{"id":113,"date":"2015-07-29T22:55:08","date_gmt":"2015-07-29T22:55:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.candelalearning.com\/salesx17xmaster\/?post_type=chapter&p=113"},"modified":"2015-07-29T23:05:42","modified_gmt":"2015-07-29T23:05:42","slug":"how-to-start-off-on-the-right-foot","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/cerritos-sales-1\/chapter\/how-to-start-off-on-the-right-foot\/","title":{"raw":"How to Start Off on the Right Foot","rendered":"How to Start Off on the Right Foot"},"content":{"raw":"
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Learning Objective<\/h3>\r\n
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  1. Understand how to make contact with your prospect.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\nWhat is the worst pick-up line you\u2019ve ever heard? How did the person on the receiving end react? Chances are he or she was not very impressed. During a sales approach there are also certain opening lines to avoid\u2014and others that will be more successful. The following section offers some pointers (and reminders) that will give you the power to start the selling relationship off on the right foot.\r\n
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    During Every Sales Approach<\/h2>\r\nWhile sales approaches can vary widely depending on the selling situation, there are a few standards that always<\/em> apply.\r\n
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    Always Get the Customer\u2019s Name Right<\/h2>\r\nThere\u2019s nothing more off-putting in a sales approach than a salesperson misspelling or mispronouncing your name. If the salesperson can\u2019t be bothered to learn something as basic as your name, it sends the message that he doesn\u2019t care about you as a person, and it certainly gets the relationship off to a bad start. In e-mails, double check that the customer\u2019s name isn\u2019t misspelled or mistyped. For telephone or in-person approaches make sure you\u2019ve figured out how to pronounce the prospect\u2019s name during your preapproach research. Ask contacts who might know (a receptionist, for instance, or your referral source) if you are unsure. And if the prospect has a difficult name, and you can\u2019t get a confirmation on pronunciation, avoid using his name in your opening lines.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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    Always Listen<\/h2>\r\nAs sales consultants Andrew Sokol and Ike Krieger say, during a sales call, \u201cDon\u2019t be interesting; be interested.\u201d[footnote]Andrew Sokol and Ike Krieger, \u201cWhat to Say When You Meet a Prospect,\u201d video, ArticlesBase, http:\/\/www.businesssuccessbuilder.com<\/a> (accessed August 1, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span> In other words, don\u2019t try to impress your customer by spending a lot of time talking about your qualifications or how wonderful your company or product is; instead, show your prospect that you are genuinely interested in getting to know him and in understanding his needs. The only way you can do this is to listen. Ask questions and then let your customer do the talking. During in-person sales calls you should engage in active listening, which was discussed in Chapter 5 \"The Power of Effective Communication\". Show the customer that you are really listening by adopting a listening posture: look the customer in the eye and lean forward or incline your head while she\u2019s talking. In any sales approach you should restate the essential points your customer brings up, both to check for accuracy of understanding and to show that you are paying attention.[footnote]Edward Delgaizo and Seleste Lunsford, Secrets of Top Performing Salespeople<\/em> (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003), 54.[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n
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    Video Clip<\/h3>\r\nListening Power\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/_mzPPdU4AjY\r\n\r\nListening is called \u201cwhite magic,\u201d and it can help you be a successful salesperson. The best way to listen is to ask good questions and then listen to the answers. The person who is asking the questions has the control. Find out why by watching this video.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nListening is one of those skills that is easier said than done. While people naturally want to talk, they feel most appreciated when someone else is listening. That\u2019s when people open up and share their goals, wants, and needs. Salespeople are often known for their ability to talk, but it is listening that makes the best salespeople.\r\n
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    Video Clip<\/h3>\r\nThe 70\/30 Rule of Listening\r\n\r\nHear how author and sales trainer Shane Gibson learned about listening\u2026the hard way.\r\n\r\nhttp:\/\/www.salesvideopodcast.com\/mp4\/listening.mp4<\/a>\r\n
