Social selling 101…and 201

Selling is selling, no matter where you and your customer are. Social situations are good for bonding and selling, too.

Of course, your approach will vary depending on whether you’re in an office or a coffee bar, and even more so if you’re at a game or a spa.

Either way, you can’t waste a customer interaction. Even if you talk business for just five minutes, it could be the five minutes you needed to move a mountain.

A good rule of thumb is to talk business first, then settle in and enjoy the ballet after.

Your agenda at social events should be specific, and you should be as aggressive as possible… your buyer will happily agree to anything when you’re sitting in the fourth row.

Use these guidelines to help you build your social selling agenda:

1. What’s the most urgent item you need to discuss?

2. What issue do you need your client to work on inside her/his org for you?

3. What’s the one thing about your offering you want your buyer buddy to learn?

You’re still on the clock when entertaining. Think of that when you crawl into bed at 1am.

There are some boundaries to social selling effectiveness. For example, DO NOT take your customers to a Waffle House and expect to have a good, quiet conversation about work…especially if it’s the same venue featured in this gritty and hilarious SNL skit!

(OMG!)