Is Networking the New Sales? 3 Ways to Get Your Game On

The business of sales continues to evolve. While every business needs to facilitate sales, there’s a movement toward non-traditional methods. Think about it: when you want to buy a car, a house, a new suit or the latest gadget, who do you call? Oh wait, you don’t call anyone? You do research on Google. You search on Amazon. You check online reviews. You ask friends and family what they think and call out to your network on Social Media for feedback.

That right there is what’s called The New Sales and it’s how we consume things today. It’s how everyone consumes things today, including your customers.

Still aren’t convinced? Look at these latest tidbits from Forrester Research:

• The growth of e-commerce is expected to outpace sales growth at bricks-and-mortar stores over the next five years, reaching $414 billion in sales by 2018.

• Buyers engage twice as much with online content today than they did a year ago.

• Smartphones and tablets are boosting the amount of time consumers spend online.

• Increased spending by digital natives—consumers who grew up using the Internet from their earliest years—will also contribute to the growth as they move into their prime spending years. Consumers between 25 and 33 years old (Gen Y) already spend more online than any other age group.

In The New Sales environment, buyers begin their purchase journey online. If you’re a salesperson or you employ salespeople, you need to be online too.

Networking is the New Sales

With continuing pressure on the sales professional as we know it, it’s time to look at your sales practices to see where they can be improved to accommodate this shift. Especially when we talk about customer retention. The role of the salesperson quickly morphs into a customer service position because we’re able to effectively communicate and influence throughout the buying cycle of that repeat customer…and of course, by extension, their network.

We now live in a world where your revenue is determined by the value you bring and the customer experience you create. If the death of the traditional sales pro is upon us, how can you pivot and make it rain again?

Evolve Your Positive Attitude

How often you sell is directly proportionate to how often you being your A-game. There’s a headspace you need to be in to perform. Sometimes we isolate. The noise in our head tells us we’re “not good enough” or we’re “never going to succeed”…yada, yada, yada.

My friend, Mike Correra (@MiketheCarGuy1) manages Raceway Ford in Riverside, CA. Mike has doubled his business since last year, all through recognizing early-on that the customer was online and he needed to be there to facilitate their purchase. Mike’s a master at Social Selling, he never stops learning and the key to his success is this:

“Positivity in selling is more than just a ‘good mood’; it is about believing fully in yourself, your process and your product. When you do, you project a confident, positive image to your customers and they feel good about working with you.”

Develop a Referral Mindset

“You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.” ~Zig Ziglar

If you want to get referrals, you have to give referrals. Every successful salesperson devotes part of their day to prospecting. Utilize Social channels to reach out, connect and network.

Leverage Social Media to Sell More

I meet people everyday who bristle at the idea of using Social networks to grow their business. Some think it’s quaint and “old skool” to stay exactly where they are and not participate in the most valuable tool out there for salespeople: Social Media.

Showing disdain for Social Media is like bragging that you can’t read.

If you don’t know where to start, ask me. I’m just like you. I came from auto retail, spending most of my time managing car dealerships. In 2008, I had (like all of us did) a very challenging time trying to figure out how I would make a living. Having always been a natural networker, I came to Social Media with a goal to develop my referral network even further. I realized I liked the marketing side of it, and now here I am helping others do the same.

A goal properly set is halfway reached. If networking is the new sales then isn’t it time to take the steps necessary to adapt?