Social media has and will continue to have a strong impact on the way we interact with one another —one popular business networking site is reporting growth at a rate of two new users per second—but also as a provider of essential insights to prospects, clients and the competition.
Organizations employing best practices often integrate social media- and other Web-based search tools within their CRM systems in order to receive the latest up-to-date status of the prospect or client. In terms of active clients, sellers gain a leading edge from these resources by having access to sometimes essential information—which can then be used as a Valid Business Reason to make that next important face-to-face or telephone interaction so crucial for maintaining a customer-focused relationship.
Staying ahead of the curve means knowing not only what’s working, but what’s working better. For instance, some LinkedIn members may not have yet ventured past the basic features that are available within the site’s search function. The basic (and free) entry-level membership offers a range of helpful information for researching that all-important executive. By using the “Advanced Search” feature and then refining your search to “sales vice president” or “CEO” for the company or market segment you are looking for, you can instantly create a list of people who may have influence over an opportunity you are pursuing.
If you aren’t already employing social media—with the unprecedented amount of information and tools it offers for investigating current and potential opportunities—you are already behind the curve.
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