Social selling is an important aspect of how professionals do sales. And, the LinkedIn social media universe is one such platform that’s pretty effective for it.
If you don’t know what social selling is, it’s basically using social media to connect directly to customers. On LinkedIn, that means finding, connecting, and building relationships with people that’ll move your business forward. For people that have mastered the art, it elevates the way they find new opportunities, especially because if you’re on LinkedIn, you’re in the mood to do business.
In this article, we’ll go over how you can start selling on LinkedIn and some tips that’ll help you develop an effective LinkedIn strategy.
How to start selling on LinkedIn
Before you start selling on LinkedIn you need to optimize your profile to make a strong first impression. The way people perceive you will affect how receptive they are to you, so you should take a second to make sure everything is perfect before you carry on. Below are some tips for tightening up your LinkedIn profile.
Optimizing your LinkedIn profile pic
LinkedIn is all about being professional, unlike other social media platforms, so your profile picture should reflect that. Here are some pointers for taking the perfect profile pic:
- Show your face clearly
- Dress the part
- Have good lighting
- Keep it professional (no distracting background, photobombs, or cropped casual photos)
Having a profile pic makes your profile 14 times more likely to be viewed, so don’t use the generic avatar or waste the chance to make a good showing of yourself.
Optimizing your LinkedIn headline
Your headline should be a memorable one-liner that states clearly your reason for being on LinkedIn. It should matter-of-factly communicate the value you offer and show your prospects what’s in it for them when they get your service or product. A simple formula for getting your headline right is
I help [Prospects] do [Desired Result] through [Process]
If you want you can leave out the process, but make sure clearly state who your services are meant for, and what you’ll help them achieve.
Optimizing your LinkedIn summary
Your LinkedIn summary should a maximum of two easy-to-read paragraphs that build on your headline. Reiterate who you are, what makes you special, and why you do what you do.
You can use your summary to share some of your personality but keep things brief and on point. People should be able to quickly skim over it and pick out the main right away. If they can’t, you’ll miss out on valuable connections.
Optimizing your LinkedIn role descriptions
More than just listing the positions you’ve held in the past, your role descriptions should highlight your achievements and the value you could potentially bring to the people who connect with you.
Highlight who you’ve been able to help and quantify the results. You should use every opportunity to reiterate the value you bring. If people don’t have to struggle to understand the benefits you’re offering your social selling will be that much easier.
