Ed Worthington is getting more face-time with B-to-B decision-makers—and selling more office copiers, printers, scanners and document shredders than before—using a ridiculously practical social media technique. He’s signing more contracts faster, more often and easier than ever before at Maryland-based document management business Action Business Systems.
Ed is getting more appointments more often, too—improving his response rate by 20 percent using a clever, down-and-dirty YouTube technique. Using social media for sales prospecting is easy for him and can be for you, too.
Sales people (and marketers who support them) who invest time in learning Ed’s technique are better positioned in 2013 to generate more appointments (and sales) by connecting in meaningful ways with decision makers.
Here’s what I learned in an interview with Ed. Listen up. Apply his practical technique. Make social media create B-to-B sales leads and become one of the few B-to-B social media sales success stories out there!
How Ed Is Making Social Marketing Pay Him
To get the attention of decision makers, convert it into an appointment and ultimately close more deals, Ed uses short, pithy videos shot on his Blackberry and uploaded to YouTube.
Sure, Ed’s a lively character with a sense of humor and Action Business Systems is a clear leader. But Ed’s videos are focusing less on culture, history of the company, how funny or “human” he is. He’s leaving those time-wasters for his competitors.
Ed gets more appointments and more leads because he’s trusting his selling instincts—not reinventing the sales/marketing process with social tools. He’s demonstrating an ability to solve problems in innovative ways that help prospects create distinctive market position and grow.
Video is just one piece that creates distinction for Ed. He is also blogging in ways that his competitors aren’t. He’s leaping ahead of them by helping prospects:
- Make better decisions, learn new skills, avoid dangerous risks, determine best fit and
- Build confidence in themselves and, thereby, manufacturing trust in him/his brand.
Follow These NON-Technical Steps
Instead of following the endless stream of techie tips-and-tricks of social media “experts,” this sales rep feeds his family by using social media in ways that exploit age-old (proven!) techniques to sell document management services and machines.
“The customer needs to feel like this can happen. ‘I can buy a copier from this guy without this thing blowing up in my face’ … and how are they going to feel like that can happen? If they trust me, have confidence in me. Well, how are they going to get that?” says Ed.
The answer is on his blog, in his videos, downloadable e-books and “insider” Buyers Guides.
When blogging, using LinkedIn Groups or otherwise using social media for sales prospecting, Ed says to create:
- Confidence: Shine a light on success your unique perspective brings; do it in a way that gives prospects clarity; help the customer feel like they can experience success too.
- Curiosity: Explain your remedy in a way that creates clarity AND active curiosity. This creates response (leads!)
- A Way: Show prospects a way to take immediate action on the thought you just provoked; help them choose a pathway to respond and get more detailed information on the remedy.
The Secret to Success: Solving Problems
Ed spends a lot of time creating tutorials—teaching prospects and customers how to determine a best fit for their specific situations. Why? It creates leads. Here are some of the titles of his publications, which—you may notice—are optimized to get attention of humans and search engines.
- Copier Service Contracts: What You Really Need to Know
- Which Copier Should I Buy?
- How Fast Does My Copier Need to Be (really)
- How to Earn Trust Quickly & Convert it to a Sale
Ed’s tools help prospects take action—accomplish the handful of things that must happen before they can confidently purchase. Hence, Ed creates miniature results—in advance (successes) for his customers.
This make Ed look like an expert but also creates confidence in prospects and trust in him—because HE is the source of what gave them confidence.
This is what most sales reps and marketing teams overlook when applying social media with leads in mind!
Start Here, Free
Listen to Ed Worthington describe his successes and how he’s making it happen in more detail in this three-part audio interview series where he reveals how to get copier sales leads with social media.