140 characters.
That’s what Twitter allows for each tweet.
I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t see much value in this platform for several years; I’m not an early adopter and I didn’t think it was possible to create a useful or valuable message in 140 characters. After all, how can you possibly deliver an effective or powerful message in a couple of VERY short sentences?
Boy was I wrong!
In the last year I have discovered that you actually can get a strong point across in just a few sentences. And I’m not talking about tweeting something like, “Check this out!” followed by a link. I have read many tweets that pack a punch and others that compel me to click on their link.
Here are three ways you can use the law of Twitter to win more business, close more deals and increase your sales.
Use compelling headlines.
Most email messages and sales letters contain dull and boring subject lines. If you want your message to stand out you need to create a title or subject line that pops and grabs your prospect’s attention.
Carefully edit.
Every word counts on Twitter and this law applies to sales conversations, sales letters, and any other correspondence you send to your prospect. Look at your letter and seriously ask yourself what can be edited while maintaining the integrity of the message. The key is to get your message across as clear and succinctly as possible.
Frequency.
Very few people follow someone else on Twitter after a single tweet. Likewise, you can’t expect a prospect to respond after one voice mail or email. You need to develop a campaign to keep your name in their mind.
Take this concept a step further and combine these three ideas with the Less is the New Black post I wrote last week. Together they make a lethal combination.
I help people master their sales conversations so they can win more business and close more deals. Interested to know how I do this? Give me a shout and we we’ll talk: 905-633-7750 or Kelley@Fearless-Selling.ca
B2B, Sales Mistakes, Sales Successtags: cold calling, Facebook, increase your sales, lead generation, LinkedIn, look at the right numbers, quality vs quantity, sales calls, sales revenue, social media, Twitter
Mar
16
Someone once said, “Numbers don’t lie.” While that may be true, it’s important to recognize that numbers don’t always tell the entire story. Here are a few examples:
Twitter Followers. A friend of mine shocked me when he told me that he had amassed more than 11,000 followers; I didn’t even know he was on Twitter! However, in the next breath he confessed that he had worked the system by following and un-following people until he reached his goal. He seldom posts a tweet and has yet to generate any business as a result. Yet, I know a few people who have generated significant revenue from a small number of followers. This also applies to Facebook, LinkedIn and other social media sites.
Sales Calls. I have heard far too many sales managers demand that their team make more sales calls because “Sales is a numbers game.” These sales leaders often focus on the quantity of calls a rep makes instead of the quality. Unfortunately, this focuses on activity rather than effectiveness of the approach. A sales rep can make 100 calls to low-value prospects and fail to make a single appointment or close a single sale. If you’re not calling the right people, you will never reach your target.
Lead Generation. Many companies have contact forms on their website and track the number of leads they generate via those forms. Many sales people grumble about the quality of these leads and in many cases, their frustration is legitimate. I believe this is similar to the previous point because it looks at sheer volume instead of quality. Implementing a pre-screening or qualifying checklist could weed out the tire-kickers and help your sales team improve their sales results while saving them time.
Sales Revenue. An acquaintance proudly told me that he had acquired several projects worth over $200K in revenue in a single month. I have to confess that I had a “green with envy” moment until he told me he was shocked that his year-end profit was so low because the cost of working with those clients was much higher than he anticipated. Top-line sales are essential but it’s the bottom-line profit that will keep you in business.
To increase your sales you need to focus on more than the numbers. If you lead a sales team, make sure that you are considering the right numbers. If you don’t, you could be fooling yourself.
In today’s Sales 2.0 world it is easy to start relying on social media for sales and lead generation. But, this “new” sales methodology is not the magic answer, a quick fix, or simple cure. However, there are several essential concepts, that when consistently applied, will ensure sales success. Here are four time-tested strategies that have always worked and will continue to be effective regardless of technology.
Networking. Networking is still an essential way to build your business and increase sales. From large events such as trade shows and conferences to one-on-one meetings, it can help you connect with people and open new opportunities. Unfortunately, too many people become reclusive when they rely on social media as their primary form of networking. This is particularly true for sole proprietors who run a home-based business.
The most successful sales professionals will tell you that they attend at least one or two networking events every week. A job search executive advises his clients to schedule at least 3 networking appointments every day. This certainly may not be possible for a sales person but I would suggest that one daily networking meeting would lead to more business.
