How do you humanize social selling?

Best way: Create short videos! A picture tells a thousand words. A video tells a million words! There is nothing like video that shows your authentic self and builds Trust and Authority! Why short video? Because our attention span is less than that of a good fish now Also, it will prevent you from procrastinating, as they are so quick to shoot!

One way to humanize social selling is to STOP PITCHING THE MOMENT SOMEONE ACCEPTS YOUR CONNECTION REQUEST! Social selling is still selling, and those who ask for a connection then immediately follow up the acceptance with an automated message ("Would you be interested to learn how I help sales coaches like you get hundreds of new appointments with people who want your service?" are completely missing the boat. Establish a relationship first, THEN sell. smh

This is hugely important in 2023! Especially with the adoption of AI, showing your personality is going to be even more important for 2 reasons 1. Personal Branding (showing your true self) will make you stand out and not get replaced by AI 2. The importance of human connection is going to become even more important.

Humanizing social selling is a key approach in today's digital landscape. Displaying personality lies at the core of building lasting relationships. People want to engage with individuals, not just logos or profiles. Furthermore, emphasizing empathy is a game-changer. Listening and understanding the needs of potential clients before attempting to sell is essential for establishing trust. The variety of content, whether through vivid images, captivating videos, or even emojis, is an effective way to convey emotions and grab attention in a world full of competing information. Personalizing outreach demonstrates genuine care, showcasing that each customer is unique and valued.

Number one rule is to be authentic. Share stories and experiences that highlight who you are. Engage with your audience, respond to comments and feedback, and start meaningful conversations. Demonstrate your industry expertise with valuable content, but don't shy away from showcasing your interests outside work. This blend of personal and professional can help establish a unique, memorable online presence, encouraging stronger customer relationships and ultimately driving more sales.

If you don't build rapport and trust at the beginning of your interaction, the sales is lost. Rapport doesn't mean meaningless chit chat though. Most effective way to establish rapport is by connecting over common values so you need to do your homework on your prospect and see if you can get any clues on their values by checking out their social media or blogs. And please be honest. If you pretend to have the same values as them on a given subject when you don't, you won't just loose the sale but your entire reputation. And they will talk badly about you

Strive to understand and share the feelings of your customers. Listen attentively to their concerns and respond with understanding. Personalize your interactions, remembering previous conversations and details. Use emotional intelligence to gauge customer moods and adjust your communication accordingly. This empathetic engagement can build trust, deepen relationships, and foster loyalty, creating an effective environment for social selling.

By attentively observing online content and conversations, social listening can create authentic empathy by enabling individuals to understand diverse perspectives, challenges, and emotions. By actively engaging with others' experiences, you can gain insights, relate to their struggles, and develop a genuine understanding of their feelings. This empathetic connection cultivates a sense of human connection, compassion, and a desire to make a positive difference in others' lives.

Empathetic engagement elevates social selling by focusing on understanding and addressing customer needs. Instead of a one-size-fits-all pitch, listening actively and responding with genuine interest fosters trust. By prioritizing problem-solving over direct selling, you position yourself as a helpful ally rather than just another salesperson, leading to more meaningful and productive connections.

Empathy is the bridge to your audience. It's about listening, understanding, and meeting their needs, not just broadcasting your message. Prioritize providing value and solving issues over making a quick sale.

Shoot a short, personalized video over Loom or other free video programs and see how impressed your prospects will be! Those videos take very little time yet are very effective, especially if you record them over going over their website/profile or anything they were asking you questions about.

Use high-quality images and videos to capture attention and bring your products or services to life. Employ infographics to share complex information in an engaging, digestible way. Experiment with live video sessions for real-time engagement. Consider podcasts to showcase expertise. Properly utilized multimedia not only increases visibility and engagement but also strengthens your brand's personality and credibility, contributing to more effective social selling.

Videos both in the newsfeed and in DMs connect people to you as a human. Voice messages on LinkedIn tend to be effective in response rates as well, as the recipient realizes that you took the time to personalize it for them. And, Leveraging LinkedIn LIVE is a wonderful way to connect with your targeted audience as well.

Adding someone's name or company to a message is no longer considered personalized. Automation is doing this all the time. Make sure your message relates to their content, your shared connections, or something that attracted you to them in the first place.

In 2023, it's all about personalization. With attention span of humans becoming less than that of a gold fish, personalization is more important than ever. We call this a "hook". If you start your video or written content talking general, you already lost the audience! They will tune you out unless you immediately start talking about their biggest pain points or desires.

