In today's digital-first business world, LinkedIn has become an invaluable tool for sales professionals. The game-changers are beginning to discover that success on this platform isn't about aggressive selling or impersonal outreach. It's about building genuine connections, providing value, and nurturing relationships.
The strategies outlined in this post – from personalized voice memos to strategic follow-ups and referral exchanges – are designed to help you stand out in a sea of connection requests and sales pitches. By focusing on authenticity, mutual benefit, and consistent engagement, you can transform your LinkedIn presence from just another profile to a powerful networking and sales tool.
Remember, the key takeaways are:
- Personalize your outreach, especially with voice memos
- Focus on providing value before talking about yourself
- Be patient and strategic in your follow-ups
- Always be ready with a referral sheet
- Nurture relationships beyond the initial connection
- Implementing these strategies may take time and effort, but the results – more meaningful connections, increased referrals, and ultimately, more closed deals – are well worth it.
Stand Out and Close More Deals
It all starts with a connection whether it’s inbound or per your request, a connection acceptance is either the beginning, or quick end to your networking with that person.
When someone accepts your connection request, you have several options. But which one will help you build a meaningful relationship?
Option 1: Spray & Pray, Feature throw up, ask to take the “insert college mascot” to coffee. Circle back and follow up.
Option 2: Hop in their DMs and immediately pitch your products or services.
Option 3: Lurk in the background, liking and commenting on their posts, but never DM them.
Option 4: Jump in their DMS, send a thoughtful personalized message that focuses on mutual benefit and human first.
Now, I know Option 3 might feel like a safe bet. It’s selfless, admirable even. But I’m afraid you’re going to be waitin’ till the cows come home.
Bad News: They aren’t going to DM you.
Good News: If you have a confident message and some sort of system- you can DM them first AND get meetings.
My Proven Strategies for Successful Selling on LinkedIn:
1. Connecting & Voice Memos
- If someone asks me to connect, I send a voice memo, the same day. They took the initiative, so thank them right away.
- If I send the connection request and they accept it, I make a note and wait 48 hours before sending a voice memo.
- Keep the voice memo personalized, short (under 30 seconds), and focused on a mutually beneficial ask—nothing about your product or service, just genuine networking.
2. Booking the Meeting
- Some will say “thank you,” and to them you say have a good day!
- Some will agree to chat with you for 15 min or however long your ask was- and in this case you will send them an invite and grab their cell phone number. You will call them at the scheduled time
3. Taking the Phone Call
- Rule #1: You don’t get to talk about yourself in the first 5 minutes EVEN if they ask you to. Keep it short, turn the conversation back over to them. This is about how you can serve and help that person who has agreed to exchange their time with you.
- Most people want to talk about you and meet you too! The last 5 minutes can be for you, only if it isn’t forced. If they’re curious about what you do, then tell them! But don’t sell them.
4. Referrals
- If you both agree you can refer each other, make sure to grab more time on their calendar (I made a mistake of not doing this in the beginning)
5. Have A Referral Sheet Ready
- You should put together a referral template that you have pre-filled with your ICP, who you are, who your company is and so on.
- Ask for the same referral document from the people you meet in these meetings, file it in a folder by industry so you know where to find it when you need it.
Ready to Elevate Your LinkedIn Game?
If you're feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of overhauling your LinkedIn strategy, or if you're eager to dive deeper into these techniques, you don't have to go it alone. I'm here to help you navigate the world of social selling on LinkedIn.
Whether you need assistance in crafting the perfect voice memo script, developing a strategic outreach plan, or creating an effective referral system, I'm just a message away. Let's work together to unlock the full potential of your LinkedIn network and take your sales efforts to the next level.
Remember, in the world of social selling, your next big opportunity could be just one authentic connection away. Don't wait – start implementing these strategies today and see the difference for yourself!
