Use Social Media To Improve Sales

In addition to traditional methods of selling such as cold calls and direct marketing, social media offers yet another platform to sell. So, how can you use social media effectively to help your products fly off the shelves? First, establish your online presence. You can do this by optimizing all of your social networks and defining your brand. Once you have an online brand, you can establish yourself as an expert in your field or industry. You want to be a leader in your field and actively engage with others on social media.

(Curated from Pittsburgh Business Times)

"The best leaders in social media attract the best following of people because they contribute the most. You must learn to be highly engaged, positioned as a thought leader and trusted as an authority figure in your business." 

Listening is a key aspect of marketing, even online marketing. So, your next step will help you find your voice as an expert in your field because it involves 'listening' to other experts. You can 'listen' by reading and viewing the content of others and then responding, commenting, and sharing that content. This demonstrates engagement and will establish you as a community member. It's like online networking where you can build relationships with other people in your industry.

"Set a personal, daily goal for making new contacts on the social network that is most appropriate for you. People do business with people they like and trust. Focus on building rapport instead of being the pesky salesperson pitching his stuff from the first minute he shows up on the network. Nobody likes this person."

Social selling is a skill worth developing because it connects people all over the world and will increase the size of your audience. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ allow users to measure data easily as well. Data measurements will help you develop a more effective online marketing strategy. Does your startup do social selling? Leave a comment and let us know!

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