Social Selling Mastery

Chapter 7Develop Buyer-Centric ProfilesLinkedIn, Twitter, and Other Social Platforms

You will never get a second chance to make a first impression.

—Will Rogers

The critical phrase in this chapter is buyer-centric. Who is your buyer? I'm certain your buyer is not a recruiter. Then why, when I read your LinkedIn profile, does it resonate with a recruiter? Stop to think about what your first impression is leaving:

1. Quota-crusher
2. Sales negotiation expert
3. President's Club winner, three years in a row

You buyer doesn't care about that! None of these statements do anything to aid the challenges your buyer is facing in their business.

Everything you do socially needs to better serve your buyer. Period. I fully appreciate that you may not work at your current employer forever, but what message are you sending your future employer? To me, the message sounds like: “I don't use social media in my current job and I'm most likely not going to leverage it at your company either, as I'm keeping my options open.” The very first step to developing an ideal social profile on any platform is taking a moment to accomplish two steps.

1. Step 1: Take an objective look in the mirror.

   Open your social profiles and read them aloud. Read your profiles as if you were a buying CFO, CIO, and so on, and ask yourself, “What's in it for me?” Do your buyers feel comfortable that you understand their business? Are you sending the message that you can add value in their business?

2. Step 2: Take an objective look ...