Social Selling and the Art of Seduction

Social selling is a lot like seduction. It may be slower than old school sales but it's infinitely more powerful (and enjoyable!) Sex up your social selling by applying these three classic seduction techniques from author Robert Greene's best-selling book The Art Of Seduction. 

Rule #1: Choose your prospects carefully

"Study your prey thoroughly, and choose only those who will prove susceptible to your charms. The right victims are those for whom you can fill a void..."

Success in B2B sales is all about choosing the right prospects. The more clearly you've defined your ideal prospects and the pain points and problems you can help them solve the easier it will be to locate them.

Your buyer personas should be your starting point. (You do have buyer personas, right? If not, check out our free buyer persona template before you do anything else). Armed with your personas you can use LinkedIn advanced search to compile a prospect list based on factors such as industry, location, company size, function and seniority. 

Before you make your approach you'll need to get to know your prospects intimately. Otherwise you won't know what to talk to them about when you get that all-important introduction.

Start by following your customers and prospects on all the social platforms where they are active. Find out which LinkedIn groups they participate in and then join those groups as well as any industry groups where you can gather useful intelligence. Subscribe to their blogs and newsletters so you know what content they're publishing and who is sharing it.

You can also set up Google and Twitter alerts so you'll be notified whenever there's a trigger event (e.g. a change of  senior personnel, M&A activity or anything else that might give you a sales opening). You'll be amazed how much intelligence you can gather in a short space of time just by listening and observing.

Rule #2: Approach indirectly

"At first there must be nothing of the seducer in your manner. The seduction should begin at an angle, indirectly, so that the target only gradually becomes aware of you. Haunt the periphery of your target’s life—approach through a third party, or seem to cultivate a relatively neutral relationship, moving gradually from friend to lover."

You've done your detailed research and sized up your prospects. You know what they care about, their biggest pain points, hot button issues and the kind of content they engage with. Now it's time to make your move.

Let's say one of your prospects has expressed a pain point or asked for help or advice with a specific problem  in a LinkedIn group or an online forum. You can now jump into the conversation with some helpful and insightful comments or content and get on their radar. From there you can follow up with an invitation to connect on LinkedIn or ask for an introduction from a mutual connection.

The key here is to be subtle. Think of it like catching the eye of an attractive member of the opposite sex and exchanging a coy smile across a crowded room . (Works for us every time!) If they smile back by viewing your LinkedIn profile or liking or commenting on your posts that's the green light to offer to buy them a drink so seize the moment and follow up swiftly with a connect invitation. Just make sure it's personalised. All you will get from sending a generic or salesy first message that comes on too strong is a slap in the face!

3. Prove yourself

"Most people want to be seduced. If they resist your efforts, it is probably because you have not gone far enough to allay their doubts — about your motives, the depth of your feelings, and so on. One well-timed action that shows how far you are willing to go to win them over will dispel their doubts."

You've managed to get to first base - an initial connect call. Now it's time to woo your prospect. It's important not to rush this phase of the seduction. Slow is sexy and remember, the aim is to get a second date that could potentially lead to a long-term relationship, not a one-night stand. 

Social selling is all about engagement. Just as you would on a first date, be attentive and make your interactions all about your prospects. Share thoughtful, personalised content that you think they will find helpful or interesting rather than just droning on about you.  A little flattery also goes a long way, so be sure to comment warmly on their content, follow them on social media and be liberal with your likes, tweets and retweets.

Above all, resist the temptation to switch into sales mode too early. Nothing is guaranteed to have them running for the exit faster than proposing marriage on a first or even a second date.

What Do You Think?

What sales seduction techniques have worked for you? We'd love to know! Share your stories and tips in the comments.