Social media is an extremely popular method of marketing. It’s relatively inexpensive, it’s far-reaching, and it’s fun. It’s gratifying when people follow you, share your content, and engage with your business. But are your social media activities helping to increase your bottom line?

If you answered “no” or “I don’t know,” you’re not alone. Many of us have difficulty in this area. After all, we’re not trained sales professionals! However, like it or not, most of us are our own Sales Department, and we owe it to our businesses to make the most of every opportunity.

I was already thinking about this when I received a copy of The Art of Social Selling: Finding and Engaging Customers on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Other Social Networks through the O’Reilly Reader Review Program. Presented as a “smart, practical guide [which] presents readers with a detailed methodology for growing sales and expanding their customer base using social media,” I was hopeful that it would go beyond the basic “how to market your business on social media” books and articles that are widely available. I was not disappointed.

Yes, there were sections that were clearly applicable only to individuals working in a sales role within an organization – persuading management of the merits of social media for business is one example – but there was plenty of information that made it worthwhile for solopreneurs to read too, covering topics such as:

• “Lurking” and “pushing” and why neither strategy is unlikely to lead to sales
• “Developing buyer personas” of your ideal clients and creating content that will engage them
• Choosing the most appropriate social network(s) for each stage of the buying process
• Using free and low-cost online services and apps to help you find, track, and engage clients
• Setting goals to direct your activities
• Creating a system for measuring your results

In addition, there’s a detailed overview of each of the major social networks, including strategies for optimizing your profile, growing your network, and social selling.

There’s no shortage of bloggers teaching us how to grow a following on social media. It’s about time someone explained how to transition from marketing to closing sales!

If you question the value of the time you dedicate to social media, or if you’ve avoided it altogether, I recommend reading The Art of Social Selling. In under 300 pages, it will give you a deeper understanding of the traditional sales process for both business-to-business and business-to-consumer markets, and how it applies to the most popular social media platforms. Order it in paperback, Kindle, or audiobook format from Amazon.com.