5 Ways Sales can Avoid Failing When Using Twitter

Twitter and other social media are often regarded as “marketing” tools and are usually believed to be solely part of marketing’s sphere of influence, and it’s true, marketers are the most common users in many businesses, but that doesn’t mean that Twitter can’t be used effectively by sales teams to promote relevant conversations with leads.

1. Research companies and individuals. Before calling a lead you can do some research on the company website and on their twitter accounts. Doing this kind of research can make it easier for you to find out what employees say about the company, personal preferences, and even the company’s/employees ‘ pain points so you can start your conversation off on a more relevant note by showing that you understand the company’s needs.
2. Keep track of industry news and trends. Being aware of changes in your industry and your lead’s industry is a good way to ensure that you are up-to-date and current when heading into a sales conversation. Showing that you understand what’s going on in their space and that you’re dedicated to staying on top of current events can make for a great lead conversation, especially since Twitter often breaks news faster than the rest of the web.  
3. Learn the best times to contact leads. Are you having a hard time getting a hold of a lead? Or are you just looking for the best time for an initial call? Twitter can be a great resource for inside information about leads. Are you leads going on holidays? Are they in the office? Twitter can help you figure out exactly where you leads are, and what the best time is to start a conversation. 
4. Figure out what people are saying about your company. It is always useful for a sales representative to be aware of what people are saying about your company and more specifically your sales team. Is brand sentiment towards your company positive or negative?  Does a quick twitter search show that someone thought your sales team followed up too soon? Or too late? That kind of information can be invaluable for a sales teams’ success. 
5. Learn your lessons and improve your process. One of the best ways to use Twitter to tweak your sales process is to study your critics. There are most likely always going to be people who’ve had a somewhat negative experience with your company. Studying what these people have to say about your company and where you went wrong can be an excellent source of constructive information. 
6. Take a look at your competitors’ fans. This is almost the opposite of the point we mentioned above. Rather than using Twitter to search for what is being said about your company, search Twitter and see what positive things are being said about your competitors. This information can be especially useful for getting ideas on how your team can improve and how you can remain competitive.

Posted by Amberlie Denny at September 1, 2010 8:00 AM

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