Selling is social. Always has been and always will be.

However, today social selling has taken on new dimensions and formats. Now we're tasked with building and maintaining relationships with clients via social media channels, like LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

For hotel sales people looking to connect with meeting and event planners, the key is to have authentic engagement. Social media is no place to constantly tout your latest sales promos, industry awards, or your latest marketing initiative.

It's vital to focus on engaging, communicating, and being an active participant in online conversations with planners. Here's what you need to know to make social media one of your most impactful, productive tools to increase group bookings.