The Tie Breaker When All Else is Equal

In the latest episode of Walking Digital Corridors, hosts Alex Abbott, Jensen Abbott, and Jordan Abbott delve into the critically important topic of personal branding for sales professionals in the digital age. The discussion centers around the idea that in a world where products and services are increasingly commoditised, a strong personal brand can be the differentiating factor that sets a salesperson apart from the competition. The conversation turns to the practical steps that salespeople can take to develop their personal brands. The hosts emphasise the importance of intentionally designing both passive and active social media presence. Passive presence refers to the information that is available about a salesperson online, such as their LinkedIn profile and any content they have created or shared. Active presence, on the other hand, refers to the way a salesperson engages with their network and contributes to online conversations. One of the key statistics mentioned in the episode is that 84% of C-level executives use social media to influence their B2B purchase decisions. This highlights the importance of salespeople having a strong online presence and engaging with decision-makers early in the sales process. The hosts also reference insights from the Supero social selling benchmark, which has shown that increasing stakeholder engagement can significantly impact sales velocity. Interestingly, the discussion also touches on some of the finer points of digital communication etiquette. The hosts share their thoughts on appropriate keyboard use during video calls and discuss the occasional need to end calls abruptly due to time constraints. As the episode draws to a close, the hosts reiterate their key message: in a world where all else is equal, a strong personal brand can be the deciding factor in sales success. They encourage listeners to start small and focus on consistency in their personal branding efforts. Finally, the hosts preview the topic for their next episode, which will focus on how salespeople can engage with decision-makers at the highest levels of an organisation.