Scroll through any number of your social media outlets and I bet you’ll find post after post from professionals trying to sell you something. From connections wanting a better job to networking seminars trying to sell you a product, it’s common to see the, “I want you to pay me more because I want more” approach online.
No one wants to be sold. Instead, people want connection. Hard-core selling is going by the wayside, and the “serve, don’t sell” attitude is making for better business – and relationships. Bruce Kasanoff said it best in this Forbes article: “Everything you share on social media… should offer a benefit to whomever is on the receiving end.”
Here’s how you can serve instead of sell:
- Use your talents to help others. Every day, whether online or in person, you have the opportunity to serve others. Utilizing your talents and expertise in a given field to benefit others is the basic principle of serving instead of selling. The more you embrace it, the better you’ll be able to build and nurture lasting relationships.
- Provide valuable information. What questions do your potential customers have? What needs can you offer a solution for? From blog posts to webinars, web resources and more, serve your customers by providing value with benefits directly for them.
- Stay in touch with clients consistently. Serving instead of selling means cultivating relationships even after the sale has been made. A serving mentality means caring for clients before, during, and after the sale, instead of focusing on a sale with a trophy hunter mentality.
A Simple Philosophy
While the mantra “serve, don’t sell,” is probably engrained into your memory after this blog post, it’s important to actively integrate it into your career and your life. Stay consistent in genuinely helping others, providing value, and keeping in touch with clients, and the sale will come naturally. Plus, lasting client relationships have the opportunity to thrive for years to come.
How are you serving and not selling your prospective and current clients?
