SocialTech Tuesday: Be a Go-Giver

In a recent sales interview, I was asked to share my number one sales tip. Without hesitation, I said that it was to be a “go-giver”.  That has been a philosophy that has guided me throughout a successful corporate sales career, and as I run my own business today. The moniker itself comes from Bob Burg’s book, The Go-Giver, and at about 100 pages in length, it is a must read for anyone striving to be a superstar seller and knows that giving is the way to get there!

If you stop and think about it, common training and tips shared regarding social selling often focus on helping sales people use the technology to “get something”. Get more people to your profile, get in front of more prospects, get more people connect, get more prospects to notice you, get more leads in the pipeline, get more meetings, get recommendations, get referrals…get, get, get.

Of course, these things are important. After all, we all have something to sell. We teach these things in our trainings also, and we put a big emphasis on the giving. When the sole focus is on the getting and not the giving too, the pendulum swings widely out of balance. Many sellers are neglecting this important aspect of the selling process. Don’t you be one of them!

The funny thing about giving is that when your attitude is more about giving than it is about the getting, you better prepare yourself for the floodgate of opportunities that will come rushing your way.

Here goes, a 23 ways that you can give to others - prospects, influencers, customers. I steered clear of things that might seem too personal and my suggestions are in no particular order.

1. Referrals
2. Introductions
3. A ride to the airport
4. A book – I’ve given several copies of The Go-Giver to people
5. Presentations or white papers that aren’t yours
6. Birthday cards
7. Share news of their new book launch, wesite, product or service
8. Complimentary tickets to a ball game, movie or play
9. Thank you’s
10. Mention in your blog post and a link back to their website
11. An invite to a webinar you think they will enjoy
12. Connect them to speaking opportunities
13. Recommendation
14. A compliment
15. Connection to a press opportunity
16. Ticket to an industry conference
17. 15-minutes of your time to help them with something
18. Invite to be interviewed about their area of expertise
19. Shout out on Twitter
20. Ticket to a networking lunch as your guest
21. Gift card to their favorite anything…restaurant, bookstore, music store
22. A donation of time or money to a charity they support
23. Subscription to an inspirational magazine like Success.

These are 23 things that I came up with in the giving category. My point in making this weeks topic about giving is that selling always has been and, I believe, always will be a relationship business. After all, for the foreseeable future at least, people buy from people!

Bring it on. What about you? What is on your giving list?