Virtual Selling

33The Law of Familiarity and the Five Cs of Social Selling

Think of your favorite actors. You know their faces, vocal patterns, body language, and mannerisms. You are drawn to the movies and TV shows they star in. There is a comfort level with them that causes you to enjoy seeing them in almost any role.

If you saw them in public, you'd recognize them instantly. You'd be starstruck and feel compelled to walk up and express how big a fan you are or tell them about the impact they've had on your life. You'd be excited to ask for a selfie or get an autograph.

But, if you think back, it wasn't always like this. You didn't feel this level of connection the very first time you saw them on screen. You became a fan over time, after seeing them many times, in many different roles.

The more familiar they became to you, the more you liked them. At some point, they crossed your familiarity threshold. Only then did you put them on a pedestal and become a fan.

The Law of Familiarity

With social media, the name of the game is familiarity. The more familiar a prospect is with you, the more likely the person will be to engage. Familiarity is virtual selling lubrication. It takes the friction out of virtual communication and makes everything easier. For example, video calls are much more collaborative when stakeholders are familiar with you.

The lack of familiarity is why you get so many objections. When people don't know you, it's much harder for them to trust you.

Never in the human experience ...