08
Q1 • 2021
COVER STORY
Where only 10 percent of sales leaders were considering a permanent shift to virtual sales in March, Gartner Research found that by June, consideration had risen to 25 percent.
von Rosen says. “Know where your buyers are. They could be on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, and that’s fine. I work primarily with B2B companies or B2C companies that sell to B2C, so LinkedIn is absolutely where they need to be.” Since March 2020, when much of the world
began working from home, von Rosen’s clients have seen their LinkedIn profile views skyrocket. Unfortunately, many of their profiles were not ready for prime time. (See Viveka von Rosen’s seven tips for improving a LinkedIn profile.) “Their profiles might not even say the name
of the company that they currently work for, and if they do, it looks more like a résumé and job seeker,” von Rosen says. “They have no content and no branding. It’s a huge missed opportunity. It’s absolutely crucial that your sellers, especially B2B sellers, are using LinkedIn and that your company branding is really strong on their profiles, because that’s where your audience is.” Once your profile is strong enough to be seen “in public,” it’s time to understand how to cultivate relationships through conversations, what von Rosen calls “social selling.” That can be harder than it might sound. For starters, don’t treat it like you’re reaching out to an old friend from high school on Facebook. Start by using the advanced search filters within LinkedIn to research whom you should be talking to and be sure to read the profile of the person you want to contact. Surprisingly, von Rosen says too many people simply skip this step. If you have connections in common, you can ask for
an introduction before you invite someone to connect or you can mention the common connection in your direct “connect” request. “Too many salespeople are inviting a person
to connect and then following that with a sales pitch, but they haven’t earned the right to make such a pitch,” von Rosen says. “It shouldn’t be ‘Hey, my name is Viveka and you should totally buy my product!’ but that’s how people are using LinkedIn. If you don’t have a common connection, the best way to engage is through content. Engage with them on their content or point them in the direction of your own published content. Look for common ground that you share and can start a conversation with. So many sales reps are just jumping on LinkedIn and prospecting. You would never do this in real life. You would never come up to someone and say, ‘Hey, buy my stuff.’” Once you are connected with your sales
target—assuming it goes well—continue to feed your network with content that your marketing department has created in order to keep you top of mind with those buyers. Von Rosen cites speaker and author Bob Burg, who says, “All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like, and trust.” A truer statement was never spoken. “And remember,” von Rosen says, “unless
you are actually creating conversations with your prospects on LinkedIn, it’s not social selling, because you’re not actually selling.” Assuming you are able to put the tools
von Rosen explained above to work for you, remember, too, that your “face-to-face” video sales call is different from a casual Zoom with colleagues and clients you already have relationships with. First, understand how you will present yourself on camera and get comfortable with the technology needed to make a good impression. Invest a few dollars in a light ring, a decent microphone, and earbuds that allow you to hear well rather than headphones that make you look like a DJ. Marketers are also in the unique position to teach sellers how video can be used for effective private messages on LinkedIn and in emails. “I send a video message to everyone I connect to with links to additional resources,” says von
Rosen. “We find that including resources has resulted in a 3x opening rate.” Von Rosen uses OneMob, but smaller companies could consider Hippo Video or Loom. Continuing on the topic of video, LinkedIn
has a fairly new live-video offering. LinkedIn Live was launched in 2019 and has had tremendous success driving engagement, bringing your professional community together safely in real time. Think of it as a fresh new channel for your existing content ideas and a way for marketing to help position sellers as experts, developing a strong, professional online presence. You want it to be as professional as possible; think of it as a TV show—same time, same day every week to set the expectation. It gives people a great sense of who you are. You can talk about anything industry related, from any location. Von Rosen suggests 15 minutes to a half hour in length. Consider product showcases or virtual tours of your facility with a live Q&A. And when we are able to safely gather together, streaming live from events or interviewing a subject matter expert could be on your to-do list. You can also simultaneously stream to other platforms.
Brand on LinkedIn
Tips to Build Your Personal
Viveka von Rosen, cofounder and Chief Visibility Officer at Vengreso, released an updated version of her book LinkedIn: 101 Ways to Rock Your Personal Brand in February. Following are seven pearls of wisdom to help you maximize your personal (and your company’s) LinkedIn potential. Find Viveka’s book on Amazon and check out her content on LinkedIn Learning.
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