    \r\n\r\nSource: SalesVideoPodcast.com\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nYou might think about listening as something you do in person or on the telephone, but listening is also a strategy online. Author and sales trainer Shane Gibson has coined the term \u201cListening 2.0<\/span><\/span>\u201d to describe the need to \u201clisten\u201d to the online conversation before you begin broadcasting your message.\r\n
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    Link<\/h3>\r\nListening 2.0 Podcast\r\n\r\nIf you think social media are all about getting your message out, it\u2019s not that simple. This podcast provides effective ways to listen before you speak online.\r\n\r\nhttp:\/\/www.closingbigger.net\/2009\/10\/social-media-listening-strategy<\/a>\r\n
    \r\n\r\nSource: ClosingBigger.net\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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    Be Ready with Your Elevator Pitch<\/h2>\r\nHave you ever heard the term \u201celevator pitch<\/span><\/span>\u201d? It\u2019s a concise description of a product or service that should take no longer than an average elevator ride.[footnote]Aileen Pincus, \u201cThe Perfect (Elevator) Pitch,\u201d BusinessWeek<\/em>, June 18, 2007, http:\/\/www.businessweek.com\/careers\/content\/jun2007\/ca20070618_134959.htm<\/a> (accessed July 26, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span> Every salesperson has an elevator pitch for the product or service he is selling. That way, he can tell people about his product in under sixty seconds, and it\u2019s a perfect way to start a conversation or phone call and helps to make a good first impression. In fact, everyone from a CEO to an entrepreneur has an elevator pitch about her company to tell potential investors, shareholders, and other stakeholders. Most listeners don\u2019t have the time to hear all the details about a product or service in the first minutes of a conversation so the elevator pitch provides just enough information so the audience knows what he is talking about and wants to know more. In other words, \u201cAn elevator pitch is an overview of an idea, product, service, project, person, or other solution and is designed to just get a conversation started.\u201d[footnote]Chris O\u2019Leary, \u201cElevator Pitch 101,\u201d January 27, 2009, Elevator Pitch Essentials, http:\/\/www.elevatorpitchessentials.com\/essays\/ElevatorPitch.html<\/a> (accessed July 26, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n
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    Video Clip<\/h3>\r\nElevator Pitch\r\n\r\nWatch a business owner give her elevator pitch for her idea about green weddings on a business television show.\r\n\r\nhttp:\/\/www.blinkx.com\/video\/elevator-pitch-green-weddings\/XEE1QusdKnmWQRvx73KUnQ<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nYour elevator pitch comes in handy when you are making an approach on the phone or in person. It\u2019s the perfect opportunity to tell someone about your company and product or service in less than sixty seconds so that you can engage her in conversation. Remember, an elevator pitch isn\u2019t a sales presentation; it\u2019s simply a way to begin an interactive conversation and get to your ultimate goal\u2014a meeting with the decision maker.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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    Approaching by Telephone<\/h2>\r\nEstablishing rapport can be a challenging task when you make your approach by phone because you can\u2019t read your customer\u2019s body language or other visual cues, and she can\u2019t read yours. There is also the possibility that you will catch your prospect during a busy or inconvenient time. For telephone approaches, it\u2019s best to be brief and direct and to save small talk for your in-person meeting or for a later, scheduled phone call.\r\n
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    Do<\/em> Give Your Name and the Purpose of Your Call in the First Twenty Seconds[footnote]\u201cTips for Successful Cold Calling,\u201d AllBusiness, http:\/\/www.AllBusiness.com\/sales\/selling-techniques-telesales\/1355-1.html<\/a> (accessed May 16, 2010).[\/footnote]<\/span><\/h2>\r\nYour prospect will probably decide whether or not he is interested in what you have to say within the first twenty seconds of the call, so it\u2019s best to be direct and get this essential information across early on. You might say something like \u201cThis is Shamika Lorenz from Selling Solutions, a firm that specializes in helping businesses reduce their selling costs, and I\u2019m calling to let you know about an upcoming seminar for small business owners in your area.\u201d Such directness also conveys honesty and lets your prospect know that you won\u2019t waste his time.