In my last blog we explored the steps I take in any given sales cycle to help prepare and manage the customer relationship. This blog will continue the discussion with a focus on #GoingSocial and what I have observed of its rewards, risks and rules.

Rewards: A new medium for conversation

I have recently been in the thralls of a substantial and highly competitive sales cycle. Like in any significant sales cycle, my team and I are awarded the opportunity to talk with various project sponsors. As discussed in the last blog, there is a process I follow to understand whom I am talking with and what their hot buttons might be. What interested me about this particular cycle was not the value I found in the prep, but what happened after the meeting. We made such an impression that one of the customer’s “people of influence” reached out to me directly on Linkedin weeks after the meeting. This person’s concern was that the selection process was skewed for the wrong reasons and he wanted to coach me on how to win the deal. This conversation may or may not have happened regardless of Linkedin, but I’m glad the “connection” was made.

Risks: Former Employees and Malicious Partners

Former employees and aggressive partners that you connect with will be able to see your connections (this is a default setting from Linkedin). Think about what this means!

Worst case, former employee “connections” can proactively solicit your loyal customers to move to a competitor. That said, social media’s growing influence has made these contacts pretty easy to find anyways. You need to think about who you connect with and why you are connecting.  For example, I work with a strong partner network. There is a huge value in me being able to share my 2nd-degree connections with my partners. I can save my partners a lot of time getting in the door if I know their primary contact of interest.

Rules to Live By: Be social with a purpose

Generally speaking, just be selective in who you bring into your social network. For example, in the Social Recruiting world, it doesn’t do a lot of good to connect with someone who wants to hire you. At best, the recruiter now has access to solicit (“bug”) all your colleagues. At worst, your boss sees the new connection and hard conversations are had. Regardless, nothing good comes of it.

Below are a few rules to live by:

• Don’t be too quick to “connect” with your prospects. Make sure you have a purpose in connecting and the relationship built is strong enough to withstand someone poaching that contact.
• Don’t Connect with your Competitors. This goes without saying.
• Don’t Connect with Recruiters. See above.
• Manage your connections. You may think that having 500+ connections is great, but like all things of value, you must take care of them regardless of how painful it is.
• Deliver an excellent Customer Experience and make your product unpoachable.  

What are your guidelines for #GoingSocial? Please share them with me at @andythoe.