(Originally posted over at Kula Partners. We'd love it if you subscribed!)
I had the pleasure of speaking last week at the December meeting of the Professional Sales Council here in Halifax. They were a great group - lots of fantastic questions, lovely conversation, etc. This got me thinking a bit about the use of social media by sales people and, more broadly, by sales organizations.
Of course, not all sales gigs are the same. Many of the people I know who make their living in sales are on the more technical / consultative side of the “sales game”. Which is to say, they do not position themselves as someone you buy from simply because they have access to a range of products or services. Rather, they want you to buy from them because they have a certain expertise - they know more about these products and services and how they should be used.
It seems to me that if this is the kind of sales you’re in, you should most likely have a blog. Integrate it with your sales efforts... direct prospects and clients to it... give of your knowledge and expertise... overall, choose to lead. It will pay dividends more than you know. And, since many sales folks tend to move around a bit, it’s a nice way of ensuring that you’re building your own brand as well as that of your current employer.
Further, if you manage a sales organization, you should be thinking seriously about a corporate social media presence that includes your sales professionals each blogging about their particular area of expertise. So many industries are ripe for this sort of leadership.
