Social Selling: It Starts With Why

Social Selling should be an integral part of any salesperson’s daily regimen. To master the art of social selling and networking is to live and breathe the idea that relationships drive business. You have to be visible in the community. You have to get out there and connect with people. It’s not called net-sitting or net-eating. It’s called networking. You have to work at it.

Social Media has expanded the marketplace. As a salesperson, Social makes it easier for you to connect with people without interrupting their lives. Where before you were able to maybe touch a customer once a month, now you can do it on a daily basis without disturbing them. In fact, in some cases, they may find themselves wanting to hear from you.

Why would a prospect look forward to hearing from a salesperson? When they believe what you believe.

Social selling affords a great opportunity however, you must recognize that Social tools are merely amplifiers. If you’re a smarmy, self-oriented, dirtbag who only cares about himself in real life, you are those things on the social channels. If you’re a thoughtful, caring, trustworthy value creator in real life, you’re that on the social channels, too.

If you suck in real life, you suck on Social Media.

How do you keep from sucking? The secret to success in Social Selling begins with your WHY. Ask yourself this question: Why do I do what I do? What are my intentions when I speak with prospects? Sure, the ultimate goal is to close the sale but how do you deliver your message? What are your true intentions – for yourself and your customers?

Those who start with WHY never manipulate, they inspire. And people follow them not because they have to; they follow because they want to. When you know exactly what you believe you can inspire others to believe what you believe.

The awesome Simon Sinek, author of “Start With Why”, says, “For those (customers) who are inspired, the motivation to act is deeply personal. They are less likely to be swayed by incentives. Those who are inspired are willing to pay a premium or endure inconvenience, even personal suffering. Those who are able to inspire will create a following of people—supporters, voters, customers, workers—who act for the good of the whole not because they have to, but because they want to.”

Before you can attract people to inspire, you must first be inspired yourself. It takes courage to find the one thing that drives what you do, inspires you, that makes you stand out from the others. I recently heard Simon Sinek being interviewed and he shared a simple exercise to help you discover your WHY:

Question: Of all the events in your career, name something that you absolutely loved being a part of. Be specific.

• What was the most fulfilling part about this event?
• What specifically did you love about it?

More than likely, you’ve discovered something relationship based – either with yourself or someone else. What was it about this person or group that made you want to connect? Now, look for other “data points” that align with that same feeling or outcome. Identify the pattern and you will most likely see (find) the one thing you’re good at.

When you’ve identified the one thing you’re good at, you can start articulating why you do what you do. A bond will form with your customers and prospects in real life and on Social Media. People will be drawn to you because you’re good at the one thing. You can provide evidence and use Social Media to amplify it. You can share content that communicates your WHY. People will start believing what you believe.

I have a deep desire to work with clients who put people before numbers. I have a visceral reaction when I’m around those who put profits before people (and animals for that matter). Everything I do is devoted to creating new ways to make a positive impact on the car business. Sometimes it means not doing something that may be really profitable because it will put me off-course.

What’s your one thing? Why do you do what you do? Successful Social Selling always starts with WHY.