Attendees of Wednesday morning’s “You’re Selling it Wrong: Executive Strategies on Inbound vs. Outbound Sales, Marketing, and Social Media” panel gained valuable insights into how collaboration, social media, and actionable strategies can enhance the visibility of their businesses.
Moderated by Jeff Hayward, director of Wildwood Plus, the panel — which included James Bliss, senior marketing manager, CEDIA; Chris Pruet, social media marketing manager, Stealth Acoustics; and Amanda Wildman, owner, TruMedia — discussed the intricacies and challenges integrators and installers face with inbound and outbound sales. Leveraging social media platforms effectively and crafting a professional website that “builds credibility and tells your story” were considered key strategies to standing apart from the competition.
Customers start their technology searches with your website, and they’re “looking for the best professional they can find,” said Bliss. “This is your chance to show your expertise and tell your story.”
Crafting your story doesn’t have to be stuffy and formal — showing the everyday life of your business using images of in-progress and completed projects, showroom, and your staff can more fully engage potential and return customers, and clearly show why you are the best choice. “No one’s going to sell you better than you,” added Wildman.
The panelists encouraged attendees to raise their visibility by having an active social media presence across Facebook/Meta, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, and especially TikTok, the third largest search engine. “I highly recommend you get your business at least on TikTok and reserve the name today,” said Wildman. “Even if you don’t put a single ounce of content out there, just having a TikTok account so you can learn how to do things makes it worth it just for that.”
Finding ways to collaborate with builders, architects, and designers can be a struggle for integrators and installers. “The number one secret? If you want to get an audience talking to those people, you must — as your company and business — become their number one fan,” Wildman revealed. “Because if you are their number one fan, they’re going to have a hard time telling you they don’t want to work with you.”
Another strategy shared in the discussion was connecting trends with technology, such as commenting on how great a certain speaker grille would complement a new paint or design trend in a manufacturer’s post, which could lead to unforeseen returns and connections. Attendees were also encouraged to leverage AI tools to significantly reduce the time spent on creating content for posts and alleviating the stress of coming up with new ideas every day.
“You don’t have to create the perfect content,” said Wildman. “Don’t be paralyzed by perfection — use the tools out there to speak to your customers and help them understand how your business can help them.”
