Many sales professionals and leaders can’t wrap their heads around Twitter. Even those bought into Social Selling don’t get the full power and potential that this 140 character platform has in the sales process.
On the flip side, those that aren’t bought into social’s effectiveness in the sales process dismiss Twitter’s usage outright. They cite lack of clarity, purpose and know-how as primary reasons.
Given this information, some of the questions that naturally emerge remain unanswered. Let’s discuss how Twitter can benefit your Social Selling efforts in this post.
Why Is Twitter Important In The Sales Process?
The short answer to this question is information.
Twitter is great to use when you can follow a prospect and see what they’re saying and doing. Just as you’d “profile” a prospect when meeting them in-person, you can begin to graph what matters to them online.
If body language is something you read in the offline world, you can also tell a lot by analyzing their digital actions. Especially on Twitter, a prospect’s shared content, retweets, mentions and favorites can be accumulated to create a perspective that’s uniquely them. This is incredibly powerful.
Not only can you have a digital footprint on what matters to them, you can determine what influencers, thought leaders, analysts, publications, topics, interests, etc. matter. And, all of this happens behind the scenes as information pours in.
No wonder that organizations are spending 50% more than what they were on Twitter marketing efforts compared to two years ago, some even spending triple the amount.
When Should I Use Twitter?
We all know sales can’t close on Twitter – this is a viewpoint wrongly held by those that don’t understand this platform.
However, your ability to find and nurture prospects and opportunities are scenarios where Twitter can be helpful.
For example, in our company, we frequently use Twitter to share content with prospects. We’ll include links to blogs, whitepapers, etc. but we’ll also record quick videos right from our smartphones to give digital shout-outs to our prospects.
While we all know the decreasing results the phone and email have, sharing something directly to a prospect on Twitter can instantly grab their attention, revitalize a stuck opportunity all while conveying our expertise.
What’s The Best Way To Get Started With Twitter?
The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. And, as such, here’s a quick game plan to begin your Twitter journey.
The very first thing you’ll want to do is find one of your prospects – this can be from your named accounts, dream prospects, and so on. If they have a Twitter account, put them inside a Twitter List and then check up on that list daily for a few minutes.
- Scan the information you discover and ask why they’re sharing the information that they are.
- Check out who they’re following: this alone will provide insights into what matters. Follow some of these people to determine what content they’re sharing.
Once you do this, start sharing content with them from the thought leaders and influencers they follow. Provide your views on it and then follow up with further communication.
If you believe your job is to educate your prospects and convey your expertise, you can start to achieve this in short 140 character bursts using Twitter.
The Bottom Line
If you’re not a convert yet, don’t dismiss Twitter! Does it take effort? Of course but doesn’t everything in sales today?
It’s becoming increasingly harder to find prospects, grab attention, keep it relevant and then nurture them. Twitter isn’t a silver bullet. When used within your existing sales process, it’s a great compliment to help build rapport and educate prospects throughout their buying journey.
So here’s the question, are you down to communicate over 140 characters? Tweet me your 140 @AmarSheth or connect with me on LinkedIn if you need more characters.
