I don't often write about LinkedIn features as I like to focus on social selling and using social media strategically. LinkedIn is a tool, that helps with social selling, so does Twitter, Instagram. Which is why, here at DLA Ignite we are not LinkedIn trainers, we train and coach people on how to be social. Which will include elements of LinkedIn, but we also teach Twitter and Instagram too.
Anyway, with that out of the way, let's talk about the power of LinkedIn stories.
Sales is about conversations, yes?
Think about all of your sales, it started with a conversation, yes?
Your job as a modern salesperson is to start conversations. It does seem that somehow we have lost the art of starting conversations, the latest craze on social at the moment seems to be asking
what's your biggest challenge right now?
Like I'm going to tell you and I know what's going to happen, you are just going to pitch your product or service, regardless of what I say.
This isn't a conversation, this is a pitch. Old school, go back to start and do not collect $200.
Want some fun?
If you're asked, "what's your biggest challenge right now?" my business partner, Adam Gray replies
and Brandon Lee the CEO and Founder of FunnelAmplified replies "constipation".
LinkedIn stories - creating conversations
All you have to do with LinkedIn stories is post a photo, something funny you see out on your run in the morning, a photo of the family at the weekend. Key is to make it human. This will create you conversations.
Let's not forget that conversations create sales, so LinkedIn stories is a must for each salesperson looking to over achieve their number.
Back to having some fun
The way, that Adam and Brandon have responded to that spammy question
what's your biggest challenge right now? actually starts a conversation. Ironic I know.
So who's social selling?
In case you missed it, the Bank of America’s Merrill Lynch have banned cold calling and have moved all their people to social selling. This isn't some trendy tech company that might have decided to do this on a whim, this is a very conservative financial services company that has made a decision based on data.
But surely cold calling has a better ROI than social selling? Not according to Merrill Lynch.
"They will also be encouraged to contact prospects over LinkedIn, which has a higher hit rate than cold calling"
The CRO (chief revenue officer), Richard Eltham of Namos Solutions, of one of clients posted a comment on LinkedIn about social selling. See here.
“Social selling is not an option now it is the way of the world and you either learn and execute it or fear getting left behind”
Kevin Murray who is the Head of Sales at MacArtney Underwater Technology recently posted about his success with social selling here and wrote an article about the transformation that has happened in sales here.
Other articles you might be interested in ....
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