In this day and age of modern technology, utilizing the powerful tools that are readily available to us through various social media platforms is not really a suggestion anymore; it’s a necessity. While we see businesses posting on mediums such as Facebook or Twitter, many of them fail to utilize LinkedIn properly- a common mistake that can be corrected with a few easy tips!
Many people that are involved in sales only see LinkedIn as a tool to only find jobs, however, there are many professionals that are discovering ways to build relationships with prospective clients or partners, in addition to conducting research related to their sale.
What You Should Be Using LinkedIn For:
- Find People In Decision Making Process
- Locate Various Points Of Entry Into Prospective Business
- Establish Mutual Interests
- Build Relationships and Connections
First, you want to show that you’re a professional. To do so, show prospective clients or partners that you aren’t just a salesman, but a knowledgeable asset. Show that you have value by highlighting your areas of specialty. Instead of hyping up your own personal accomplishments, separate yourself by highlighting what you’ve helped others accomplish.
Build Relationships
In order to build new connections, you must highlight your existing and past customers. Doing so allows for the cultivation of recommendations and endorsements. With LinkedIn, you want to promote your expertise in a specific field. What better way is there to show your value than to have first-hand testimony from a past client that has endorsed your skills?
Research Your Connections
Furthermore, LinkedIn is a tool that can be utilized to conduct research on a prospective target. You can use LinkedIn to your strength by developing knowledge on these prospects by learning their history and their place in the corporate hierarchy. You may find that you currently have mutual connections, which could be a nice conversation starter as a way to reach out and begin networking with these prospects.
While LinkedIn isn’t going to make a sale for you, utilizing the variety of tools that it offers is a great way to build and establish relationships with the people relevant to your area of expertise. You want to be active and network as much as possible, therefore building up your status as a valuable commodity in your industry. By connecting with past and current clients or partners, LinkedIn can help you locate and target future clients and partners, while serving as a medium to share your history and various accomplishments that’s relevant to your field.
Contact us today for more help with LinkedIn and ALL of your social media marketing!
