You probably have a job you go to each morning and return from each night, hoping you accomplished something in between.
As a social media and search marketing professional, I focus on starting productive, profitable conversations between people. When I successfully communicate how a person or business can merchandise a product or grow their audience, it’s a really terrific feeling. I can’t go to bed at night without knowing that I’ve made something happen.
…And then there’s Bill (names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent). Bill is a sales person who just doesn’t get it.
Social Media Sales FAIL
Let me begin this rant with a disclaimer: I am a former sales professional (I love it and have been successful in sales). That said, nothing pisses me off more than a poor sales job.
So back to Bill. I started getting calls from him at his faraway area code this week. The first voicemail he left me was a bit hard to understand. He mentioned the business he works for, but not what they do (it turns out he sells plaques for people who have articles published about themselves or their business). Bill did refer to a recent video resume article that was published in my local paper, but not how it pertained to why he was calling me. After a little rambling he says, ‘So call me back today at…”
Mistake #1: Never ask me to call you back, to invest my time, if I don’t understand the reason for doing so (Am I calling you back so you can make a sale, or help me in some way?).
Message deleted. I wasn’t surprised when Bill called back — I’m sure he has a sales quota and number of dials required each day. The sad thing is I can hear the disinterest in his voice. It sounds as though he’s about to fall asleep right there during the message.
Mistake #2: If you can’t get excited about your product, why should I?
Finally Bill leaves me a message, lucky number three, sounding very agitated that I have been so rude as not to have returned his call. “PLEASE CALL ME BACK AT…” Wow, now I’ve taken an emotional interest in not speaking or giving business to this person because they insinuated I owe them something.
Mistake #3: Time is the most valuable asset we have. Use mine wisely and I will gladly start a discussion with you. Show me your only concern is a one way transaction and you’ve tuned me out for good.
Sales is a tough gig and I appreciate how hard it is on some people. That said, I’ve seen the sales process from both sides. I hope the salespeople reading this post appreciate how critical it is to engage in two-way conversations, and to consider the needs, wants, and interests of prospective customers first. Otherwise you’ve lost the sale before the call is made.