There are a lot of things that your sales team should be doing, but utilising LinkedIn is by far one of the most important. A lot of businesses underestimate the impact that LinkedIn can have, even though it can be a hugely effective way of bringing in leads, sales and conversions. Despite competing with the likes of Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn has emerged as a popular social media platform, and it’s no longer solely used by professionals. If you want to stay competitive in the world of sales, you need to get started on LinkedIn.
Your Sales Team Needs to be Utilising LinkedIn and Here’s Why
LinkedIn is no longer a platform that’s reserved for job hunters or networking. It has evolved into a key social media platform, a place for businesses to connect with professionals, companies, clients and industry experts. Here are some of the benefits of utilising this unique platform.
- Networking Opportunities – LinkedIn has millions of users around the world, and this provides your sales team with a network of potential leads, clients and opportunities. Regardless of the industry that you work in, you are likely to find an audience on LinkedIn.
- Lead Generation – One of the main benefits of utilising LinkedIn is boosting lead generation. Your sales team can search for clients based on their industry, location and company size with ease on LinkedIn. This allows you to target your specific audience directly.
- Boost Credibility – With an optimised LinkedIn profile, you can add credibility to your sales team. It’s similar to a business card, a way to showcase their experiences and achievements. This increases the chances of a client trusting your business, as they can see for themselves what your sales team is capable of.
- Share Valuable Content – LinkedIn is an excellent place to share valuable content including industry insights, success stories, business news and product or service releases. Not only does this provide your target audience with information, but it can help to boost brand visibility and reach, especially if a lot of people engage with the post.
- Thought Leadership – With so many competing sales teams out there, you need to showcase your business’ expertise. Thought leadership can do this and LinkedIn facilitates that. By allowing your team members to share insights, valuable content and get involved in discussions, it’s possible to establish yourself as an industry leader.
Though a lot goes into successfully utilising LinkedIn, it’s not something that needs to daunt or overwhelm your sales team. Once LinkedIn has become part of your digital marketing strategy, it’s simply a case of keeping things up to date, posting regularly and engaging with other users.
How to Get Started on LinkedIn as a Business
Getting started on LinkedIn as a business is simpler than many people realise. Though LinkedIn is slightly different to other social media platforms, a lot of the advice is the same.
- Optimise Your Profiles – Though you are sure to know that your business’ profile needs to be optimised, don’t forget about your sales teams’ individual profiles. Make sure that everyone linked to the company has professional, up-to-date and accurate information. This will show others that you are a team of experienced and skilled people.
- Have a Strategy – Instead of diving headfirst into the world of LinkedIn, take the time to develop a strategy. Consider why you are using LinkedIn – does your sales team want to generate leads or build brand awareness? – and define a strategy with this in mind.
- Create Content – Don’t underestimate the importance of content creation on LinkedIn. Encourage your sales team to create, share and engage with valuable content. This could be in the form of blogs, videos or infographics, all of which showcase their industry authority.
- Engage with Others – Engagement is key on LinkedIn, so encourage your team to comment on posts, join groups and connect with potential leads. The more they engage, the more people will see who you are and what you have to offer.
- Provide LinkedIn Training – If your sales team is unfamiliar with LinkedIn, consider training and education. There are a lot of resources out there about how to use LinkedIn effectively, all of which are aimed at helping people get the most out of it. Armed with information and knowledge, your sales team will be able to use the platform confidently.
- Monitor and Analyse – As is the case with all forms of marketing and selling online, you need to monitor and analyse performance. Monitor the number of connections, engagement rates, and leads generated. By looking at analytics, you will find it a lot easier to refine your strategy.
There is no denying the positive impact that LinkedIn can have on your sales, especially if you have a sales team that’s making the most out of what the platform has to offer. With a bit of time and effort, and with a good understanding of LinkedIn, your sales team can garner leads, sales and conversions via the platform.
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