DEMYSTIFYING SOCIAL MEDIAHOW TO USE IT THE RIGHT WAY TO POWER YOUR SALES PROCESS

Wheaton Business Innovation Center/ May 12, 2011

Andrew Rudin,Managing Principal, Outside Technologies, Inc.Certified Social Media Strategist

www.outsidetechnologies.com

703.371.1242 (mobile)arudin@outsidetechnologies.comwww.xeesm.com/andyrudin

Thank you for taking time from your day to be here!

Outside Technologies, Inc.

Sales strategy and execution since 2001

• Expert in sales risk management

• Social Selling (Sales2.0)

Strategies and best practices

If I took time out of my day to attend this meeting, which outcomes or results would be most important to me? Know how to solve a persistent

problem or challenge in a new way Strategies and tactics that provide

me a competitive advantage Skills I can apply to a broad range of

selling situations

Key Problem to Solve

How to create and execute sales strategy in a changing social, technological, and communications landscape.

Key Questions to ask

1. What value must sales contribute to my (our) organization?

2. What must occur in order for that to happen? 3. How can I connect emerging strategic opportunities with

day-to-day operations? 4. How do I learn about specific consumers' desires, skills,

and behaviors such that I can help create better products and buying experiences for them?

5. What changes do we need to make in the way we manage our human capital?

6. Are we prepared for working across cultures and time zones in a seamless global network?

Opportunities and Risks

Trust and Rapport Build rapport Build trust Be credible Listen and understand Be transparent (open)

Accessibility Build community (reach) Be approachable (findable) Connect with individuals (engagement)

Value Be valuable Advocate, persuade, and enable others to do so Be current (information flow) Be clear Be different Appeal to ego and emotion

Mission Critical? Blogs Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn SlideShare Others

Build rapport

Build trust

Build engagement

Be credible

Listen and understand

Be transparent

Build community

Be approachable

Connect with people (not "targets")

Be valuable

Be persuasive

Be current

Be clear

Be different

Appeal to ego and emotion

Without Strategy and Context, Social Media is not worth the effort!

Social Media Strategy Models

http://www.socialmedia-academy.com/index.php/resources/methodologies/

Avoid these pitfalls . . .

You can NOT “automate” your customer communication through social media

Social media is NOT just another channel to blast out your message

You can’t outsource the “social media thing” because you cannot outsource your relationships

If you have no time to personally and individually engage with your customers, partners and influencers, social media is completely useless, maybe even counter productive

Thinking tactically, not systematically . . .

Make it a habit to:

• Let your connections know what you are doing• Let your connections know on what other places and spaces you are

active• Always Tweet or otherwise communicate about everything you post

or comment on• Always use a signature on your posts and comments• Put your social web connections in your email signature• Have a touch point with your connection at least once a week one

way or the other

1. Do you know where your customers hang out?

2. Do you know who the opinion leaders are?3. Do you understand what their overall

challenges are? 4. Do you know what their challenges with your

products and services are? 5. Do you know who in your organization can

help the customers be more successful? 6. Do you know who in your social network can

help your customers to be more successful? 7. Do you know the most important details

about your direct customers?8. Do you know your competitors customers?

Do you have a way to help your competitors customers?

9. Do you know who of your existing customers can help your competitors customers?

Additional Questions to ask . . .

Thanks !

Questions?