How much time do you spend texting clients versus talking with them or meeting face-to-face? This month, I share five reasons why I believe texting isn’t an effective strategy for selling today.
Texting Is Just Plain Anti-Social
Okay, I have a rant coming on…I’m not crazy about texting. I think it’s nuts how people endanger their lives and others’ lives by driving and texting. I mean it’s fine for short messages (when standing still), but overall it’s just plain anti-social and creates an environment where people forget how to talk, interact, and connect with other humans and find comfort in hiding behind the buttons. The other day I was watching four people I assumed were friends sitting at a table in a restaurant – all texting someone else! What are you out for? Call me old-fashioned – I don’t care. I happen to believe in talking to people – crazy, huh?
Now, to the point: Selling and texting do not mix. A few days ago I was giving a talk on my topic of Sales Culture and I noticed someone in the back of the room busy texting. I couldn’t resist asking, “What are you texting about?” She responded, “I’m closing a deal with a client.” Well, of course, I just had to ask, and the general idea was that she felt she could do more and close more through the magical art of texting! Huh? Really?
I’m no expert on the long-term view of whether more deals will get done by texting, but here’s what I do know:
- Selling happens when relationships happen and said relationships flourish. This only happens face to face. Period.
- Selling is complex and requires attention to detail and multiple requirements to make the deal happen. This is best done face to face.
- It’s impossible to explain the complexities of a deal to your virtual team and more importantly to your client via text.
- Texting eliminates the possibility of seeing and responding to body language and silent buying signals.
- Texting is anti-social. Hey – I like technology as much as the next geek, but I don’t let it get in the way of my social and interpersonal skills – all of which are required for successful sales results.
That’s it. If you’re spending too much time texting your clients and not talking to them, I suggest you revisit your sales strategy! I think you’ll get more sales and actually enjoy your job more.
by Todd Cohen
Since 1984, Todd Cohen has coached and led sales teams to deliver more than $500 million in revenue for leading companies including Xerox, Gartner Group, Pensare, Thomson-Reuters, and LexisNexis.
As the Principal of SalesLeader LLC, Todd inspires, advises, and builds high performance sales teams that produce outstanding results. He also provides strategic oversight for sales teams and serves as executive sales coach and advisor to clients ranging from small, rapidly growing start-ups to well-established, large corporations.
Todd is a frequent speaker at sales conferences and national association meetings and hosts his own radio show “Let’s Talk Sales Culture.” Todd’s book “Everyone’s in Sales” will be out in summer 2011.
Todd is the founder of The Innovators Club, co-founder of LinkedIn Live Philly, and co-leader of Career Transitions – a non-profit group dedicated to helping professionals in transition. He is a professional member of the National Speakers Association, a board member of the NSA Philadelphia chapter, and serves as chair of the Sales and Marketing group of the Greater Philadelphia Senior Executives Group.
Todd has been active in the American Cancer Society as well as several other charitable organizations. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Temple University. Website:
www.toddcohen.com
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Source: 5 Reasons Why Selling and Texting Don’t Mix
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