Sales Savvy

In Part 1, I talked about social etiquette in a personal setting and used the analogy that social media is like attending a school reunion.  In a professional setting, social networking is a bit like attending a cocktail party–we may have a business agenda, but subtlety is key.

1. If your goal is to make meaningful connections, learn the art of conversation. Pretend you are standing next to the cheese platter or shrimp tray and get to know the other person. Engage in a way that shows you are interested in them–ask questions, comment on things they said or did, establish common ground, share information, share their information with your following, etc.
2. People like to connect with interesting people. Be authentic. Let people know what you’re passionate about without being overbearing.
3. Have you ever been to a party where you partially disengage from the conversation because you’re thinking about your exit plan?  Don’t become the person that everybody wants to abandon—even in a social network. 
4. Self promotion–there’s a delicate balance here. It’s a proper medium for personal marketing and yet participants who blatantly overstep the line of self promotion are often tuned out or no longer followed. Don’t be the salesman at the cocktail party who starts off with “So tell me, do you have life insurance?”
5. Share your own thoughts or ideas. You wouldn’t go to a cocktail party and only quote famous dead people, right? People might look at you funny.  If your primary contribution is to quote famous people, it makes us think you have nothing original to say and you don’t mind wasting our time.
6. If your thing is to be politically incorrect, then be politically incorrect—but find the right audience. For everyone else, ice breakers don’t include asking a CEO about the details of his corporate scandal. Especially if you intend to parlay that into a meaningful conversation or networking opportunity. Anytime you reach out to somebody, make it purposeful and relevant—to them.
7. The equivalent of eye contact in social media is to directly respond to people who are including you or reaching out to you. Use good eye contact.
8. There are hand shakers and there are huggers at cocktail parties. When you first meet someone, you’re not likely to hug  them…So in the social media realm, make that initial engagement meaningful and professional. Social networking breeds collaboration but the recipient must understand your potential value.
9. Remember the low talker from the Seinfeld episode? There are also LOUD talkers at cocktail parties—people who dominate the conversation and aren’t really concerned with your contribution. They tend to end their sentences with “Am I right? Am I right? You know I’m right!” Believe it or not in the realm of MILLIONS of people you can be the LOUD talker—don’t spam your followers. 
10. Good hosts—and guests–make introductions to encourage the flow of conversation. Reciprocity is a living component of social networks, offer to make connections and introductions.