[footnote]Sharon Drew Morgan, \u201cThis is a Sales Call: How to Begin Prospecting Calls with Integrity,\u201d EzineArticles, http:\/\/ezinearticles.com\/?This-is-a-Sales-Call:-How-to-Begin-Prospecting-Calls-with-Integrity&amp;id=34073<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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    Do<\/em> Prepare a Script for Your Opening Statement<\/h2>\r\nBecause you want to get your prospect\u2019s attention in the first twenty seconds, it\u2019s important not to stumble over your words or sound like you are rambling. After you have given your name and the purpose of your call, offer a reference point based on your preapproach research. For example, \u201cI read that your start-up has recently opened a new downtown location.\u201d This will personalize your approach and help establish your credibility. Next, lead into a general benefit statement[footnote]Sharon Drew Morgan, \u201cThis is a Sales Call: How to Begin Prospecting Calls with Integrity,\u201d EzineArticles, http:\/\/ezinearticles.com\/?This-is-a-Sales-Call:-How-to-Begin-Prospecting-Calls-with-Integrity&amp;id=34073<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span> that will address your prospect\u2019s \u201cwhat\u2019s in it for me?\u201d question.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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    Do<\/em> Ask \u201cIs This a Good Time?\u201d<\/h2>\r\nKeep in mind that asking for permission helps build trust and allows the customer to feel like she is in control of the call.[footnote]Sharon Drew Morgan, \u201cThis is a Sales Call: How to Begin Prospecting Calls with Integrity,\u201d EzineArticles, http:\/\/ezinearticles.com\/?This-is-a-Sales-Call:-How-to-Begin-Prospecting-Calls-with-Integrity&amp;id=34073<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span> However, it\u2019s important to think about the way you phrase your question. It is always easier for people to say yes to a question than to say no, so when you open with something like \u201cDid I catch you at a bad time?\u201d all your customer has to do is agree with you (\u201cYes, this is a bad time.\u201d), and the call is effectively over. On the other hand, if you ask whether this is a good<\/em> time, a yes response will work in your favor.[footnote]Pieter Petoors, \u201cHow to Contact Your Prospect by Phone,\u201d Pieter\u2019s Blog, March 10, 2009, http:\/\/pietpetoors.com\/blog\/how-to-contact-your-prospect-by-phone<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span> Your customer is only likely to say no if this really is a bad time, and if that happens, you are well positioned to say \u201cI understand. Would Monday at 10:30 be a better time to talk?\u201d[footnote]Michael McGaulley, \u201cPhone Sales Skills: Your First Contact with the Prospect,\u201d Sales Training Source, 2009, http:\/\/ezinearticles.com\/?Phone-Sales-Skills---Your-First-Contact-With-the-Prospect&id=4068383<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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    Don\u2019t<\/em> Start Off by Asking, \u201cHow Are You Today?\u201d<\/h2>\r\nThis common greeting is one you probably use without thinking twice about it. But opening a sales call this way over the phone (when you are contacting a busy stranger who doesn\u2019t know why you have called) can be off-putting and will probably come across as insincere.[footnote]Joan Guiducci, \u201cThe First 7 Seconds of a Cold Call,\u201d AllBusiness, August 1, 1998, http:\/\/www.AllBusiness.com\/sales\/selling-techniques\/690353-1.html<\/a> (accessed May 16, 2010).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n
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    How to Get through Voice Mail to Get to the Right Person<\/h3>\r\nIf you are trying to get to the right person in a company and you are getting the voice mail runaround, use these simple steps:\r\n
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    1. Press \u201c0\u201d during the voice message to try to get to the operator.<\/li>\r\n\t
    2. Visit Gethuman.com to find out the \u201csecret\u201d to getting a human to answer the phone at over 1,200 companies.<\/li>\r\n\t
    3. Be cordial and professional to whoever answers the phone. He has the power to give you valuable information to get you to the person you want to talk to so engage him in conversation and thank him for his help.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Don\u2019t<\/em> Launch into Prolonged Explanations<\/h2>\r\nAs sales coach Sharon Drew Morgan says, \u201cYour prospect is obviously not sitting by the phone waiting for a call from you.\u201d[footnote]Sharon Drew Morgan, \u201cThis is a Sales Call: How to Begin Prospecting Calls with Integrity,\u201d EzineArticles, http:\/\/ezinearticles.com\/?This-is-a-Sales-Call:-How-to-Begin-Prospecting-Calls-with-Integrity&amp;id=34073<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span> You want to be personable when you call, but you also want to keep in mind that for busy decision makers, phone calls are interruptions, so the more business oriented the interruption, the better.[footnote]Michael McGaulley, \u201cPhone Sales Skills: Your First Contact with the Prospect,\u201d Sales Training Source, 2009, http:\/\/www.how-to-sell-your-better-mousetrap.com\/phone_sales_skills.html<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n
