by Dawn Allcot

Created on: December 31, 2009   Last Updated: December 21, 2011

Can anyone really sell through online chat? Internet chat, through programs like AIM, g-chat or Facebook’s integrated chat program, is just one tool business owners can use to increase online sales.

Building a business requires building relationships. Business owners get to know their customers in a variety of ways, and social media makes this even easier. Social media doesn’t take the “work” out of networking, but it helps us accomplish a few very important objectives. Online chat programs:

•  Broaden the range of people a business owner can meet

•  Make it possible to hold several conversations at once, all from the comfort of your home or office

•  Make geographical location irrelevant when it comes to doing business

•  Create a means to get close to people very quickly.

Why Online Chat Works for Sales

Can online chat, through Instant Messenger programs or in community chat rooms, really work as effectively as in-person meetings or phone conversations to close sales? Absolutely.

People get to the point quickly during online conversations. As a business owner, you can identify a prospect’s need very quickly and then identify the products or services you offer that fill that need. You can send them a link to make the purchase and close the deal within minutes.

Online chat also puts resources that help you close the sale right at your fingertips. You can easily direct a prospect to positive reviews of your product or to your online portfolio with a few clicks. If your potential customer has any questions about the product, you’re available – in real time – to answer them.

Online sales can go very smoothly through an Internet chat, where you can alleviate a customer’s fears, offer specific product recommendations, and even provide tips on how best to use your product after they make the purchase.  

People Buy from People They Like

People buy from people they know (and like). You should never be phony or pretend to be friendly with someone just to close a sale. But online chat provides a great venue to get to know a lot of people in a short amount of time.

There’s one caveat: chatting online can be so much fun, you’ll need to keep a close eye on your return-on-investment. You can close sales quickly and efficiently through chat, but you can also get distracted, wander off topic, and wile away the hours chatting with a customer who has become a friend… as your ROI dwindles and you miss out on other potential sales.

Put a strict limit on your chat time and acknowledge (to yourself) when chatting has crossed the line from networking to goofing off.

Above all, let your personality, intelligence and your industry knowledge shine during online chats, and you’ll make money as you build friendships.

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