You know how CNN overuses the “BREAKING NEWS” thing ad nauseum? Remember how ten days after that Malaysia Airlines flight went missing they’d lead in with the dramatic music and the breaking news logo to tell us that the plane still hadn’t been found? That’s pretty much where I am with the non-stop hype about Social Selling.
As much of an honor and as beneficial as it’s been being named a Forbes/KiteDesk Top Social Sales Influencer, and as cool as it sounds in my bio to say I’ve been dubbed “one of the top 30 social salespeople in the world,” it’s enough already with the social selling mania.
Don’t get me wrong. I am honored to be included in such great company and thankful for the recognition of what I’m contributing to the sales community at large. And social selling can be a powerful and helpful tool. But too many supposed gurus in the social selling arena are clearly spending way too much time reading their own press clippings. And they’ve taken their preaching way too far, pontificating to anyone that will listen that everything has changed. Nothing is the same. Nothing!
Well, I’ve got some BREAKING NEWS for those who think everything has changed: This morning, the sun still rose in the east. The Cubs are in last place in the NL Central. Vladimir Putin is still a liar. And just about every top-producing salesperson in every industry and every company is a master at the traditional aspects of selling that have always been critical for success.
Just in case that was too subtle, let me rephrase my point: Everything hasn’t changed. Social selling, just like Inbound Marketing, just like whatever will become the new hottest sales thing in 2015, is not the answer for all that ails in our profession.
A few years ago, I wrote something similar in New Sales. Simplified. addressing the multitudes drinking all the Kool-Aid the inbound marketing folks were serving up. And the same applies regarding the social selling fixation today:
Social Selling (or inbound marketing, or ____________ fill in the blank with the new hot or cool trending sales philosophy) is not a panacea. It’s not the be-all and end-all, or the second coming of sliced bread! These newer tools, approaches, methodologies are wonderful supplements to, but not replacements for, traditional prospecting and selling.
And please hear me: I love social selling. I’m a huge advocate. I certainly attribute much of the success of my book and my consulting practice to my own social efforts.
But, but, but…social is an “and,” not an “or.” It’s not social or traditional. It’s social and traditional selling.
I’m just getting started. Lots more to come from me on this topic in the near future. But if I’ve piqued your interest, I do have an invitation for you:
FREE Virtual Panel Thursday September 11th: Close the Year Strong with 8 Simple Sales Tips – No Fluff, No Theory – Real, Practical, Candid Tactics That Deliver Results.
2 pm Eastern, 1:00 where the cool people in the Midwest live, 11:00 on the Left Coast.
Hosted by Sean Burke of KiteDesk, with Matt Heinz (a marketing guru who truly gets sales), Tibor Shanto (one of my favorite Canadians, a sales genius, and a provocative prospecting expert) and me. We will share…
- More thoughts about social selling
- Practical ideas to get sales and marketing not just on the same team, but on the same page of the playbook
- Proven ideas and real-world, practical tips to help you close 2014 strong
Find more details and registration here: http://bit.ly/SmartSales
