By CharTec Guest Blog 1

Sales is something every organization needs. Here at CharTec, we strive to make sure sales people are extremely well trained. Sales is a profession — one that requires reading, training, and constant learning. “This isn’t something you’re born with; you have to train to become a great salesperson, just like any other profession,” says Alex Rogers, CEO of CharTec.

He is right. A sales professional should always be learning and evolving his/her sales tactics to make the sale in a changing economy. So, what does that mean to your sales staff in the digital age of selling? With software from ConnectWise to SalesForce, sales people are using technology to make their lives easier. So, where does social media fall into place with all of this? The correct answer may surprise you.

According to the Social Media and Sales Quota report from the A Sales Guy Consulting and Social Centered Selling, 50 percent of sales people surveyed spend between 5 percent to 10 percent of their time utilizing social media for sales. These sales people exceed quota 23 percent more often than non-social media users. Non-social media users also missed quota 15 percent more often than sales persons who were utilizing social media.

People are utilizing social media for networking, prospecting, research, referral building, and closing. What are you utilizing social media for in your sales team? Forbes Magazine gives you 5 steps for making a sale through social media:

Step 1: Join a community and create a persona– Utilize blogs, forums, and LinkedIn groups. You can always make a group and encourage people to join it! Make sure to have variety. You’re not going to get leads and prospects by only joining groups that focus on IT. Show your tech savvy knowledge in local and community groups. Dominate and be the expert people seek.

Step 2: Determine the best way to connect with prospects– If everyone your prospecting is on Twitter, guess what, you’d better be on Twitter! Make sure you’re connecting with prospects on the platforms that make sense.

Step 3: Connect– Be sure to individually connect with others around your community. Look through that pile of business cards from your last event and see who is on LinkedIn and other social networks and connect with them.

Step 4: Build a relationship– Now that you have connected, work on building that relationship. Give value, share information, invite to lunch… you know, the primary reason you have company credit cards and expense reports.

Step 5: Engage in a conversation– Work your network. If you have someone who knows another connection, ask for an introduction or utilize your network for referrals. Build the conversation (not generic, but meaningful), use Google stalking to its finest.

Use these 5 steps to spark your social media success! For more tips on sales and social media, we invite you to become a CharTec partner and attend one of our CharTec Academies.

Gabe Ulloa is interactive media and marketing event coordinator at CharTec, which offers HaaS, BDR and training services to MSPs. Monthly guest blogs such as this one are part of MSPmentor’s annual platinum sponsorship.