Episode 261: Maximizing Sales Potential on LinkedIn Without the Common Missteps
Learn how to maximize your sales potential on LinkedIn without the common missteps. Whether you’re in upper management or refining your strategy as a salesperson, this episode provides insights to turn your LinkedIn presence into a powerful tool for social selling. We’re not revisiting old-school mistakes; we’re tackling the latest challenges with new features, AI, and automated systems. Join us for a quick guide to staying ahead, elevating your professional standing, and reshaping your approach on LinkedIn. Tune in now for the keys to success that can transform your sales strategy.
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Intro 00:00
Welcome to Making Sales Social Live, as we share LinkedIn and Social Selling Training Strategies and Tips that will have an immediate impact on your business. Join Brynne Tillman, and me, Bob Woods, every week, Making Sales Social Live! This is the recorded version of our weekly Making Sales Social Live Show.
Bob Woods 00:23
Welcome sales and marketing pros to Making Sales Social Live, Coming to you from the partially snowcovered, Social Sales Link Virtual Studios. I’m Bob Woods of Social Sales Link, and joining me is the co-host of Making Sales Social Live. She’s a fellow LinkedIn and Social Selling Strategist, Consultant trainer, and coach, Brynne Tillman. Hey, Brynne, what’s up?
Brynne Tillman 00:47
Hey, Bob. not that much. Well, we’re tons, whichever way you want to look at it. Um, lots of changes in 2024. I can’t believe first of all, we are halfway through January.
Bob Woods 01:04
I know. Mind-blowing.
Brynne Tillman 01:05
Like [it] was 1/24 through the year?
Bob Woods 01:09
Yep. Yeah.
Brynne Tillman 01:10
And it just started.
Bob Woods 01:15
I know. It’s just amazing.
Brynne Tillman 01:19
- And it’s really very exciting. So…
Bob Woods 01:26
Yeah, absolutely.
Brynne Tillman 01:28
We’re gonna talk about missteps today.
Bob Woods 01:30
Yeah. Missteps.
Brynne Tillman 01:31
But stay tuned because really, we are focused on not just missteps, but and we’re about bringing to you. I don’t know if you’re having it if you’re seeing me struggle through this. But it looks like I’m freezing on my end, hopefully.
Bob Woods 01:58
Yeah, yeah, I was wondering about that because I was wondering if it was my end because there’s a decent chance lately that has been around, especially with some of the snow we have outside sometimes, that sometimes the electrons have a tough time getting through to the Social Sales Link Virtual studio. So, let’s just go ahead. And let’s talk about maximizing your sales potential on LinkedIn.
Especially without what just Brynne said, without the common missteps that many people make when doing so. LinkedIn has evolved into a powerhouse for generating leads, starting those all-important sales conversations in an authentic and genuine way, and nurturing professional relationships. But if you use it incorrectly, it can be a minefield that, if you step on one, can hinder your sales success and even tank your professional reputation.
So whether you’re an upper management sea level, or a salesperson looking to refine your LinkedIn strategy, we’ve got all kinds of insights to help you turn your LinkedIn presence into a robust tool for social selling. But before we get through the individual things, Brynne, let’s talk about a huge minefield that the seller stepped in with you. You did a post on this. So people if you want to go see Brynne’s post, it’s up in her feed, having to do with a conversation that she had with a seller, I guess you call on LinkedIn. Brynne.
Brynne Tillman 03:23
Yeah, so actually, depending on when this launches, look at my featured section on my profile, I will highlight Protection. Perfect, yes, just because of timing and findings. So I had this very strange interaction. Now I’ll start by, I get pitched all the time. I never respond. But this particular one was clever. It was funny, they mentioned, he mentioned the making sales social podcast. It felt very personal.
