Would you buy from this man at a party?

When companies struggle with how to leverage social media to help sell more widgets it’s because social media is meant to be social – not a market to sell more widgets. Selling in social media channels is the equivalent of setting up a display table at a friend’s cocktail party. Do you remember the episode of The Office when Dwight spends an entire Valentine’s Day party trying to sell paper to a prospective single? He didn’t get the sale.

Don’t sell. Don’t try smiling, acting friendly and then selling. Just be social. Be the life of the party. Tell great stories, introduce people to each other, listen, ask people how they are doing today and listen to their answers. At the end of the day, you will leave people (your customers) chatting about how damn cool you are straight through until the next cocktail party (where you will once again be unimaginably charming).

People will undoubtedly like you, but will you sell more widgets? That’s the hard part – the bottom line brainteaser. Clear your mind and think about it. What do you think?