There’s really only 1 thing you have to do when it comes to using LinkedIn for sales or turning a LinkedIn Connection into a Sales Call: Ask.
There. I’ve killed the suspense and you having to scroll through a bunch of irrelevant text that would serve as witty filler on this topic.
That said, if you’d like to dig deeper, then keep reading.
What’s The Purpose? Goal?
We’ve all sat there and thought, while perusing through our mighty number of connections on any social platform–especially LinkedIn, What is this all for?
What is the purpose of these connections?
And you aren’t bad for asking these questions, just smart. You want to know that at the end of your efforts there is some pay off.
While I love meeting and helping people, I am incapable of keeping my eye off of the ball, the goal, the thing I want to accomplish in a given situation. Life is too short to trash time.
The most egregious sin ever committed to any single business person is the waste of one’s time.
You’ve had it happen to you (and so have I)–people that flagrantly toss around your time as though it were a plastic ball in a McDonald’s Play Place.
I recently had a business encounter with a “business person” I met at a “networking” event. Please. This guy asked me to setup a 1-on-1 meeting for Lord-knows-what to discuss who-knows. I’m someone who helps businesses get sales calls with LinkedIn and he was a “light designer.”
Waste of time would not begin to describe what transpired.
Unacceptable. And it was my fault.
Don’t do this to yourself, in your own business. Ask yourself your purpose for meeting and then structure that into an Ask or LinkedIn Conversion Message.
Here is how I like to create those messages.
Using LinkedIn for Sales: How To Structure A Conversion Message
LinkedIn has some of the best advice on how to create a helpful and convincing conversion message for the platform.
Start with personality
Look at your prospect’s profile for a common connection or an interesting talking point, and use this as the “opener” of your message. Leading with this will demonstrate an interest in them as a person, and make them far more receptive than if they were to receive a straight-up sales pitch.
Share what you’re about
Briefly state why you’ve reached out to this particular person, and what you or your business can do to help. Prospects expect to do business via LinkedIn, so this sort of subject matter is more than acceptable. However, be sure to phrase this in terms of the benefit you can bring to the prospect. The more specific or accurate your analysis of their challenges, the better. And show what’s in it for them: Demonstrations of personal value have twice as much impact as business value.
Ask
Always close with an action – either requesting a meeting or providing your availability for a conversation. This is the best way to ensure a response and start building the relationship further.
Now, For An Example Message
Here is a real-life example of using LinkedIn for sales,
Thanks Lisette, Just noticed your post on your online gift journey and improving the customer experience. Good points. Always good to connect with a fellow Tech Pro and Exec.
I promise I haven’t just connected with you increase my connections on LinkedIn. [Although it’s never a bad thing:)] I run Cosmic Cloud Consulting.
We help companies do training, simplify customer engagement, data, and make marketing reliable.
Here is an example video (at 59 secs): http://bit.ly/datatoolsvideo
Would it make sense to have a quick phone chat when it works for you?