The term ‘social selling’ has been doing the rounds for a while now on the interwebs, at conferences and in countless webinars. What does it actually mean? Here’s a definition by Hubspot:
Social selling is when salespeople use social media to interact directly with their prospects. Salespeople will provide value by answering prospect questions and offering thoughtful content until the prospect is ready to buy.
Do you work in sales? Our great buddy Dan Pink would argue that everyone works in sales nowadays, regardless of what it says on your business card. Therefore I have now single-handedly decided that the tips below from LinkedIn apply to everyone.
Useful tips to optimize your LinkedIn sales profile
- Upload a professional photo. Think business card. Profiles with photos receive a 40% InMail response rate (that is in case you use the paid-for messages on LinkedIn).
- Write a descriptive headline. It’s the first thing people look at when they view your profile. So be descriptive. Here’s How to Write a Killer LinkedIn Headline.
- Include your summary and experience. Tell your story! See more at Should You Write a LinkedIn Summary in First or Third Person?
- Get your LinkedIn vanity URL. Create a profile address that closely matches your name (e.g. www.linkedin.com/in/reidhoffman). If you’re name is already taken, add your middle name, a keyword or location and you should be fine.
- Get recommendations. Have people focus on your specific skill sets. Make meaningful comments when recommending others. Think quality, not quantity. More at LinkedIn Recommendations: How Many Do You Need and How Do You Get them?
- Share updates… and share often! People that share 2-5 times a day see an increase in profile views and engagement. Some useful tips on this at How to Do the Perfect LinkedIn Status Update.
- Join LinkedIn Groups. Meet & Engage. Demonstrate your expertise. It’s that simple. More of this at Are You Unlocking the Full Potential of LinkedIn Groups?
More on this topic at How to Master the Five Pillars of Social Selling.
