TSE 231: Learn To Use LinkedIn & Sell More!

The Sales Evangelist: Sales Training|Speaking|Business Marketing|Donald Kelly

Since a lot of people are now setting goals for 2016, I’d like to know if one of them is sharpening your tools in social selling?

Many people may have been in sales for say 10, 15, or 25 years, but social selling is still something that they’re not very comfortable with. And while many salespeople may have their own LinkedIn or other social media accounts, not everyone is really able to fully utilize these tools to help them generate leads, build relationships, and ultimately generate sales. Worse, people think that LinkedIn is just a numbers game. But it’s not.

How can you use LinkedIn to generate more referrals, grow business, and be more effective in social selling?

Today’s guest is LinkedIn marketing expert Kristina Jaramillo and she brings valuable information to the table today as she shares some of her insights to help fast-track your success through social selling, get to the right people, generate more referrals, and determine primary metrics to really look into when measuring success in social media – all necessary to help equip you in reaching your goals for 2016!

Here are the highlights of my conversation with Kristina:

Reasons people and professionals are not generating sales on LinkedIn:

• Not using or utilizing it correctly
• Not understanding that social media is used for prospecting, nurturing, and relationship building
• People go for the sales call right away

Strategies for Maximizing Your LinkedIn Profile:

1. Use your profile to pitch yourself.

Don’t use your profile as a resume or a cover letter. It has to be a sales or marketing tool that you can use to pitch yourself to prospects.

2. Give your full business value.

Communicate what kind of value your company can offer in order to make a connection. Say exactly what you offer them, why they should learn more about you, why maybe they should take the next meeting with you and your team.

3. Understand your buyer to be able to give an upfront value.

Demonstrate that you understand the buyer’s specific business issues, challenges and clearly articulate how you’re going to solve them, how you’re going to help them get over that hurdle, and share insights they haven’t considered before.

Mistake that people and professionals are making on LinkedIn:

• Using the wrong social metrics

So what primary metrics should you use in measuring success in social media?

1. Next step actions on the click, like and share

What are people doing after they’ve liked your content or article? Are they signing up for something? Are they learning more about your company or you?

2. Marketing qualified sales opportunities

Are these people ready to be spoken to? Can they take a call from you and not waste your time?

3. Measuring revenue generated from social media

¾ of the people have connections but no leads or have some but are not consistent.

What is a sales hunter?

They’re after a quick sale or revenue opportunity. They make a connection with someone and if the person doesn’t bite, they move on to the next. It’s more of a numbers game for them.

Reality is…

B2B buyers on LinkedIn are not there to be sold. They want a relationship that is based on value, trust, and information. What you need to become is a fisherman.

How do you become a fisherman?

• Create thought provoking discussions and content that is going to challenge and approach an idea in your industry to shake it up a little
• Use that content as the bait, grab the prospects with that, and wait until they bite.
• Approach LinkedIn as a relationship nurturing and building platform. How can you enhance the relationship so you can move forward?

What kind of content should you use?

• Take the challenger’s point of view by bringing the problem to their attention
• Use white paper in conjunction with other content.

On using LinkedIn groups:

• Think about how your buyer thinks and those are the kinds of groups you want to be in.
• Be the person they want to reach out to when they have a problem

How do B2B buyers want to be sold on LinkedIn?

• LinkedIn is more of an educational platform. People are using it to educate themselves.
• Educate your buyers first.
• Build that trust and relationship up then you can invite them for one-on-one calls

More strategies to effectively utilize your LinkedIn account:

• Know your buyer’s persona. Touch upon their pain points and what makes them tick.
• Focus on quality connections, not quantity.
• Focus your time and energy on decision-makers.
• Focus on upfront value.
• Align every action you take with revenue goals.
• Have a thought process of how you’re going to turn the connection into a client.
• Consider how you differentiate from the rest, on the discussion you’re creating, and how you’re moving from the discussions to your blog, and to learning more about your company
• Integrate LinkedIn into your everyday sales activities and programs
• Comment on people’s post and share and better strategize on how to reach out to that connection.
• Give referrals to gain more referrals.

Connect with Kristina on LinkedIn.

Episode Resources:

Check out Bob Burg’s book, The Go-Giver

Check out Audible and get a 30-day free trial by visiting www.audibletrial.com/tse

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