Which Social Media Work Best for Sales? Pt. 1

Few will argue that the best deals are closed because the salesperson has created and fostered a relationship with their client. They've heard them out, built a rapport, and provided solutions to their problems. The best salespeople have realized this and are finding more and more ways to use new media to start these relationships. 

The question is: which social networks produce the best results? In other words, what social media should salespeople be using? Obviously, the answer to this question is too complex to provide just one answer. Below are some advantages of disadvantages of networks you're probably already using. 

1.) Facebook

The advantages of Facebook are obvious. Almost everyone is on it, it's a valuable research tool, and for some, it is checked and updated more than email. Unfortunately, the disadvantages to Facebook are also obvious. It's far too personal for solicitation, users are barraged by links and pestering requests already and controversy surrounding Facebook privacy is making its users more and more wary of people who reach out to them. 

So, when is Facebook a good tool for sales? Remember that Facebook is intended to mostly maintain relationships, not start them. If you are trying to market on a lead with a person you already have somewhat of a rapport with, Facebook can be very effective. They'll see your name and respond to it. Facebook can be disastrous, however, when used for cold calls. 

2.) Twitter

As you can see, we are starting with the more popular networks to get them out of the way for this list. Like Facebook, Twitter can be extremely useful because many people use it, especially the big names that you are probably going after for clientele. Twitter works well because starting a conversation is simple and easy for recipients of your tweets to see and respond to. The downside is that it is very difficult to predict the reach for your tweet. Depending on who you're reaching out to, they may be getting dozens of mentions while yours gets lost in a black hole. This can be avoided through direct messaging, although more and more users are disabling direct messaging unless they follow you back.

Overall, there is little to lose when attempting to build relationships through Twitter, but it tends to happen when you don't expect it. Because responses are difficult to predict, this is a network that is dangerous to bet on even though it should be used regularly. Also, character limits draw the conversation out and make it difficult for you to be as informative as you may want to be. 

Pt. 2 will delve into Gmail, Google Plus, and LinkedIn. If you have any suggestions for a network that should be mentioned, comment below. 

Jon Negroni is the Director of Public Relations, Promotion, and Marketing at Richter10.2 Media Group. For more information regarding Richter10.2, check out our introduction video here.

The Recipe For Your Perfect Pitch

Is there any such thing as a perfect pitch? In regards to marketing and communications campaigns, probably not. There are, however, ways to make your pitch irresistable. 

Pitches are like a recipe. It takes more than just solid research and a good strategy. It takes more than just creativity and a good idea. This is because you are selling one idea to potentially one person or group of people. By the end of the pitch, they need to know exactly what you're offering and how you're attempting to execute it. 

The group hearing you out is looking for two main things: a good idea and a realistic strategy. They need to know that they are signing a proposal that your team has thought through completely. They may love your idea and think that you've captured exactly what they're looking for, but if you're budget or evaluation plan is not based on a realistic approach, your pitch falls flat. 

Plus, there's one more ingredient to making a two-fold pitch three-fold. Once you have a creative idea and a solid strategy, you need to add the unspoken ingredient: cohesiveness. This is subtle and often missing from proposals and campaigns. If the message that your strategy is built on does not directly and obviously precede your great idea, then it's not going to click. 

A good example is the Obama campaign in 2008. No matter what side people were on politically, many lauded the campaign for its strategic use of the concept of "change" throughout the entire campaign. It was an idea that was used cohesively with every tactic that was executed, and it definitely produced results. 

Coming up a creative idea is not difficult. Doing your research and being grounded is not difficult. Making these two practices come together cohesively, however, is what separates the so-so pitch from your perfect pitch. 

Social Media is not Cliche Yet

For a lot of older professionals, social media has become somewhat of a cure-all for all of their strategic problems. It creates huge leads and reaches at a fraction of the cost of traditional media, and it appears to be the next big series of outlets that almost every target is accessing.

Unfortunately, social media fatigue is becoming a dangerous reality for a lot of younger professionals and users of social media. What is social media fatigue? It is the weakening of a once strong force, and in this case, the effectiveness of social media as a tool to influence people.

Don't get me wrong, the spread of social media is only getting stronger, but we are seeing fatigue among age groups that were once hugely influenced by big social networks like facebook, twitter, and linkedin. A lot of companies and brands are plastering their messages all over social media, making the once exclusive outlets for creativity and escape (at least for younger demographics) become tiresome and (dare we say it) corporate.

But there is hope. It's not that social media has become cliche. It's not that simple. What's really happening is what happens to all shifts in technology and the "next big thing." Liken it to the rise of television. Though it has been widely abused and over-used in the past, television has become essential, thus in no danger of losing relevance. Instead of diminishing, television has changed and adapted to the needs of its consumers.

For all we know, the medium of being able to watch a television show may change dramatically to becoming completely online, as we are starting to see with new outlets like Netflix, Hulu and Vudu. The essence of television, however, has not really changed.

The same should be said of social media. The idea of using social networks across the globe to make and maintain relationships with people will likely become just as essential as being able to watch a television show. The real winners of the day are the business leaders who anticipate these trends and adapt accordingly.

Jon Negroni is the Director of Public Relations, Promotion, and Marketing at Richter10.2 Media Group. For more information regarding Richter10.2, check out our introduction video here.

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