Social Media for B2B Sales – The 16 Rules of Engagement

Are you ready to become active in social media as part of your B2B sales effort? You need to be aware that, just like any sport, there are rules. If you are preparing to go into battle, and selling is a highly competitive contact sport (maybe even a blood sport), there are always specific rules of engagement. These rules, and you learned most of them in kindergarten, are designed to maximize your chances for success. Here we go!

Be real. You don’t need eyes and ears to spot a phony. Be yourself!
Be honest. This includes the avoidance of “puffing”.
Demonstrate a little humility. There is only one person in the world who thinks you are all that and the center of the universe. You see him or her every morning in your mirror. O.K., maybe two others … your mother and your dog.
Show respect. This includes being respectful of others’ needs, their opinions, and their time.
Be polite. Please and thank you are still in the dictionary although they are no longer widely in use. I looked them up just to be sure.
Give credit where credit is due. Plagiarists need not apply.
Attract others, don’t interrupt. Are you the person who walks into a cocktail party, finds a group of folks who are involved in a discussion and then, without thought, you immediately insert yourself into that discussion? You may or may not get away with this in real life but, in social media, everyone has a convenient reject button which is generally referred to as a mouse.
Don’t be a jerk. This includes being mean spirited, arrogant, and self-absorbed.
It’s o.k. to promote, and levels for this will vary by network, just don’t do it constantly. That is called spam and it is not the same as the luncheon meat with a recognized popularity in Hawaii.
You are more than your business. Show others that side of you.
Be interesting. Interesting people have a tendency to attract other interesting people. 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!