by Wes Schaeffer
The late, great Zig Ziglar always taught the ABCs of selling as “Always Be Closing.” When he began teaching that model he was right. The economy was booming. The internet was a secret. And Mark Zuckerberg wasn’t born. Tight wallets, streaming internet and open connections have changed the selling landscape.
Today, the #1 ABC of selling is: Always Be Connecting – Since cavemen drew on walls humans have sought to connect with other humans. Before broadcast radio and television, which drove us back into our suburban “caves” to consume whatever the broadcasters wanted us to hear, communities met at the town square, the general store, the local saloon or the community church to share news, gossip, a good joke or a recipe and CONNECT.
With the high speed internet, social media and smartphones, we are now infinitely, intimately and ceaselessly connected. So are you making it easy and beneficial for prospects to connect with and learn your side of the story?
A firm handshake, nice smile, and an “alternate of choice” close is no longer sufficient to win the confidence and trust of a prospect who is not only NOT in front of us, but may be better-informed and may literally be in another country and considering options you’ve never even heard of. (As I write this I’m working with two new Australian, one Canadian and an East Coast client this week alone!)
But you’re in luck. Data and information are not wisdom. A flat screen and an ergonomic keyboard cannot transfer the feeling of confidence, which is all selling is, like the reassuring answer of an attentive, professional, caring (yes, I said caring) sales person.
So make it easy for prospects to not only connect with you but to build a connection with you from across the street or across the ocean. A few musts include:
- Create a free report that answers the real questions your prospects want to know.
- Record videos that answer their questions while they get to know you. Most smartphones record in HD and it’s free to upload them to YouTube and link to it or embed it in your blog.
- Create thorough, active profiles where your prospects are hanging out such as LinkedIn, Google+, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, New MySpace (it’s coming back), etc.
- Create a LinkedIn and/or Facebook Group and foster dialogue and open communication so people can connect under your “umbrella” and get their questions answered.
- Be human in your connections. Add yourself into your work and prepare to be amazed at how your business will grow.
Wes Schaeffer has been selling to human beings since 1994. In 2006 he started The Sales Whisperer® to teach other humans to do the same. An Infusionsoft Consultant since 2008, Wes thrives on training, consulting, and writing to help small businesses grow.
@saleswhisperer