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      Video Clip<\/h3>\r\nThe Perfect Telephone Approach\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/HiHaVnBNtl0\r\n\r\nWatch this example of how to make an effective sales approach on the phone.\r\n
      \r\n\r\nSource: YouTube\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Leaving a Voice Mail Message<\/h2>\r\nSometimes it is difficult to reach the person by phone. Although it\u2019s a good idea to call back at different times of the day to see if you can catch the person, it is also a good idea to leave a short voice mail to introduce yourself, your company, a brief reason for your call, and when you will call back.\r\n
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      Video Clip<\/h3>\r\nEffective Voice Mail Messages\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/6cI0WlxwHFA\r\n\r\nLearn some tips for doing an effective approach via voice mail.\r\n
      \r\n\r\nSource: YouTube\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Approaching by E-mail<\/h2>\r\nWhile an e-mail approach is less personal than an in-person or telephone approach, it might be your best method, depending on the type of sale in which you are engaging. For instance, Internet marketing coach Sean Mize says of his business, \u201cI generate 2,000 subscribers via the Internet every single month, so to try to contact all those individuals by phone, unless I have a huge telemarketing room, would be absolutely impossible.\u201d[footnote]Sean Mize, \u201cWhat\u2019s the Most Effective First Contact with a Prospect\u2014Email or Phone?\u201d EzineArticles, http:\/\/ezinearticles.com\/?Whats-The-Most-Effective- First-Contact-With-A-Prospect---Email-Or-Phone?&amp;id=1206246<\/a> (accessed July 30, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span> Here are a few things to keep in mind.\r\n
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      Do<\/em> Write a Number of E-mails in Different Styles and Tones<\/h2>\r\nOnline marketing expert Daegan Smith suggests crafting about fifteen different e-mail templates so you can choose between them when you want to get in touch with a prospect.[footnote]Daegan Smith, \u201cHow to Contact Business Prospects, ArticlesBase, April 28, 2008, http:\/\/www.articlesbase.com\/communication-articles\/how-to-contact-business-prospects-398144.html<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span> You can think of it a little like building up your wardrobe so that you have different things you can wear on different occasions: you wouldn\u2019t wear the same clothes to a baseball game that you would wear to a business meeting. You also wouldn\u2019t send the exact same communication to all your prospects. The bottom line is that you want the e-mail to be as personal as possible.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Do<\/em> Send a Well-Written E-mail<\/h2>\r\nKeep in mind that an e-mailed sales approach is still a first impression, even though the communication doesn\u2019t involve any immediate contact. While the e-mail should be personal, it should be more formal than the personal e-mails you send to friends. You want to sound knowledgeable and credible, which means paying close attention to your word choice and style. Give the e-mail the same attention you would give to a business letter. This also means reading the e-mail several times before sending it to check for spelling and grammar mistakes, just as you would with any other business correspondence.[footnote]Daegan Smith, \u201cHow to Contact Business Prospects,\u201d ArticlesBase, April 28, 2008, http:\/\/www.articlesbase.com\/communication-articles\/how-to-contact-business-prospects-398144.html<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n
      \r\n

      Example of an Effective E-mail Approach<\/h3>\r\nHere is a sample e-mail used to approach prospects to hire the Acme Company to create a logo. This e-mail was reproduced with permission from The Writers For Hire Web site.[footnote]The Writers For Hire, Inc., \u201cSample Sales Emails: Personal Sales Email,\u201d http:\/\/www.thewritersforhire.com\/personal-sales-email.htm<\/a> (accessed July 27, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n
