Like a number of women who have enjoyed success in sales, I have built my career in tech sales by using social media to be more successful. What’s interesting about the four pillars of social selling is they also happen to be something that either provide an edge to women in the industry or that women are particularly skilled at.
Establishing a digital presence
Now that social media has ushered in the age of a digital presence, a successful salesperson has to build a presence the right way. Women have an edge in this area, showing they can successfully leverage social media as a channel to demonstrate how they help customers solve their business problems and achieve their goals as opposed to pure self-promotion.
A salesperson’s digital presence shouldn’t be a resume. It needs to be optimized for the buyer and focused on how he or she can improve the business outcomes of the customer. Your digital presence is an extension of yourself and social media is a useful tool to increase success. At the risk of sounding stereotypical, most women are more comfortable putting the spotlight away from them and focusing on what is relevant and helpful to the buyer. This is simply an area where women shine.
ABC – always be connecting
Traditionally, “ABC” in sales has stood for “always be closing.” In my world, ABC stands for “always be connecting.” These days, your social network is your professional network. I am always actively building my network and having a strong digital presence that is focused on demonstrating my business acumen, my subject matter expertise and my ability and desire to help others allows me to do that successfully. This takes time, just like networking in person, however it’s time spent on my terms —
I don’t even have to get dressed to do it. I can do it at home while my kids are sleeping.
While this may seem like a stereotype or generalization, data shows that women still spend a disproportionate amount of hours on tasks at home compared to their male partners. Women professionals with children have less time to attend networking or social events, or take on additional projects in the office that might get them exposure to other opportunities. Social media provides a way for women to bridge that gap, allowing them to “attend” an event via the hashtag while they’re at home or on the run. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, you can be building your personal brand, building your network and sharing valuable content.
Content is currency
No one wants to be pushed or oversold, but everyone wants help. Content is the currency of the modern sales professional. Just like numbers are numbers, there is no gender bias blocking a woman from finding great content that would be interesting to her buyers and sharing it on her digital platforms. My best mentors don’t even know they’re mentoring me because I’m learning from them on a daily basis simply because of what they put out in the social web.
Listen first
The best salespeople don’t sell, they help someone buy. Instead of jamming the sales process down someone’s throat and closing the deal just to close it, it’s more important to listen and figure out if who you’re talking to is a viable customer and a ready buyer. The perception has always been that women are generally better listeners – at work, in relationships, at home. Social media has provided an incredible platform for women to be present with their customers and make them feel like they are being heard. Listening on social media and using that information to better serve the customers is something women excel at.
Buying has changed more in the past decade than it did in the previous 100 years. Social media is a huge part of that. Tech advances, the influx of millennials in the workforce and
the gradual rise of women in leadership are allowing sales organizations to adapt and evolve to suit the modern buyer. It’s no longer buyer beware, but seller beware and women have the ability to lead the charge.
Jill Rowley is a social selling evangelist and marketing consultant. Follow her on Twitter @jill_rowley.