And so they wanted to share insights around clever video that converts. So I said, “You know we do lots of videos.” Why not? I’ll take a look at this. And so I respond. “Sure. Here’s my link.” And then he says something to the effect of, well, what should our next steps be? And I said, Well, I gave you a link, go schedule it. And then he said something along the lines of Well, essentially, I need to qualify you before we schedule a call.
This is where I mean it got I’m like, “Really like you prospected me?” So then I said, “Well, nevermind, I’m not interested.” Because well that’s what I suspected so I wouldn’t have wanted to waste my time. Because we only have 24/7 in the day, and I want to make sure I’m using my time. Well, we weren’t interested in his product. I wasn’t interested in talking to him.
Right. And so yeah, so the big thing is, number one don’t connect in pitch, which he actually did in a very clever way. And I actually took the bait and I’m a hard one, like, I’m a fish that swims by almost every worm. But this one was quite wiggly. And I thought, yeah, I’m gonna, bite the bait. And then he threw me back.
Bob Woods 05:41
That’s just amazing. That’s just amazing and awesome. It almost makes me wonder and I commented on this. And after I comment I noticed a couple of other people did in that post, whether or not it was like maybe automation that started and then this person jumped in, or if it was AI, just not responding properly, which in and of itself is a big problem, because it’s not authentic. AI can probably pick up on some things that a bot couldn’t, especially when it comes to initial prospecting.
But man, you’ve got to watch. It’s because an old saying that I had a really old saying, Once upon a time, was something along the lines of in the sales process. If you start out as a bot, you’re going to be a bot in the mind of the person who you’re trying to prospect. So and that just takes people off? Because it’s like, “Oh, well, I’m important enough to go from a bot to an actual person.” I mean, you just, you can’t do that.
Brynne Tillman 06:38
Yeah, it’s just the other lesson in this from beyond don’t connect and pitch. When you get a yes. Take it.
Bob Woods 06:51
Yes.
Brynne Tillman 06:52
Like I gave him Yes. Not only did I say, “Okay, I gave him my calendar link to schedule.” And I’m thinking you spent all the time to create a list that I ended up on the list that I created, that I became this ideal prospect. And I said, “Sure, let’s talk and you threw me back there.” Like, I don’t know if you’re qualified, essentially. That was awful. Awful.
Bob Woods 07:28
So that’s actually a prime example of one of the things that we’re going to be talking about. So we really don’t need to get into it more than that. But that’s connecting and immediately pitching, especially when it comes to essentially what happened with Brynne, because you not only had that going on, but you had probably I don’t know a BDR who needed to meet a certain threshold from a prospect before they’re just weird. Oh, he was the owner. So it wasn’t even a BDR. That’s bad.
Brynne Tillman 08:03
I know. But I think you nailed it. You in comments is that this started off as automation that I didn’t recognize, by the way, so it was pretty good automation. Yeah. And then when he took over, he couldn’t save, it was impossible for him to save face. Like if he had said that, you know, if automation is what said, “Hey, I want to qualify” First of all, bad scripting. Yeah, really? Like if you reach out to a buyer, and they say, “Sure, I’m going to talk?” “Sure, you might want to qualify them in conversation,” but don’t qualify them and talk them out of the conversation.
Bob Woods 08:52
Right? It’s what we’re all about starting conversations.
Brynne Tillman 08:55
So when it turns and I’m going to tell you quick, another story with someone who I really liked a lot. So in just a minute, but in this particular case, I would have even been better with “Oh my gosh, I apologize.” I’m trying out this automated system that clearly failed. I will go schedule time with you.
Bob Woods 09:17
That’s a great way to recover.
Brynne Tillman 09:20
Like just be authentic about it. And then I’ll talk you out of using automation when we talk but regardless, at least if that were the case, which I think it was, and he doubled down on his mistake, instead of being vulnerable and taking responsibility.
Bob Woods 09:37
Right, exactly. And then.
