Establishing relationships and seeking out new leads is an integral part of the sales process, and social media can help. While many sales people may think these platforms are simply a way to keep in touch with old friends, they can be effective for researching a market and initiating connections with the right people. From generating leads to building strong relationships, sales people and social media seem to be a perfect fit. So what could possibly go wrong?

While the benefits ofsales people using these sites have been proven, there are certain boundaries that should never be crossed. Here are three things sales people do on social media that kills sales.

1. Trying to Sell Right Away

Connecting with customers on whatever social media platform you’re using is the first step to building a sales relationship. But because this is new territory for many, it’s possible that all training and etiquette may be forgotten. Coming on too strong right away can kill any future possibility of a sale. Like in person-to-person sales, sales people should first establish and grow the business relationship before jumping into a product pitch.

You’ve made yourself available in a new way, so the last thing you want to do is come off as pushy. As your relationship develops, you can explore their needs as a client and tailor your pitch directly to them. You’ll show you’ve been listening—which can make or break a deal.

2. Sending Out Mass Messages

When you make bold claims of how you can help without having an established relationship, you run the risk of losing sales where there could have been potential for growth. There are many more effective persuasive tactics that actually work. While social media platforms provide you with a large pool of leads, that doesn’t mean your approach should be impersonal. When reaching out, your pitch should be personalized to your contact, their business, and their needs, so sending the same message to all of your connections shows you’re not interested in doing what it takes for clients on an individual level.

When a client feels like one of many already, sales people should be eliminating that fear—not feeding into it. When you fail to do so, you’re more likely to kill sales than to make them.

3. Having an Unprofessional Profile

When sales people utilize networking platforms, there can be a number of benefits; you’re joining a community, creating an approachable persona, and building relationships through engaging conversations. However, just because social media can have a more personal feel to it, doesn’t mean you should throw away all professionalism. Your profile should be frequently updated and should contribute to a persona of being amiable and trustworthy. Having a positive, engaging, and professional online presence can help secure clients who may be on the fence about you when they see you’re an active part of your industry or community.

That being said, everything you post, comment, or interact with in any way can be visible to everyone. This awareness should constantly guide your actions, and your profile should reflect that. If you wouldn’t say something in a meeting with your boss or a client, it’s best left unsaid. The second you come off as inappropriate, rude, or unprofessional, you can lose your clients’ investment in you as a sales person.

To avoid killing sales, sales people should be aware of how best to interact with social media platforms. While business is being done overwhelmingly through technology, learning how to utilize it to strengthen your sales and generate leads can be an invaluable asset. Starting with these three strategies, you can sidestep any embarrassment or lost opportunity by getting it right the first time.