My brilliant colleague Vanessa DiMauro<http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=15197655&msgid=342233&act=VQMK&c=193273&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.leadernetworks.com%2F> (a leader in social networking marketing, decision making, and leadership) and I are currently writing an article on Sales and Social Networking. While we are both filled with ideas, I decided to go to the source and have you (my readers) help out. I suspect this is a big topic, so I’d like us to think this through together and begin a dialogue. Yes, this time I want the ideas to come from you!

Here are some questions to start the conversation. Please note: I don’t have answers completely formulated yet, so your input will be vital.

How are you using social networking to help you sell? Please discuss the goods, bads, and uglies.

Do you use it as a vehicle to be introduced to prospects you wish to pursue, via LinkedIn<http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=15197655&msgid=342233&act=VQMK&c=193273&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fsharondrewmorgen> or Facebook<http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=15197655&msgid=342233&act=VQMK&c=193273&destination=http%3A%2F%2Ffacebook.com%2Fsharondrew>? If so, what are you doing and how? What is working and what isn’t? What would you need to have at your fingertips to have more success that isn’t currently available?

Is it a vehicle to get information? To help you close a deal? To develop a relationship? How are you accomplishing this? What sort of success/failure are you experiencing?

What sort of information do you get through social networking/media that is different from just using the web to gather data? How does this information help you sell in a way that directly leads to a closed sale? and is this giving you a much higher close ratio (i.e. not just a one-off big deal, or a few great relationships)? Are you able to help the person develop their buy-in team this way?

If you are using social media to develop relationships, how is this working for you? Is there an appreciable difference in how long it takes you to close with/without a social networking component? How does the ‘trust’ factor bias the new relationship (for good or bad) or is there no/little discernible difference in trust?

Is there an obvious increase in your closed sales, or just an easier way to find those prospects ready to buy, or just a lot more activity? Or is there a diminished number of closed sales as you spend time chasing leads that aren’t buying?

Is there something you could be doing in a new way? Do there need to be different/new technology that would offer more success – i.e. what seems to be missing around capability that would help you have more success?

I believe we’re at the beginning of this field, and we don’t have all of the capability we will eventually have. Do we need templates that will tell us who to speak with, the sorts of conversations we should be having, steps to take? That’s one of my thoughts. Please share yours.

Let’s chat and get a handle on what’s happening, possible, and still needed. And then we can all figure out next steps.