Google_ for Business_ How Google's Social Network Changes Everything - Chris Brogan [44]
To that end, let’s start with some of the philosophy and mindset behind how Google+ can best help you sell, and then see some tangible examples of what you can do with this information. Some might not fit your particular business model, but see what you can do to adapt them. Most are reasonably universal, but tuned for a Google+ world.
Attention Is a Gift
Attention is a gift. People choose to circle you and pay attention to your posts on Google+. It’s completely opt-in. That means that if you spam them with sales offers all the time, they will tune you out. They will either uncircle you or click the Ignore button, thus blocking any further chances to build a relationship.
With that in mind, you should post a mix of business-specific information and information that’s helpful to the community. Don’t flood the stream with dozens of posts a day. (This often earns you a transfer to circles that people name things such as Noisy or Blabbermouths.) Instead, think strategically about the mix of posts that might help convey your interest in empowering your potential buyer, plus a call to action here and there.
Make It About Them
The more you post information that empowers or highlights your prospective buyers, the more likely people will respond and react to your information. The more it’s about you, the easier it is to tune you out. Remember, those amazing new products you create aren’t amazing until your customers find that your products changed their lives. Even if you sell toilet lids, you need to make your interactions on Google+ about how these toilet lids can make your buyers’ lives amazing.
Turn Self-Promotion into Appreciation
If you win an award, make the thanks point toward your buyers. Any time you brag, it turns people off. It doesn’t matter that you’re so proud of making The New York Times Bestseller list. If you don’t write your post about that to read “Thank YOU for making this book successful,” people tune you out. Attention is a gift. Appreciate the hell out of your community.
Don’t Waste Chances to Sell
On the other side of the coin, realize that you’re on Google+ for a reason, and if that reason is business, business is based on converting prospects into buyers, and turning buyers into loyal members of the community. Even if someone has purchased, love them as a loyal customer. If someone’s on the fence, give them all the help you can. If they’re not yet even a prospect, educate them about the space, and include the occasional pointer back to what you’re doing.
Think in terms of how you might add value to the other person’s interactions with you. That’s where the sales come from—more about that in a moment. Just realize that you’re here to sell, but that selling doesn’t mean every sentence you write on Google+ is about driving someone to buy.
The Warm Sell—Warming Up a Sale
Say I want to sell a webinar about how to use Google+. (I’ve done that a few times, you should know.) I would do a series of posts something like the following.
• Post interesting free information about Google+.
• Post a few off-topic posts that also point to how Google+ is interesting.
• Post starter guides that people can run with.
• Post video screencasts showing off some tricks and tips (all free).
• Accumulate a bunch of these free posts.
• Write a post offering a paid webinar for a deeper dive, including a list of skills people can learn from the experience, and end with a link to the buying page.
In the post offering the paid webinar, write copy that speaks entirely from the buyer’s perspective. It might be something like this:
“You’ve been using Google+ for a little while now, and you’ve heard that people are having success with using it for business, but you haven’t exactly hit it out