How to Turn Off Potential Clients Online

The main reason why car salespeople have such a bad reputation is because we as consumers hate being sold to.

Have you ever noticed how a sale goes much smoother when you’re actually active in the process and prepared to handle it?

Take for example a time when you wanted to buy a new computer. You went to Best Buy, marched into the computer department and started looking at the difference between all of the available models. When it was time for the sales representative to approach you, you actually didn’t cringe. Why? Because you were prepared, you were ready for it…the sales process was welcome and you were expecting the money conversation to happen.

As a business owner working to market and sell your business online you need to avoid developing a poor reputation. The last thing you want to do is be blocked or reported. So instead of coming across too strong online, develop a style that is conducive to future conversations and or sales.

We’ve all seen it happen….the unwelcome Facebook post on your business page telling you to come to their page and like theirs too. Then there’s the constant promotion of their stuff and every Facebook post is a promo and every tweet is an ad.

How about when someone “friends” you on Facebook and then the next minute they send you an invitation to “like” their page and a lengthy Facebook message all about why they can help you? It turns you off doesn’t it?

The problem with these techniques is that it’s social media cold calling – there’s no warm up period and the hidden agenda is completely visible. It makes you cringe when someone tries to sell to you without you giving them permission to do so doesn’t it?

There’s a much better way to sell on social media and it’s as simple as cultivating relationships.

That’s it all it really is.

So don’t constantly promote your stuff – do it about 20-30% of the time.

Get to know people on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn – take the connection offline and have a conversation.

Never post a link to your page on someone else’s page unless they’ve invited you to do so – it’s simply not cool!

Can you see the importance of social media sales etiquette? It absolutely makes a difference to your bottom line.

How do you feel about “selling” online? What do you see works and doesn’t work? Got any suggestions or techniques you’d like to share? Feel free to share them on my blog here.