Social selling is such a new discipline that there are still a lot of misconceptions about it.
There are certain things that social selling can and can’t do or be.
After speaking with many people, here’s a list of some popular misconceptions and social selling fallacies that sales professionals seem to have:
You’ll become a Sales Superstar in No Time Flat
Who are you kidding? There’s no chance this will happen.
Those who think social is a miracle pill will only be setting themselves up for heart-wrenching disappointment. As with all things, social selling takes time to get comfortable with (let alone master). You’ll need this precious time to develop the necessary skills.
I Can Do Things The Same Way
If you go about your business the same way you’ve been doing, your social selling efforts will yield minimum results. Sure, minimum results are still an improvement over nothing, but don’t expect that to last forever.
Remember, the only reason you’re likely to have results in the first place is because chances are no one around you is really practicing social selling yet.
‘Yet’ is the operative word in that sentence.
For you to dominate on social you have to change your mindset. You’ve got to do things in a way that are native to what social selling is all about.
The traditional ways of asking for business, reaching out to potential buyers, etc. all have to evolve.
In short, this is more about a change in your psychology than mechanics. People can’t seem to get behind a new dogma until their hearts and minds have fully embraced those new concepts. Keep that in mind. You’re no different.
You’ll Need to Invest Hours Every Day
Sure, you can invest hours every day. Chances are you’re like the rest of us and will get bored, tired and eventually that will cause you to quit.
On the other hand, you can invest hours every day with the right framework and achieve huge results.
Either way, you’ll have to start with the basics. You’ll need a system to help get you started. We’ve built that system to help you get to a proper baseline of understanding and knowledge before you start layering on more complexities.
Remember, you’ll want to adopt the “crawl-walk-run” mindset before you get into social selling. Again, this is more about a change in your psychology than mechanics.
Yay! No More Cold Calling!
Social selling doesn’t mean you can give up on other selling mediums. You’ve got to try all mediums of communication and selling with buyers. The difference will be the special mix that works for you may not work for your colleagues and peers.
This means that cold calling, trade shows, conferences, and whatever other ways you’re currently generating your leads will have to continue. You’ll need to figure out how to bring social selling into these daily sets of activities in an effective way.
The Bottom Line
Like all good things in life, social selling will produce results with time. Don’t have misconceptions. Embrace this new way of selling with a clear and deliberate mindset.
Don’t have any qualms about it, but also ensure that you are realistic.
Need a way to cut through the clutter and understand where to start with social selling? Each person and plan is different. I can help you craft yours. Book some time in my calendar.
