(By Alec Drake) We jumped headfirst into remote work over two years ago, and the top-half view on Zoom meetings changed what business casual meant for everyone. Not only did dress standards morph in the remote work environment, but communication became more relaxed, with our personal life and business hours blending.
The pervasive use of mobile devices for all aspects of communication, entertainment, socializing, and conducting business has changed communication protocols. We can miss clues on the prospecting journey in this expanding digital world.
Remember, someone can check you out on other social platforms before responding to your connection request on LinkedIn. Your appearance visually and the content posted on social media should be thoughtful and appropriate.
What ramifications regarding sales communications and professionalism should we manage differently in a hybrid technology-driven work environment?
Social Platform Time Shifts
The average person might check their LinkedIn account three or four times weekly. In sales, we might be on LinkedIn daily and assume our prospects are too. From Twitter to Facebook to Instagram, etc., the activity levels can vary dramatically for our clients or prospects. Our prospecting effort to get attention and “connect” regardless of the platform can confuse communication styles and traction toward sales engagement.
The right approach combines common sense and professional behavior to balance the first meeting effort. If someone accepts your connection request on LinkedIn or follows you on Twitter, this is not an invitation to give a sales pitch immediately. Social platforms are vastly different from cold calling on the telephone, trying to get an appointment. If you get connected digitally, give them time to see what you post or tweet.
Additionally, see what your prospects do as you get notifications on their activity. Simultaneously, consider your content curation or posts and how they will be received. In the early stages of communication, remember to build credibility, trust, and professional standing with a prospect.
The Instant Feedback Loop
Typical behavior patterns on social media include checking likes, comments, and posts. The social platforms are focused on you spending more time viewing, and for some users, it can become addictive and productive time lost. Another side effect of too much time on these platforms is instant gratification for your actions.
Selling has always had a tempo (sales cycle) from initial contact to close. Watch out for your impatience in building sales momentum on these digital platforms and pushing prospects to engage due to little or no response. You should use various contact options like emails, texts, IMs, and social connections to develop the right balance when prospecting.
Takeaways:
- How we communicate in business has changed dramatically, and a more significant portion of our contact is on smartphones using abbreviated messaging. Stay professional, and do not become too relaxed in prospecting or customer service.
- Business protocols exist when prospecting on social media platforms and using these same platforms for customer interactions. Even LinkedIn, which skews business in content, has seen lines blurred for what is posted, which requires judgment on how you present yourself in sales.
- Manage expectations and consider the sales cycle for your products. Once you contact a prospect in the digital space, carefully plan your prompts for a first meeting or when to push out sales content. Your social impact with content is more critical in the early stages of a sales relationship, when you want to build trust.
Alec Drake is the President of Drake Media Group, a revenue management consulting company. You can contact Alec at [email protected], at 214-529-2007 or through his website at Alecdrake.com.