      \r\n\r\nFigure 9.5<\/span>\r\n\r\n\"image\"<\/a>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Do<\/em> Follow Up Persistently<\/h2>\r\nDon\u2019t get discouraged if you don\u2019t get a response to the first or second e-mail you send. In B2B sales, it often takes about twelve e-mails before contacts reply, so be persistent.[footnote]Daegan Smith, \u201cHow to Contact Business Prospects,\u201d ArticlesBase, April 28, 2008, http:\/\/www.articlesbase.com\/communication-articles\/how-to-contact-business-prospects-398144.html<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span> If your prospect doesn\u2019t respond right away, it doesn\u2019t mean that he isn\u2019t interested in what you have to offer\u2014just assume that he is a busy person with plenty of other distractions that come across his desk every day. If you continue to send your e-mails regularly, eventually the message will register on your prospect\u2019s \u201cradar screen.\u201d Of course, you don\u2019t want your e-mails to be an annoyance either, so consider including an \u201cunsubscribe\u201d option somewhere in the body of the message for the prospects who truly aren\u2019t interested so that they can request to be removed from your e-mail list.[footnote]Sean Mize, \u201cWhat\u2019s the Most Effective First Contact with a Prospect\u2014Email or Phone?\u201d EzineArticles, http:\/\/ezinearticles.com\/?Whats-The-Most-Effective-First-Contact-With-A-Prospect---Email-Or-Phone?&id=1206246<\/a> (accessed July 30, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Don\u2019t<\/em> Send E-mails That Look Like Templates<\/h2>\r\nAgain, the goal is to make your e-mails as personal as you can. If you have a number of e-mails drafted, select the one that seems most appropriate to the specific prospect(s) you want to target, and include your prospect\u2019s name in the heading and body of the e-mail.[footnote]Daegan Smith, \u201cHow to Contact Business Prospects,\u201d ArticlesBase, April 28, 2008, http:\/\/www.articlesbase.com\/communication-articles\/how-to-contact-business-prospects-398144.html<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span> This will set your message apart from the average, impersonal \u201cjunk\u201d e-mail that people get regularly.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Approaching through Online Social Networks<\/h2>\r\nIn some cases you will be able to leverage your online social network to approach a prospect. For instance, if you are a Web site designer and you attend a Webinar on increasing Internet traffic to business\u2019s homepages, the other Webinar participants are potential prospects, and you might decide to contact them and ask to be added to their LinkedIn networks. If you are not familiar with using LinkedIn, you might find it helpful to review the videos in Chapter 3 \"The Power of Building Relationships: Putting Adaptive Selling to Work\".\r\n
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      Video Clip<\/h3>\r\nHow to Make Your Approach on a Social Network\r\n\r\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/IKqsFKLOGqE\r\n\r\nLearn how social networking can help you make an effective sales approach.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\nCompanies are also increasingly using social networks as a budget-friendly way to allow prospects to approach them<\/em>.[footnote]Leslie Hamp, \u201c5 Steps to Effective Business Social Networking,\u201d Social Networking News, July 9, 2009, http:\/\/socialnetworkingnewstoday.com\/<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n
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      Power Selling: Lessons in Selling from Successful Brands<\/h3>\r\nSocial Networking Transformation\r\n\r\nFor PJA Advertising & Marketing, entry into the social networking world has transformed the way the company interacts with customers on every level. Phil Johnson, one of PJA\u2019s senior managers, says, \u201cNow our social media activities involve almost everyone who works here and touch almost every aspect of agency life.\u201d Early on, the company\u2019s vice president of business development used LinkedIn to connect with PJA\u2019s prospects and current customers, and today PJA uses LinkedIn in combination with Twitter, Facebook, and links through YouTube and Flickr to approach new customers and direct potential prospects to the company\u2019s Web site. The upshot? According to Johnson, it\u2019s working. The benefit of using social networks to reach prospects is that you can have greater transparency, he says. PJA might contact a prospect via LinkedIn and direct him to a YouTube video, which might then include a link to the company\u2019s Web page or Twitter account, so in the end the prospect gets a view of the agency from a number of sources. \u201cToday, when we walk into a capability meeting, the people we\u2019re talking to already have had a lot of exposure to our thinking and our personality,\u201d says Johnson.[footnote]Phil Johnson, \u201cTweeting Your Way to New Prospects,\u201d Advertising Age<\/em>, July 6, 2009, http:\/\/adage.com\/smallagency\/post?article_id=137730<\/a> (accessed May 16, 2010).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Do<\/em> Make a Comment When You Add a Prospect as a New Friend<\/h2>\r\nAccording to marketing specialist Leslie Hamp, even something as simple as \u201cI noticed we were on the Webinar together, and I\u2019d like to add you as my friend,\u201d will work.