Brynne Tillman 09:40
That is a whole a whole question in and of itself. I’m also going to tell you this is an influencer. I’m not going to mention him. I know I made him feel bad privately. I will never make him feel bad publicly. But there is someone that I don’t want to go too far in new discovering who he is influencer. I’m very tight in our circles, actually really like have been on one on one zooms with him. Like, really like him.
I got an automation from him That stated, “Hey, Brynne, it’s been a watt hour or we’ve been connected for quite some time, yet we’ve never really gotten to know each other. And I responded, “ Do you really forget who I am?” And he’s like, he doubled down. “Oh, no, I just want to get to know you better know him. I know his business. If I hear His voice. I know it’s him. Like, we have done things with him. Podcast slash master classes.” I’m just saying, but here’s the problem.
The first problem is you’re using automation. Bad. But let’s just say, all right, you’re using automation. The next problem is when you double down on the mistake that your automated assistant makes. If you are going to try for this easy button, which by the way is broken, there is no real easy way to build relationships, period, end of story. There’s no easy way there are better, more effective ways and faster ways. But none of them are like, click a button and sit back and wait for a relationship to happen. Right? It just doesn’t work that way.
But to double that, when I responded, and I responded with a new forgotten meal ready, or something, have funny half series, because then that case I knew was automation. There was no way he would have written that to me. And when he responded, Oh, that was like, “Oh, you caught me. But I don’t want you to know”, like, “Oh, no, I just want to set up some time to get to know you better.”
Those would not have been the words to use, he would have said, “Hey, we’ve done so much together yet, we really haven’t gotten to know each other deeply. Let’s set up another call.” Like, “Great, I’m excited because I like this guy a lot.” But he didn’t do that. He doubled down instead of being authentic and saying, “Oh, I’m trying this automation.” It shouldn’t have gone to you obviously.
I know you very well. But if we’re open to having another call, I’d love to oh my gosh, in a heartbeat. But the fact that he doubled down and said, “Oh no, I meant that message for you.” really annoyed me. And for about last six months, I have not been engaged. I started engaging with him again. But I was like, “No, I’m not engaging with you. You don’t remember me.”
Bob Woods 12:52
Yes. So remember what I talked about minefields and destroying reputations. One example, right here, it can be so easily done. So just keep that in mind that when it comes to minefields, and using LinkedIn, what Brynne just said is a prime example of destroying your reputation.
This time, I think we’re gonna go with a relationship instead of reputation, although it’s slowly building back up. But still. All of that goodwill is now gone. Because this person doubled down on a mistake from a combination of automation. And sounds to me like a badly scrubbed list. I mean.
Brynne Tillman 13:41
Well, I’m sure he does. First degree connections that are self employed, or CEOs or whatever it is. Because that’s who he sells to. I am his prospect. I am his ICP, for sure. But the point is.
Bob Woods 13:58
Probably shouldn’t mess content, or last contact and account or something like that, too. But anyhow, yeah.
Brynne Tillman 14:04
I don’t know that you could do that.
Bob Woods 14:07
So she can question.
Brynne Tillman 14:10
Your question. Can we do Yeah, who we’ve already connected, and we’ve already engaged within the inbox would be a great fill. That would be a wonderful filter that would, or by recent activity, lots of things by date. But the bottom line, though, is this is why automation, one of the many reasons why automation just isn’t going to work. Because he’s out there. I’m going to sum this up. He is out there trying to get mass relationships. And while he’s doing it, he’s burning the ones he already has.
Bob Woods 14:45
Yep. And it’s so easy to do as we just demonstrated and melody just just quickly asking this goes back to the first example. Did this guy even mention what makes a qualified lead or what his metric where and that’s probably.
Brynne Tillman 15:02
Go. to my profile and read the, it is about 90% Exact. However, I hit over the character limit, so I did have to delete some things out of it, but it’s almost exactly the exact threads so you can see what he said and how he said it. So if you go to my profile, scroll down to featured, it’s right there.