Referrals. Next to networking, referrals are often one of the most effective ways to generate new sales. Yet, the vast majority of people don’t consistently ask for them even though the likelihood of closing a sale is considerably higher with a referral than any other method. I’m not suggesting that you slide a sheet of paper across your customer’s desk and ask for a list of ten people you can contact. Although some industries still used this outdated approach, I personally think it is ineffective.
Many people don’t know how to ask for referrals so they don’t integrate this concept into their routine. Some people feel that asking for a referral is akin to begging for business. However, if your clients and customers are satisfied with your solution, they will be more than willing to recommend you.
Visibility. Ever heard the expression, “Out of sight, out of mind”? Participating in social media groups such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter and posting to industry blogs can definitely improve your online presence. However many of your prospects don’t engage in social media activities, so it is critical to be physically visible to the outside world. Nothing trumps a face-to-face connection. If you are not keeping your name in your customer’s mind, you run the risk of losing their business to a competitor.
The telephone is an old piece of technology that can help you maintain your visibility. I know several people who schedule regular “coffee meetings” via telephone and this allows them to stay connected with customers and other people in their network.
Speaking. Another effective way to establish credibility and generate new business leads is to speak at trade shows and conferences, local networking meetings, Rotary Clubs and association meetings. Most cities have dozens of these types of events scheduled every month and many of them are constantly looking for people who can deliver an informative and engaging presentation. They key here is to provide quality information, not a glorified sales pitch about your company or products. Presentations range in length from 20 minutes to a few hours and the format can vary from keynote to seminar to workshop.
I won’t dispute the fact that Sales 2.0 is here to stay AND that it can help you grow your business. However, it is a big mistake to believe that it replaces some fundamental concepts that have been effective for many decades. Consistently integrate these four strategies into your daily and weekly routine and you will achieve consistent results.
I’ll be the first to admit that it took me a while to jump on the social media train. I first created a profile on LinkedIn sometime in 2008 and several months later followed suit on Facebook. Then, in late 2009, I signed up to Twitter. At first I spent more time following people and learning “twitter etiquette.” I eventually started posting tweets and invested time retweeting posts I thought were valuable to the few followers I had. Eight months later I’m still trying to figure things out.
When I first joined Twitter, I noticed a lot of people thanking others who retweeted someone’s post. I thought to myself, “That’s cool” because I have always been an advocate of providing positive feedback to people. I have always felt that praise and acknowledgement is a powerful tool to motivate employees and one that is under-utilized in the corporate world.
However, more recently, I have noticed a serious decline in acknowledgements on Twitter. Fewer people seem inclined to thank followers for RT’ing their post and this got me wondering, “Does it matter if you thank someone for retweeting a post or an URL to their blog article?”
I certainly recognize that people who have ten of thousands of followers can’t acknowledge every person who retweets a post. However, I have noticed that some people consistently thank individuals for their RT’s even though they have amassed a huge following while others never acknowledge this action.
The same concept hold true when someone posts a comment on your blog. Some bloggers take the time to acknowledge those comments, which to me, is admirable especially when them get dozens of comments from readers. I strongly believe that this approach helps them engage readers while creating loyalty.
Personally, I think it is very important to acknowledge people who take the time to RT a post or comment on a blog posting. To me, it is just common courtesy and a sign of a respect. And, although somepeople would argue otherwise, it doesn’t matter whether you do it publicly or via direct message.
What about you? Do think it is important to acknowledge someone who takes the time to retweet one of your posts? I’d enjoy hearing your perspective.
Social media guru, Chris Brogan once suggested that people create a blog post for their Follow Friday’s (#FF) on Twitter. I thought this was a great idea instead of trying to remember everyone and get their details in a 140 character tweet.
Beause my passion is sales and selling, I subscribe to many different sales blogs and follow dozens of sales experts. Here are my favourites (in no particular order).
1. Colleen Francis: @CFrancisVoice Engage Selling
Colleen consistently provides practical advice to help sales professionals improve their results. Her blog is written in a straight-forward, no BS manner. Her book, Honesty Sells outlines some terrific strategies and great examples.