[footnote]Leslie Hamp, \u201c5 Steps to Effective Business Social Networking,\u201d Social Networking News, July 9, 2009, http:\/\/socialnetworkingnewstoday.com\/<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span> The point is that you want to give your approach a personal touch. If you just go out and friend all your prospects without making the effort to engage with them, they might not accept your friend request in the first place, and even if they do accept, they may wonder who you are and how you found them. Or worse, they may soon forget about you altogether. You can think of the networking tool as a facilitator, something that gives you the opportunity to connect, but it is still up to you to do the work of socially interacting and leveraging your connections.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Do<\/em> Aim for Quality over Quantity<\/h2>\r\nThere are so many new and interesting social media programs available that it can be tempting to join multiple sites; but if you are a member of more than two or three social networks at one time, you will probably find your efforts spread too thin. You can get the most out of your social networking by focusing on regular contributions to the few networks of which you are a member, rather than by trying to maintain your profile and connections on a number of sites.[footnote]Leslie Hamp, \u201c5 Steps to Effective Business Social Networking,\u201d Social Networking News, July 9, 2009, http:\/\/socialnetworkingnewstoday.com\/<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Do<\/em> Contribute to the Community<\/h2>\r\nIn social networking situations, just as in face-to-face interactions, you want to build a good rapport by earning the trust and respect of your customers and colleagues. This means considering ways you can participate in and contribute to the online community, rather than simply using the social networking sites to promote yourself or your product. As virtual office administrator Sue Canfield says, \u201cSocial networking needs to be about building relationships\u2014not primarily about self-promotion.\u201d[footnote]Sue Canfield, \u201cSocial Networking Can Work for Your Business,\u201d Chief Virtual Officer, May 12, 2009, http:\/\/chiefvirtualofficer.com\/blog\/2009\/05\/12\/social-networking-can-work-for-your-business\/<\/a> (accessed May 16, 2010).[\/footnote]<\/span> For instance, if you decide to start participating in a news-related social networking site like Digg.com (where people post links to and comments about news stories), start rating and commenting on other users\u2019 postings before you begin bookmarking your content there.[footnote]Sudarmaji Lamiran, \u201cHow to Quickly and Easily Leverage Social Media to Build a Big List,\u201d Social Networking News, July 13, 2009, http:\/\/socialnetworkingnewstoday.com\/<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Don\u2019t<\/em> Let Your Language Get Sloppy<\/h2>\r\nAs with e-mail approaches, pay attention to your language. Use a higher level of formality when you contact business prospects than you would use when you send social networking messages to your friends; avoid slang (like \u201cu\u201d for \u201cyou\u201d or \u201cbtw\u201d for \u201cby the way\u201d).[footnote]Leslie Hamp, \u201c5 Steps to Effective Business Social Networking,\u201d Social Networking News, July 9, 2009, http:\/\/socialnetworkingnewstoday.com\/<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n
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      Don\u2019t<\/em> Make a Sales Pitch<\/h2>\r\nEven though a social-network approach looks different from an in-person or over-the-phone approach, the purpose is the same\u2014establishing rapport, building trust, and helping your customer discover needs and opportunities\u2014so avoid making your sales pitch during your initial contact. For instance, returning to the example of the Web site design specialist, assume you added ten of your fellow Webinar participants to your social network. Maybe your company has made a short YouTube video that offers advice on incorporating blogging capabilities into business Web sites, so you send a message and link to your ten new contacts: \u201cI thought you might be interested in this video.\u201d In the video\u2019s description on YouTube, you can post a link to your company Web site or blog where you make a direct sales pitch. This way you are offering your prospects valuable information without coming across as pushy. If a prospect is interested in pursuing your services, he has the resources to follow up on his own.[footnote]Leslie Hamp, \u201c5 Steps to Effective Business Social Networking,\u201d Social Networking News, July 9, 2009, http:\/\/socialnetworkingnewstoday.com\/<\/a> (accessed August 2, 2009).[\/footnote]<\/span>\r\n
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      Approaching Your Prospect through Social Networking: Do<\/em>s and Don\u2019t<\/em>s<\/h3>\r\nUse the Following Tips to Make Social Networking More Effective for Your Sales Approach\r\n