The most terrifying part of being in business is how do you actually make a sale? If I have heard this one time, I have heard it hundreds of times…
“But I am not a sales person”
The reality is this…you are a business owner and in order to be a successful one; you have to make sales! This doesn’t mean you have to be fake, lie or be someone you are not. We all envision the slimy used car salesmen and we don’t want to be that guy or gal.
So how do we get around this major issue, especially in social media?
• How to sell?
• What to say?
• How to use social media to sell without selling? Is this an oxymoron? Nope, it can be done!
Sell-sell-sell sales methods simply do not work on social media unless you are a major brand and even then, they are discovering that this is less and less effective every day.
Think about it…do you like to be ‘sold’? Most of us don’t and keep this in mind when you are marketing on social media.
5 Ways to Sell Without Sounding Salesy
#1 Focus on Serving Others
People can tell when you actually care about them and their business. People today are much savvier and they are looking to connect with real people who care about who they are and what they are looking for in their businesses.
Forget about how much money you are going to make; lead with value and what you can do to help OTHERS. Make your audience your number one priority! Show that you care, that you are honest and are genuinely interested in providing a solution to their problem.
#2 Listen
Why do you avoid a salesman at a car lot or perhaps a saleswoman in a department store? Because they never stop talking, making suggestions, talking about their products, etc. They erroneously believe if they are proactive enough, nice enough, say the right things, that they will produce a sale.
That’s why we avoid them.
Take the opposite approach. LISTEN. Let them talk, explain what their business needs are and what their issues might be. This way you can be certain that you have a solution to their problem.
You will find that, if you follow this approach, that people will WANT to buy from you. Not because you have talked them into it but because they feel you understand what their business needs are and they trust that you can help them.
#3 Teaching Sells
There is a Chinese proverb that reads “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
If you focus on a teaching platform that will teach and benefit your potential clients, you will stand out in a very crowded marketplace. Most are simply trying to sell, sell, sell and are missing a golden opportunity to generate sales without selling!
The key is to this strategy is to lead with free quality content that provides value to your prospects. This may be in the form of blog content, videos, free reports, webinars…there are tons of ways to provide value!
If the content is good, your prospects will recognize this, want more of your knowledge base and be willing to pay for it.
#4 Build Relationships
Social media is a great way to connect with like-minded people who are in need of our services or products. The key to this is that you have to devote the time to building a relationship with your audience.
This means you have to engage, respond to questions on social media and through email and be present where people can communicate with you. This does not mean that you have to sit in front of your computer 24-7. Definitely not. You or your VA if you have one, should check all your social media platforms several times daily. Respond when necessary and always give appreciation to those who are promoting you and your business.
#5 Be Brave, Positive and ALWAYS Be Pleasant
Know that you can do this, always be positive and always, always, always be pleasant to your audience. Actions are what people pay attention to and how you handle a positive or negative situation can define your business in so many ways.
About Kim
Great advice Kim! I guess the bottom line is to banish the fear!! Patricia
I have a hard time doing this.. Thanks for the advice Kim! I had a bad first pitch e-mail broadcast lol sighs..
I loved this, Kim. Thank you, for sharing your insight on what can be a challenging thing for most of us. Of course, what resonated the most with me was #4 Building Relationships
It's so important to do so. There are many people who miss the mark on this when they first start using social media. I like how you also said, you don't have to be in front of the computer 24/7. Have a great day!
Such great tips! #2 is a HUGE!!! Listening is 95% of what I do during my free initial consults where I sign potential clients up for programs with me. I simply ask questions and give them the space to talk and share! This helps me formulate a program specifically for them, and it provides them with a supportive listener in their life. I can't tell you the number of times people end a session and say, "Gosh, I feel like I have so much clarity and am so motivated to just jump in, right now." It is mostly because they've had the opportunity to get their thoughts up and out!
I love it! #2 rocks, all the way!
Thanks, Molly!
I like the idea of "teaching" someone rather than selling them something to do blah, blah, blah. This is a thought I need to journal on and see where it takes me.
Great Advice, Teaching vs Selling. Thanks for sharing.
Bridgette
You are going to have a great biz, Bridgette!
I'll be sure to stay brave, positive and pleasant while I do my thing!
Thank you for another great article Kim! You are so right! We must focus on building a relationship and earning trust! Thanks for all you do! Have a super day!
Nobody likes you…..when you sell that is
Selling face to face is different than running an ad. You can delete or ignore the ad, but an annoying sales person is….well, annoying.
I like to share the analogy of a doctor. Diagnose the problem your prospect may have, ask the right questions, discuss money, and how they ultimately will decide on a solution. After you have this information, now you can write a prescription i.e. "Here's how I think I can help you."
Now you're not salesy, you're helpful.
Exactly, AJ!
Great advice Kim! It is SO important to build relationships and really listen to what people want. Thanks!
Excellent advice! Thanks for sharing!
Great points within… as a Social Media representative or personality, the number one thing you have to work on is a stronger grasp on really interacting with people in a relatable and enjoyable manner. Someone really needs to write "How to Win Friends and Influence People on Twitter"
Such valid points. When we think about authenticity these tips become so important. If we are authentic and experts in our business, the sales will come.
Great points, Kim. Focusing on teaching, serving and listening are definitely the keys to success in life–and in business.
Great post Kim! This is the type of information that inspires me in my own business.
Great suggestions. My background is sales and all of these are so true! Times have changed and selling methods have too. When I talk to potential (and current) clients, I stress the engaging part of social media. It's good to put a slight sales pitch out there sometimes, but when you take the time to engage your followers and educate them, then you will see your sales grow. Thank you for all your wonderful insights you share!!!
This is a great reminder for me since I am starting out on my first ever social media campaign for my web business. Coming from a traditional sales background I had the tendency to pitch a sale without even thinking about it. Advice like this is really affirms the idea that listening to your customers and building relationships is the best way to do business on the web. Thank you for the insight!
This is wonderful advice, Kim! I am constantly trying to think of ways that I can add value when on social media. I'm really enjoying connecting and sharing information via a social media platform.
Great advice Kim. I'm a big believer, that people shop at places that they 'like' that have developed a likable image with them. Building a relationship through offering substance and being 'nice' are great ways to create likeability.
This is a great article, Kim.You shared tips on areas that shy people away from providing needed services to others. It made me think about factor that have made my business successful and places I can help others more. Teaching is a services that helps people Understand how a particular service can improve there life. That happens to be my favorite. Thanks!
Great post as always, Kim. I manage several accounts with opportunity to "sell" so I'm going to remember your advice and pass this on to my clients, too.
Hi Kim, you are so spot on with your advice about selling. It made me smile when you mentioned about seeing dollar sign in every person, this is just too funny, but it can be true for some and so this can limit their success! Love it!
Great tips Kim. Give before we receive is a life lesson for all
5 great tips Kim, thanks! None of us like to be sold to, but we all like to buy. And, we buy from those that we know, like and trust. I was always uncomfortable with "selling" until I started to think of it as helping someone solve a problem ~ which is really what you're doing if you run a good business.
Social Media has been one of the most effective ways to boost online marketing. And keeping these tips handy would help any online marketer hit the right target market and be less rejected. I guess everyone can relate to what you said about the dollar sign. lol! It's funny but true!