Bob Woods 15:28
Okay, excellent. So now let’s get into some of these others. Let’s get into some of these others here. So with the, with some of the improvements that that you could be making with some missteps probably the biggest misstep is a self centered LinkedIn profile, because they’re treating it like a resume focusing on their achievements and not on how they can help people. So you have to shift from a resume to a resource, right, Brynne?
Brynne Tillman 16:01
We do. And actually, before I say that this makes me really happy. Rachel Black is an old in person real friend. In real life, I’ve hugged her. So reconnect with prior clients or referrals, what is your best phrasing? So I’m going to cut. We’ll come back to this. I’m going to answer Bob’s, we’re gonna talk about profile, and then we’re going to come back to this. So yes, resume to resource, this is your landing page. And our job is to earn the right to get the call.
And our resume might earn us the right to get a connection, it may earn us the right to get a job interview or a recruiter interested, but is not earning, earning the right for us to get a sales conversation, which is what we want. So I mean, I don’t know that we’re gonna go detailed in here. But I would say go back and look at some of our old podcasts on profile. But the most important thing is we’re talking about maximizing your sales potential is if get into the shoes of your buyer.
Look through your profile and say, Is this someone that I’d want to talk to? If it’s not because I want to buy something, but because I’ve learned something? Because you’ve intrigued me? You’ve created some curiosity. Maybe you taught them something new that gets them thinking a little bit differently. I would be curious to see the automation scripts they used?
Well, the first one is definitely well not definitely automated. Bob has recognized that he believes it started off as automation. So if you go to my I’m BrynneTillman, B-R-Y-N-N-E Tillman T-I-L-L-M-A-N I’m still the only one on LinkedIn. There are lots of Bob Woods, but there’s only one and then scroll down to my featured section, and you can see the actual engagement. So Bob, go back to Rachel’s question.
Bob Woods 18:10
Sure, sure. Sure. Let’s wrap that up. And then we can quickly go through the other things.
Brynne Tillman 18:14
Okay. So, and actually, we may even be jumping ahead. Do we have ignoring our connections?
Bob Woods 18:22
Yes, that was actually going to be the next one connecting and never starting a conversation.
Brynne Tillman 18:28
Okay, that’s great. You start that and this, this will roll right in.
Bob Woods 18:33
Yeah. So I mean, essentially, you know, collecting connections without engaging them. I mean, that’s just the height of being ineffective because you’re starting a relationship with them. Imagine if you’re at a networking event, and you shake someone’s hand and “Hey, how are you doing?” Good. How you doing? And yeah, that was dead air for a very specific purpose. If it felt uncomfortable there.Imagine how it feels like to the person who you just started the relationship with.
So yeah, you need to start conversations with new connections by just sharing valuable content, or asking questions, because you’re interested in them as a person as well, as you know, depending on how they got to you, whether it was through a profile view, or whether it was through a conversation and a chat or whatever, you know, there there’s a potential basis for a relationship there. Just find out why.
Brynne Tillman 19:34
Yeah, I love them. So right and helping them doesn’t mean selling to them. It could be helping other people. It could be bringing resources to them. What there’s just so many things that can happen there. So great. So Rachel’s question is how do we reconnect with prior clients? So I am going to start by saying for a moment, that one of the biggest mistakes social sellers make is they connect and not just forget, immediately, but never look back, ignore all these people.
So to me, it’s like I went to a networking event, I collected all of these business cards, I put a big rubber band around them, stuck them in the corner of my desk, and never did anything with them. But the nice thing is LinkedIn, your business cards, your digital business cards are searchable. So we can go into our first degree connections. By the way, you can do this in the free and identify by industry, by title, by location, all of our first degree connections.
Take inventory, and identify who do we want to re engage with, we can also export our connections. So this leads to Rachel’s question, which is how do you reconnect with prior clients or referrals? What’s your best phrasing? So let’s start with strategy before we do freezing? What do they care about? There are things like we can start a poll and ask them to vote, great way to re-engage and reconnect, we can interview that we can do a live with them.
