by Alice Heiman on September 28, 2011
I just finished reading Gerhard Gschwandtner’s 9/21 blog post, Social Media Is Getting Tired…Social Business Is the New Frontier . I can really relate to the term Social 
Business. I agree with Gerhard that social media is looked at as a waste of time and in many instances it can be. However, for salespeople being present and interacting on social media is a must but the way they do it is critical. As I’ve said many times, if you put up a profile on any of the social media channels and just sit there, it’s like going to a room full of all the people you need to know and standing in a corner. Although someone might come up to you, your odds are not good so it’s basically a waste of time. Utilizing social media channels to build relationships is a good use of time. Using it to follow thought leaders in your industry and interact with them, and using it to follow trends in your industry and your customer’s industries is critical. Social media makes it easier than ever to do these things. Salespeople need to be connecting, interacting, building relationships and sharing knowledge which will all lead to sales. But as Gerhard points out, “The big question is, why aren’t more salespeople getting with the program?” He shares some things he learned from his conversations with successful sales executives. Click here to read Gerhard’s blog.
And if you are not already subscribed to Selling Power Magazine, I highly recommend it. Their website has a wealth of information for salespeople and those who manage sales.
If you would like to learn how to do Social Business to get more sales, call me for a complimentary 30 minute phone consultation 775-852-5020.
by Alice Heiman on September 9, 2011
It never hurts to go back to basics and regroup. When it comes to social media, things are changing so fast it is tough to keep up. Here are 8 tips to help you look at your social media plan in a basic way that will help you excel. 
1. Take a look at your current marketing plan and review the ways you are reaching your target market. Ask yourself, what’s getting you results and what’s not?
2. Think about your ideal customer, what social media platforms are they using? Look at the demographics of LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and any others and see if they match those you are trying to reach. Ask your current customers what social media platforms they frequent.
3. Take a look at your competitors, how are they using social media?
4. Think about your brand and the messaging you want to use to communicate, which social media will help you do that best? How does that integrate with any traditional marketing you may be doing, your newsletter or your blog?
5. Make an editorial calendar for your content. Good content is the key. It is what engages your audience and gets them to interact with you. Push out good content on a regular basis to develop your status as an expert and increase your following and then you can pepper in your events, programs or sales specials.
6. Determine who is going to be responsible for your strategy and for executing your strategy. It needs to be done professionally and consistently. This may be a good one to outsource to and expert.
7. Review and evaluate the results of what you have executed. Make changes to your strategy based on this information.
8. Measure your results, did you generate any leads with your social media plan?
If you need help with your sales strategy, please feel free to email me at answers@aliceheiman.com or schedule a free 30 minute strategy session.
Business. I agree with Gerhard that social media is looked at as a waste of time and in many instances it can be. However, for salespeople being present and interacting on social media is a must but the way they do it is critical. As I’ve said many times, if you put up a profile on any of the social media channels and just sit there, it’s like going to a room full of all the people you need to know and standing in a corner. Although someone might come up to you, your odds are not good so it’s basically a waste of time. Utilizing social media channels to build relationships is a good use of time. Using it to follow thought leaders in your industry and interact with them, and using it to follow trends in your industry and your customer’s industries is critical. Social media makes it easier than ever to do these things. Salespeople need to be connecting, interacting, building relationships and sharing knowledge which will all lead to sales. But as Gerhard points out, “The big question is, why aren’t more salespeople getting with the program?” He shares some things he learned from his conversations with successful sales executives. Click here to read Gerhard’s blog.
