10 Things You Hate About Selling That You Will Love About Social Sales

As someone who has spent his entire professional career in B2B sales (since 1977), there have always been things that I love about the business (money, independence, competition) and things that I don’t (cold calling, not knowing enough about my customer, doors slammed in my face). Regardless, having a “thick skin” has always been a critical mental trait for any successful B2B salesperson and not having that quality is what keeps many from joining the profession and even more from surviving it.

As an adjective, the term “social”, and particularly when applied to sales, encompasses a wide breadth of definitions. Selling has always been social in nature. Relationship Selling is based on social elements. Social also implies, and correctly so, a personal connection that goes beyond internet engagement and encourages us to take our relationships to the status of “IRL” (in real life). Therefore, in the course of our discussions, we will also inject certain living and breathing observations as suggestions that will complement their electronic cousins.

In order to really appreciate social sales, we will discuss our “10 Things to Love” in the context of “10 Things We Hate” about selling …

I hate making cold calls! I spent the last 5 years of my sales career doing nothing but selling (the other 30 years were in management and ownership). I worked on straight commission (my choice) and never made a single cold call. Instead, I worked my network. This was well before social sales. If I look at that scenario today, with my new network in place and building … it’s mind-boggling! Who likes cold calling anyway? If you say “me”, I will be forced to question either your veracity or your sanity Social has the ability to turn every cold call into, at the very least, a warm call! Read on at Maximize Social Business

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Craig M. Jamieson

Managing Member at Adaptive Business Services

Craig M. Jamieson is a lifelong B2B salesperson, manager, owner, and a networking enthusiast. Adaptive Business Services provides solutions related to the sales professional. We are a Nimble CRM Solution Partner. Craig also conducts training and workshops primarily in social selling and communication skills. Craig is also the author of "The Small Business' Guide to Social CRM", now available on Amazon!