? Have employees said anything about the company? Listen, listen, listen. Use what you learn with your current and future clients.
4. Follow people in a selected industry. Learn what they are reading, articles they are tweeting, the issues they are reporting. Try “twellow.com” to determine who you might want to follow.
5. Is your client on twitter? If she is, when? What time of day? What is she saying? Can you “meet” her on twitter and begin your relationship there? Use “search people” on twitter to find her.
6. Offer information and become a trust agent (read “Trust Agent” by Chris Brogan if you don’t know what I’m talking about – fabulous must read book).
7. Twitter is a great way to stay in touch with people when they change jobs! Everyone announces their job changes on twitter and where they are going. You won’t lose track of them again.
8. When you start doing this so will your competitors. You can view this as a threat or an opportunity to listen in on them and learn even more. I vote for the latter. 

Use everything you can to get to know your customer better. Tell us how you using Social Media as part of your sales process? What more help would you like me to provide. Oh, and follow me on twitter!