When you think sales, does this guy pop in your head? Salespeople tend to get a bad rap because we’ve all experienced THAT guy. I’m here to tell you, you don’t have to be “that guy”.

LinkedIn is the king of social selling for most industries and hospitality is no exception. However, you may be missing some opportunities if you spent all social selling time there.

I got up this morning with a feeling of dread in my stomach, combined with a flood of thoughts of what I needed to do today, “I’m all jitters and nerves. My boss says I have to make 20 new prospecting calls by end of day, and I don’t want to do it.” I froze, and decided to do something else for a little bit to get up my courage. Maybe I’d write a proposal, research the potential client, re-organize my desk, answer pressing or non-pressing internal emails, go get a cup of coffee, or maybe text my friend. All to avoid the inevitable…talk to a stranger.

“My favorite word in the English vocabulary is ‘No,’ ” my wildly successful, jewelry salesman father once told me when talking about his customers. Curiously I said, “Why no? I would think that would be your least favorite word.” Confidently, he responded in his deep, Brooklyn accent, “It’s simple, Lissa. It’s my challenge to uncover what’s missing, and educate them, so they get what they need. They don’t know what they don’t know.” He was a smart man, but the words that resonated in my head were, ‟It’s simple”. Just educate your customer on the value of your product or service, and you’ll be on the way to a sale. Unfortunately, to others, “no” engenders a pit in your stomach that stings and discourages. It means they have been personally rejected.

How many times have you called a hotel looking for a room, and heard the guest agent on the other end either give you a price for the room and nothing more, or quickly add the features in a perfunctory, flat tone, “We have a pool, microwave in the room, free internet, free continental breakfast, and a workout room.” Questions immediately arise in my head, “Really? Doesn’t almost every hotel in the area offer those amenities? What makes your hotel special? What am I really getting for my money?”

We have been in our instructional design workshop enhancing and adding to our sales training portfolio.  Some of the most exciting programs we are now bringing to our clients are focused on social selling.  What does it mean?  Does it really work?  Isn't it just an excuse to hang out on LinkedIN? 

Years ago as an apprentice salesman, my supervisor handed me a telephone directory. I looked at the thick book and asked why he had given it to me.