Social Media For B2B Salespeople? Really?

Please note – Over the past year I have been honored to be a monthly contributor at Windmill Networking. This begins a series of article excerpts that were originally published at that site. Please be sure to follow the link at the end of the excerpt to read the rest of the article over at Windmill and, while you are there, please take a look around and connect with the other great authors that you can find there!

I sure hope so! In fact, since I’ve done nothing but B2B sales since 1977, I’m counting on it! First let me say that I am very excited to have been invited by Neal to be a regular contributor to this site! The best way to start with this topic may be to review a few of those things that are most important to B2B sales professionals. They want to:

Find new opportunities and new customers – keep their pipelines full with qualified prospects.
Improve their closing ratios and keep their sales figures (and commissions) well above goal.
Develop closer relationships with existing clients to the point where they rise above “vendor” status and become a part of the company “team” themselves as trusted advisors.
Get more business, and referrals, from existing clients.
Understand their prospective customers, their interests, and their buying habits.
Discover new opportunities and ways to engage with both prospects and customers.

This monthly Social Media for B2B Sales column will focus on these primary areas (and more) and how social media can assist the B2B salesperson in achieving these goals. I prefer the term “social business.” The funniest thing is that most B2B salespeople that I know are not yet active with social business. Why? Their reasons are many. “I don’t have time.” “It won’t work for me because … well, it won’t work for me.” “My clients are not using social media so what good would it be for me to use it?” “It’s a waste of my time!” These are all valid questions and concerns. I know because these were the very same questions I asked myself 3 or 4 years ago. I was quick to dismiss that which I did not understand. What I failed to consider at the time, but innately understood, was that I needed to expand my network beyond my traditional circles and then get to know these new people. I also needed to establish my expertise, and make it visible to, those who did not know me. In salespersons’ terminology, I needed a larger territory in which to hunt and one that was abundant with fresh game. Read on 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!