In my experience, the biggest challenge for most sellers to understand is that their content isn’t about selling a product. It’s about creating a conversation and building familiarity with your ideal customers. When you get a comment on a post, don’t just respond with a thumbs up, but instead be curious and ask questions. Once they respond, use that opportunity to send a personalized message (my preferred is a :30 sec video message, thanking them for the conversation and asking if they wanted to jump on a call to talk more. Again the purpose isn’t to sell them, but to learn more about how you can serve them.

Where someone works, mutual connections, where they live: THIS IS NOT PERSONALIZATION. This is basic entry-level stuff. Interact with and reference their content. Find out what matters to them, to their team, to their company and make that the focus. WHAT RESONATED? WHY DID IT RESONATE? HOW DOES IT TIE TO YOUR OUTREACH? Make it genuine, or skip it all together.

By tailoring your communication to cater to the specific needs, preferences, and characteristics of your prospects and customers, you create a sense of relevance and resonance. However, it's equally important to go beyond surface-level personalization. Instead of solely focusing on individual details, strive to understand your audience's underlying motivations, challenges, and aspirations. Empathizing with their unique journey can create deeper connections and foster genuine relationships. Remember, true personalization goes beyond the superficial—it delves into the core of what truly matters to your prospects and customers. Unlock the power of authentic connection through holistic personalization.

The money is in the follow up! Trust me when I say this, as I made the mistake of not following up with many prospects, as I was afraid, I'd be bothering them. Remember: our attention span is shorter than that of a gold fish in 2023. Your prospects might be very interested in your services yet even a simple thing as a personal phone call might have gotten in the way of them replying to your message. BUT: Please strike for a wealthy balance. No one likes to be followed up daily for 5 days either!

Consistency in your communication, content, and engagement establishes trust and keeps your brand at the top of the customer's mind. Meanwhile, transparency about your products, services, and business practices builds credibility. Being open about successes, challenges, and values humanizes your brand, fostering deeper connections with your audience. Together, consistency and transparency shape a reliable and authentic online presence, critical to successful social selling. Clear follow up Honest assessment of pros and cons Always add value and relevance

In social selling, consistency and transparency are the key of every person. Regular and predictable communication establishes reliability, while honest, clear messaging garners trust. Rather than posting sporadically, maintain a steady rhythm. And when making claims, provide evidence. In addition, address feedback, whether positive or negative, with openness. Doing so not only strengthens your credibility but also fosters enduring, trust-based relationships.

Without embracing any negative feedback, how will we learn what drives the positive. Rome was not built in a day and Mr Dyson did not revolutionize the home electronics market at his first of 100th attempt. Embrace the negative, learn, amend, improve and get back on to the coal face.

Reflect on the traditional marketplace: it thrives on human interaction. Social selling is merely an extension of this age-old practice into the digital realm. The core principles remain unchanged; it's the execution that has evolved. Adapting a personalized approach, showcasing a friendly, relatable persona, and maintaining a two-way dialogue are the stepping stones to humanizing your digital selling strategy. Imagine a scenario where a prospect shares a concern on LinkedIn. Rather than responding with a sales pitch, empathize with their situation, offer a word of advice or share a relevant article. This not only positions you as a resourceful expert but also builds a bridge of trust, essential for any business relationship to flourish.

Building community and advocacy is a great way to make selling feel more human. It's about making business personal and less about just transactions. "Community" is not just about grouping customers together. It's about creating a journey that we all experience together. This bonds people, builds trust, and keeps customers coming back. Then, there's "advocacy." Happy customers don't just stay quiet. They talk, share, and recommend. They become part of your team, and their authentic words can help grow your brand. You can't just sell to people, though; you've got to sell 'with' them. Treat them as individuals, not just numbers. Show them you see them, hear them, and value them. This approach really speaks to today's consumers.

Show yourself: your uniqueness will always be a unique selling point. Humanize means: - Write posts yourself. - Form opinions yourself. - Show yourself

To truly humanize social selling, one must consider not just the "what" and "how" of communication but the "when." Despite being digital, social selling isn't a 24/7 endeavor. Respect for a prospect's personal time can demonstrate empathy and boost relationship-building. This prevents the intrusion of work into personal life, a concern heightened by our increasingly digital lifestyles. To truly humanize social selling, consider timing your communications for regular business hours, an aspect often overlooked in our always-connected world. After all, you don't want to be "that" salesperson who's seen as being a thorn in the side of your prospects.