Isn’t it amazing how much easier sales and business development is getting?

I know you don’t believe me. I can almost hear the sound of browsers being clicked shut. But, hear me out.

Back in the old days of sales we would buy big heavy (outdated) books of faceless companies and call faceless phone numbers and try to talk to faceless people about problems we were blindly guessing they have. That has all changed.

Now if I want to talk to someone I simply do something like this:

1. I check out their website and look for clues to who they are…

And, if lucky I will get some pointers to their “social” side

2. Then I would stroll through their blog, Facebook, Twitter, and/or YouTube

3. Now I have a lot to talk about (see a lot easier than cold calling, right?), but who to call…

I love Linkedin.com for finding folks to talk to. See that little “Last updated by:” link? Remember that for later.

4. A quick search of social media and current Belle Tire employees gives me Kari.

And, I’m guessing Jarret might be helping out too, based on that update to the Linkedin Company page.

This looks like a couple of people doing a very nice job with social media at Belle Tire.

The point is that