If you are selling – yourself or your company – LinkedIn is crucial to your success these days. It gives you access to an unlimited number of people who will want to buy from you!
Think of LinkedIn as a massive room filled with lots of people who you know through other people…
Most of them have a big badge on, with more than their name – it also holds many other useful, personal particulars on it. Other people are there, but they are wearing masks, making it difficult to get to know them. In this big room, there are small groups of people who know each other very well, so you can’t barge in and start conversations with them too easily.
There are people who are wandering around with free gifts and prizes. There are people who are standing up speaking to small and large groups. There are people who look a bit lost. There are people who own companies, and there are people who deliver mail to companies.
So, while it’s handy to have all of your contacts in the same room, you can see that they are in varying states of readiness to do business. You certainly won’t be guaranteed any business– but it’s your job to ‘work the room’ and begin or continue the sales process. Walking around saying “Do you want to buy what I have?” or “Do you want to meet up?” won’t be effective in the room, as it won’t be on LinkedIn. Apply your normal common sense and sales ability and you will prosper.
LinkedIn isn’t a magic wand – it’s very useful, but you need to work to keep your leads interested and therefore more likely to convert. Having said that, it is a fabulous networking site. As a modern day sales professional, you must make sure you’re using your time wisely, and LinkedIn is one tool that allows you to reach more people in a short space of time.
Just be careful how you approach people and the kind of messages you send out. Those who get it right will unlock the door to incredible opportunities and brand new revenue streams. So, write that profile and get on board!
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