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Back to sales basics

There’s so much to read to keep up with what is current and what is emerging in business and in the world in general. There are lots of things that we would like to integrate into our business, but it can take a lot of time. So from time to time, it’s a good idea to go back to basics.

Getting back to basics in the B2B sales space means:

  • Defining what type of clients you want for your business
  • Knowing: WHO you need to be in front of, HOW you need to make contact with them for, HOW OFTEN you need to do it
  • Use your networks (where appropriate) to research and target specific referral sources, prospects and industry contacts
  • Prospect, prospect, prospect for new business opportunities– for most people that means picking up the phone and calling both new-to-business and existing clients directly to make an appointment and secure a meeting
  • Meet the client or prospect– find out what they really need and how they want to work with you
  • Deliver on what you say you will
  • Follow up with a blend of purposeful phone calls, face-to-face meetings, emails and other valued add support that they can benefit from
  • Don’t make assumptions– speak to people directly and regularly communicate in person
  • Use resources such as social media and a CRM with purpose to help you forge meaningful connections and networks

Getting back to sales basics does not mean throwing the baby out with the bath water, it just means that while we integrate new methods into sales, we need to make sure we are still doing the necessary ‘basics’ to keep the sales momentum going.

At this point, some of the main things we see social media adding great value in are building networks, getting a message out, getting access to information and opinions, getting your brand out there, and stimulus-response activities. 

But as yet (and quite possibly never), social media is not a replacement to purposeful prospecting, purposeful client meetings, and purposeful business relationships.

The keyword here is purposeful.

Social media is most effective in sales when it is applied with purpose and in context of a bigger picture and plan. So, as we go back to basics, I think we need to question ourselves as to the purpose of our actions.

For instance, with more people accessing Facebook and LinkedIn are we building business networks that will lead to better business opportunities via qualified contacts or are we just building networks for the sake of showing off a large number of contacts i.e. I have the most number of ‘friends’ syndrome?

These three questions can help you calibrate your social media efforts:

  1. How purposeful are your social media activities to your business?
  2. How can we make social media work for us in business rather than becoming a slave to it?
  3. How can social media enhance or hinder the sales efforts of business, especially B2B?

Salespeople need to continue with the fundamental basics that still give a real return and integrate, where appropriate, sales push and pull strategies.

Does this mean ignore social media? Not at all. It means that we need to put it into perspective. So, let’s get back to the basics that make us real sales and real relationships with the clients we want to work with.

Author: Sue Barrett, www.salesessentials.com 

 

 

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