We can reach out to them and say, “Hey, I’m putting together an ebook.” And I’d love your quote in this ebook, right? There, we can reach out to referral partners and say, “You know, I’d really love to get back on account in a conversation.” Well, that’s now tactic versus strategy. But so I’m in, I’m putting myself in circles, I’m going to come back for a second, take inventory. Let’s identify, let’s say, referral partners.
First, start a conversation with, you know, what is your plan in 2024, to grow new business, one cold calling to email campaigns, three building networks, deeper networking relationships, for other sharing comments. And now we go through and re-engage, and maybe I pick up my mobile and I send a video and I say, “Hey, Rachel, I hope you’re doing well.” I know, it’s been years since we’ve chatted, I think even before the pandemic.
And, you know, I recently put out this poll, and I thought of you and I’m wondering if you’d be willing to put a one click vote here. And once it’s done, I’m happy to share the insights I glean from you and you know, your colleagues or where you benchmark to your peers or something like that. So I’m not just reaching out saying, “Hey, let’s jump on a call.” But I’m really engaged in the relationship.
And by the way, this is now a little discovery-ish. For my networking. It’s not discovery, like, do I need promotional items do I need? Like, that’s not the discovery piece? The discovery piece here is are you know, is networking a top priority? If it is, that’s the those are the people you want to have the conversation with? I noticed you voted networking is your top priority. It’s mine as well. I’d love to explore if we’d be good networking partners. Okay. Hi, Logan. Let’s see.
Bob Woods 23:11
Yeah, So Logan says, and login, if you listen to a bunch of stuff that Brynne just said, that could definitely help you out in answering this question. So login says my experiences, everyone accepts the connection requests, but then won’t engage any further. How do you address this? I don’t understand why anyone would accept a connection request if they’re not interested in talking to you. But apparently, that’s what people do. So to me.
Brynne Tillman 23:37
Yeah, I have a lot to say on the list.
Bob Woods 23:40
Yeah, It’s all in the follow up, basically.
Brynne Tillman 23:42
Yeah. So the first thing Logan, I’d want to see what is your message? Do they feel pitched? Is it about you? Or is it about bringing value into their world? So here’s the challenges salespeople that we make often, we share content that we want them to know, not content they want to consume. And the content could be the message, you know, content is not just what you put out on your newsfeed, or that you posted, right content is everything, your profiles content, your messaging is content.
And so we have to put out content that is valuable to them. Not Is it valuable to us. Now we also make sure that that content leads back to our solution in one way or another. We don’t want to just constantly have a conversation that doesn’t lead to a sales call, because that’s not productive either. But having that opportunity to engage on what matters to them initially, is huge. Right?
And so my guess and I don’t want to make any assumptions. Logan, my guess is the email that you put out, as your follow up is not resonating with your new connection. It’s not creating curiosity. It’s not teaching them anything new that gets them to want to have a conversation with you.
Bob Woods 25:05
Yep, I would agree with that. And login. If you remember when I redid because we did a profile makeover, I just looked it up because Logan’s name sounded very familiar. And, it was back in August. Remember when I told you that our and this is a good lesson for everyone that, you know, when we redid the profile, we did it in a very consumer facing way, which is exactly what Brian was addressing, you need to take that idea, you need to take that thread through everything that you do on LinkedIn.
Brynne Tillman 25:39
Here’s what I’m gonna say, Logan, go to LinkedIn, linkedInlibrary.com, or scan and go into the library. If you’re not already a member, it’s free membership. And go into the community. It’s free. Drop your message, tag, Bob and myself, and we’ll take a look at it.
Bob Woods 26:00
Yep, sounds good. So the next thing, oops, I’m just losing all my windows here, hang on for just a second. So the next areas that we’re going to be talking about are a little more when it comes to the actual content that you’re sharing. And then has to do with things like lack of a process and sharing and engaging, sharing relevant content, which we’ve essentially already gone into, again, with content that’s relevant, share the content that your audience of prospects wants to read, not what you want to share with them.