2. Jill Konrath: @JillKonrath Selling to Big Companies
I have known Jill for about 7 years and am constantly amazed at her brilliance. She has definitely established herself as one of the foremost experts on sales strategy. Her first book, Selling to Big Companies, is still one of my favourite reads. Jill is relentless in her mission to help other’s succeed; I sometimes wonder if she every sleeps because she has so many projects on the go at any given time. If you’re serious about selling to big companies, you need to read her book, follow her on Twitter, and sign up for her newsletter.
3. Paul Castain: @PaulCastain Your Sales Playbook
Paul is a relative newcomer to the sales guru arena but he has carved out a solid standing in a very short period of time. His LinkedIn group, has rapidly grown into a thriving community where people offer terrific advice without the self-puffery and promotion normally associated with many LI groups. Part of this growth can be attributed to Paul’s willingness to give and his ability to develop relationships. His personality shines through in his writing and his humorous, albeit, direct approach is fresh.
4. Art Sobczak: Business By Phone @ArtSobczak
Art is one of the pioneers in B2B telesales having established his business more than 20 years ago. His primary focus is helping people become more successful when selling on the telephone and he always shares great insights in his weekly newsletter. He is the author of three books and the latest, Smart Calling, is his best work yet. He often records the brutal sales calls he receives and posts these recordings on his blog. If you use the telephone to make appointments and sell your product, service or solution at a B2B level, you owe it to yourself to check him out.
5. Jim Domanski: TeleConcepts Consulting @TeleSalesExpert
Like Art, Jim focuses his attention on helping people improve their results when selling over the telephone. He is the author of two books and a regular newsletter. I have interviewed Jim for several teleseminars and always find his information insightful and useful. Plus, he’s a darn nice guy!
6. David Brock: Partners in Excellence @DavidABrock
David’s blog is a thoughtful collection of intelligent wisdom on sales and sales management. Enough said!
Skip’s posts regularly on his blog and his tweets offer insights that help B2C sales people improve their results.
8. Trish Bertuzzi: Bridge Group Inc @BridgeGroupInc
Trish’s company specializes in helping organizations improve their outbound marketing efforts. If you want insights to improve your out-bound calls, follow her and subscribe to her blog.
9. Tibor Shanto: The Pipeline @Renbor
Tibor is another prolic sales author whose approach is somewhat more sophisticated. He focuses a lot of his attention on filling and managing your pipeline.
10. Anthony Iannarino: The Sales Blog @iannarino
Here’s what I like about Anthony’s approach on his blog: he states his point and delivers great information followed by a quick conclusion and followed by several questions to ask yourself. This approach makes you think and identify how you can actually apply his concepts into your business or routine.
12. Jerry Hocutt: Sales Posse @SalesPosse
Jerry has taken a unique approach and offers quick-hit pieces of sales advice from a wide variety of experts and sales pros. If you want a quick boost of sales info, check him out.
13. Don Cooper: The Sales Heretic @DonCooper
Don looks at a variety of sales issues from making a good first impression to asking the right questions to negotiating the deal. He writes good stuff and I RT a lot of his posts.
14. Wendy Weiss: Queen of Cold Calling @WendyWeiss
If you’re looking for advice on how to cold call, you should follow Wendy.
15. Kim Duke: Sales Divas @SalesDiva
Kim’s specialty is helping women become more successful at selling. However, even if you’re a guy, you’ll get ideas that will help. I’ll warn you up front: Kim is very direct.
16. Daniel Waldschmidt: Edge of Explosion @DanWaldo
Daniel posts some amazing insights. His approach is somewhat unorthodox and in-your-face but that’s one of his endearing characteristics. He is one of the most energetic and creative people I know.
17. Butch Bellah: Sales Power Tips @SalesPowerTips
I had never heard of Butch until I joined Twitter but his advice is direct and on point. Plus it makes sense.
18. Gerhard Gschwandtner: Selling Power Magazine @Gerhard20
Intelligent, insightful & thoughtful tweets and blog posts. Would you expect otherwise from the publisher of national sales magazine?
19. Ron Karr: Karr & Associates @RonKarr
Ron is another guy I had never heard of until I joined Twitter. He posts practical information and the short videos he has on his website are worth watching.
There you have it. The top sales tweeters I follow. If you’re serious about improving your sales you should follow them too.
