If you’re in B2B enterprise sales, you’ve probably faced the dreaded long sales cycle

It’s one of the biggest challenges sales professionals and leaders talk about

But here’s the truth: even in industries with traditionally long sales cycles, it is possible to close business in the same quarter you generate the lead

And when you can do that consistently? It’s a game-changer

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

Closing deals quickly doesn’t just boost your pipeline velocity, it increases your competitiveness

The faster you engage and convert, the less chance your opportunity drifts into the next quarter… or worse, disappears entirely

Speed = impact

Not just on revenue, but also on your reputation, confidence, and future deal flow

𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧

𝟏. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬

The old approach of sending cold emails and mass spam just doesn’t cut it anymore

Buyers are overwhelmed and tuned out

What they are responding to is relevance and authenticity

Use social media—especially LinkedIn—not as a billboard, but as a conversation starter

Connect with your prospects in a human, helpful way

Be someone worth responding to

𝟐. 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐈𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰

Think about your profile from a buyer’s perspective

If someone lands on your page, what do they see?

Are you just another seller with a pitch?

Or someone who clearly solves a specific problem?

Make sure your headline and about section spark curiosity

Use real language, not jargon

Let people know exactly who you help and how

Your profile should make someone stop, think, and say, “That person might be able to help me.”

𝟑. 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚

Content is key, but only if it’s content people actually want to read

Nobody is stopping their scroll to read your latest brochure or product announcement

Instead, share insights

Teach them something they don’t know

Start with the challenges they face and give them actionable advice

Help them see the problem in a new light

When you become a trusted source of value, you naturally earn conversation and eventually, conversions

𝐈𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲

Yes, long sales cycles exist

But they don’t have to be the rule

With the right approach, using social to start real conversations, positioning your LinkedIn as a magnet, and sharing value-driven content

You can close business in the same quarter the lead is generated

That’s how you stay ahead of the competition, shorten the cycle, and turn pipeline into revenue faster

Can you drive revenue from social media?

Social selling is not about spamming people or inmails or connect and pitch

Our definition of social selling is 

"Using your presence and behavior on social media to build influence, make connections, grow relationships and trust, which leads to conversation and commercial interaction"
 

And the results?

For an AE, we can shorten sales cycles by 30%

And the average SDR will get 1 x ICP meeting a day

Which should increase your revenue by 20%

You can get these results by using our social selling methodology, that is certified by Institute of Sales Professionals (ISP)

"social selling techniques to influence buyers and changemakers - 2nd edition".

In this brand new edition, I have updated all the text, I have also got 15 practitioners, so people who are doing this already to explain how they are get (practical) business benefit. From the CEO that has been running a digital business for over 18 months to sales leaders and sales people who use social selling every day to drive revenue growth. 

Articles on how these business have and are implementing digital, from Mercer, Telstra Purple, Ring Central, Cyberhawk, Namos, Ericsson, DLA Ignite and more.

What does Mark Schaefer, Marketing guru think of the book "social selling - techniques to influence buyers and changemakers - 2nd edition"? watch the video here

It's available on Amazon worldwide.  Link to Amazon.com here and Amazon.co.uk here.