Francis says that before joining a social network to make sales, you must know your client base.

FORBES: How To Use Social Media To Make Sales

What better way to convince you to use social media than to know that the odds are really good that your client is using it as well?

FORBES: Do Your Clients Use Social Media?

Who do you know that has worked with your dream company as a client, consultant, vendor, or in some other indirect way?

FORBES: Connect

Now you have an answer the next time a client or a senior executive wants to know why your social media strategy is less about pumping out company messages and more about hearing what your stakeholders have to say.

FORBES: Talking About Yourself: The PR Impact

If you could turn another 10% or 20% of your client base into loyal, enthusiastic patrons like these, do you know how much more growth that would generate?

FORBES: Calculating The Economics Of Loyalty

That college roommate, the kid you went to high school with, your colleague from two jobs ago, that client, or an older person who you know, deep down, has changed her mind about homosexuality.

FORBES: Did Your Facebook Just Turn Red? That's the Color of Our World Changing

As a salesperson, you need to know a lot about your buyer, so you can address how valuable your product or service might be to that specific client, Bleeke says.

FORBES: How To Craft An Effective Sales Pitch