Social Media Marketing Tips Straight from the Experts

Social media has changed the way marketing evolved over time, and especially these days, traditional marketing has become passé. Now, social media alters sales pitches into a “listen-pull-engage-then push” kind of style of pursuing. Here are some tips straight from the marketing gurus.

Richard Binhammer, Dell’s social media expert and go-to man, (https://plus.google.com/116558562366390541447/posts) said that marketing is not all about shoving material down into your prospective customer’s throats, but it is also about them and taking time to listen to what they have in mind and aligning yourself to where they stand. Traditional marketing is about you “pushing the message.” Social media marketing changes all that; begin by listening, pulling, engaging, then the last part will be pushing.

By that time, you have already established relationship and trust, which is important in any sales and marketing endeavor. Then that’s the time you push—you already earned their trust so you offer your products and solutions to them minus the hard selling.

Binhammer also said that Dell delivers sales offers, information and news, however, only to their sales leads and customers that asked for it.  He also added that Dell had specific methodologies on making use of online social platforms like Twitter and Facebook in marketing. Plus, the best thing by far about social media is that it enables you to interact “more strongly, in a more real way.’’

Meanwhile, Valerie Khoo, founder of The Sydney Writers’ Centre, said that collecting a database of contacts is the most effective method in initiating one’s marketing campaign.  She also stated that “You’re in total control on how much time you spend.’’

Khoo also added that you have to learn the most fundamental thing in social media marketing if you want gather leads—that is, if you are not looking for means to gather contact details through your site, “then you’re nuts.”

After that, it’s time to get in touch with your prospects or contacts the same way you promised them—may it be via email newsletters or by way of another form. Blogging is one efficient technique in terms of how to engage a target audience. Nevertheless, Khoo said that writing content might not be of interest to all. She suggested that just the same with anybody, you have to do something which you enjoy. For instance, if you know that you dislike blogging or any kind of writing, then you might as well look for someone to do the blogging on your behalf.

Ciaran McGuigan, published author, one of Australia’s sales experts and Director of Strike rnForce Sales (http://www.strikeforcesales.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=15), said that he promotes small companies to let their sales teams work it on the phones. This is because although emails are good, they never generate “real-life conversation.”

McGuigan is a believer of a “10 before 10” rule when it comes to sales. That’s the secret he wants to share if you want to “triple your sales.” How does he do that? By making 10 outbound calls by 10 o’clock each day of the week.rnPerhaps you can try to see it for yourself.