How do you use social media to create value and educate prospects before and during the cold call?

1 Why social media matters for phone sales

Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are where your prospects spend a lot of their time, and where they share their opinions, challenges, and interests. By using social media, you can research your prospects, find common ground, and tailor your message to their needs and pain points. You can also use social media to establish your credibility, authority, and trustworthiness, by sharing valuable content, engaging with your audience, and showcasing your expertise and testimonials.

2 How to research your prospects on social media

Before you pick up the phone, you should do some homework on your prospects and their companies. You can use social media to find out their job title, role, responsibilities, goals, and challenges. You can also look for their recent posts, comments, likes, and shares, to get a sense of their personality, preferences, and opinions. This will help you craft a personalized and relevant pitch, and avoid sounding generic or irrelevant.

3 How to warm up your prospects on social media

One of the biggest challenges of cold calling is getting past the gatekeepers and reaching the decision-makers. You can use social media to warm up your prospects and increase your chances of getting a positive response. You can do this by following them, liking or commenting on their posts, sending them a connection request, or sharing some valuable content with them. The key is to be genuine, respectful, and helpful, and not to spam or pitch them right away. You want to build some rapport and familiarity, and show them that you are interested in them and their problems, not just in selling your product or service.

4 How to use social media during the cold call

Social media can be a powerful tool during the cold call, to reinforce your value proposition, overcome objections, and close the deal. For example, you can refer to something you learned or saw on their profile or posts, to show that you did your research and care about them. Additionally, you can share a relevant case study, testimonial, or statistic to demonstrate your credibility and authority. Inviting them to check out your profile, website, or blog can provide them with more information and education, and asking them to connect with you, follow you, or join your group can help to stay in touch and nurture the relationship.

5 How to avoid social media mistakes and pitfalls

Using social media for phone sales can be a powerful ally, but it can also be a potential trap if you are not careful and strategic. To avoid common mistakes and pitfalls, you should not rely solely on social media and neglect other channels like email, phone, or referrals. Additionally, you should not be too pushy, salesy, or aggressive on social media, as it is a place to build relationships, not to pitch or close. You should also be professional and maintain a high level of etiquette, as social media is a public platform. Lastly, you should be proactive, responsive, and consistent in your communication and follow-up, as social media is a dynamic and competitive environment. By following these tips and best practices, you can leverage social media to create value and educate prospects before and during the cold call, and to boost your sales performance and results.