Posting and ghosting is really important, because when you post content, you should engage with the people who interact with it, because they’re taking the time to give their thoughts to what they’re posting, acknowledge that take the opportunity to share your own opinions, in a thought leadership building way on, on whatever it is that they shared, I’m trying to come up with example. And of course, I’m going blank on that.
But whatever it is they share, add to it, we always talk about Yes, and here, always agree with it, and then add to it. Yes, and comes from the world of improv, but it works very well here. And then you just need a process when it comes to sharing and engaging, you need to be purposeful about it, you need to engage with prospects, and you need to contribute to conversations in a meaningful way.
And you need to take time, if you even have to devote time in your calendar to do this, you really need to be showing up because not only does that help you push out your, thought leadership there, it also just helps with the algorithm because the algorithm recognizes when you are out there and you are contributing. And then that will help posts and that will help boost your content when you publish it in the algorithm.
Brynne Tillman 27:57
Yeah, and I’ll just share a quick little example. Let’s say someone shares a Brene Brown article, you engage, you talk about what you loved about it. And then you get into their DMS with “Thank you so much for sharing that article, I’m a huge fan of Brene Brown. I recently came across a podcast that she’s on that I’ve cued up to listen to on a similar topic. Let me know if you’re interested, I’m happy to send you the link.” Now we are having a conversation around what my prospect cares about.
That’s the whole point of this right. Don’t say I love the article you shared on Brene Brown, can I pitch you my products and services? No. Right? So I think that’s the Yes. And I loved this. And you might love this. I mean, that’s not really a Yes. And but it’s another form of yes and right. Like, ultimately, we’re having a conversation with them. We’re starting the conversation with them. Not around what I want them to know, but what they want to consume. And we’ll leave it into the right place at the right time.
Bob Woods 29:07
Yep. So two more quick things. And my God, we’ve got to wrap up because we’re having fun.
Brynne Tillman 29:15
We’re having fun.
Bob Woods 29:16
Yeah, no, it’s great. It’s fantastic. I got a call coming up. So I gotta get going. The next one is cold calling on LinkedIn, simply, Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Instead, just engage with potential connections first through their content, and then connect with a personalized message. It’s not that difficult to do. And then obviously.
Brynne Tillman 29:42
It is the most common misstep.
Bob Woods 29:44
It is the most common misstep and probably right after having the wrong type of profile out there. Cold calling is definitely if you’re ranking them. It’s definitely number two on the list and then of course, avoid pitching immediately after connecting which is probably Billy number three or four on that list? Absolutely.
Brynne Tillman 30:06
All right, my friend, you gotta go. So let’s wrap it up. And thank you, Vaughn. I’m glad I caught the last snippet. Hey, you could go back and start over. As soon as it’s done, just stay where you are and refresh.
Bob Woods 30:18
And you can also catch it in podcast form in a couple of weeks when it comes out on the podcast in recorded view, as well. And I’ll get to how you can do that in just a second. So thank you again for joining us on making sales social live. If you’re with us here live on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, or X slash Twitter right now. We do this every week. So keep an eye out for our live sessions. I’m just looking at Vaughn. Woohoo, comment. That’s funny.
If you’re listening to us on our podcast and you haven’t subscribed already, go ahead and hit that subscribe or follow button and all the other things that you should probably be clicking so you can access all of our previous shows and be alerted to when new ones drop. If you’d like more info on our podcast, socialsaleslink.com/podcast is where you should go. So we do two shows weekly. We do this one and our interview series where we talk with leaders and experts in sales, marketing, business and many many, many, many, many more areas. So when you are out and about be sure to make your sales.
Brynne Tillman 31:25
Social.
Bob Woods 31:28
Thank you for joining.
Outro 31:29
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