LinkedIn and sales go hand-in-hand. LinkedIn is a tool that should be used as part of your sales strategy to help you connect with the people who could become your customers, make those first connections, and grow your network.

Linkedin Social selling can help you use this platform as a resource for lead generation and engaging prospects. However, social selling isn't solely about knowing how to leverage LinkedIn; it's understanding how social media has changed what it means to sell. 

For example, if you're going to do social selling well - why wouldn't you want to have a resource that helps you find people?

Honestly, where else would I suggest finding someone but their LinkedIn profile? It makes sense right? That's why understanding the basics of using LinkedIn for social selling is important.

First, let's start with the basics of what LinkedIn is and how it works. Then we'll dig into why you should use LinkedIn to support your social selling efforts.

‍What Is LinkedIn Social Selling?

Social Selling is a process where sales people use the different features on LinkedIn to find, research and sell their products and services using professional contacts in their network.

LinkedIn social selling allows you to leverage your connections and build credibility at scale. 

It's an amazing way for you to learn about companies that can potentially become partners or even customers down the road. 

Social selling makes it easy to curate content that can be shared across multiple networks like Twitter, Google+ and Facebook which help generate interest from potential clients who may not yet be familiar with your company & products services.

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How Do I Know If I Am Doing Social Selling?

People who are using LinkedIn as a social selling tool have dedicated their profiles to drive more connections and lead generation opportunities. They connect with people on a regular basis, not just when they want something. 

Social sellers build trust by adding value every day so people know exactly what they bring to the table.

Social sellers also proactively share content that drives engagement, creates interest and builds an audience so their business becomes 'top of mind' for potential clients or customers.

They generate new leads by posting jobs that attract passive candidates who may be interested in your products & services long-term. 

To Get Started, Here Are 5 Things To Know About Social Selling:

1) Social Selling Is a Strategy, Not a Channel- When people first think about using social media as a sales tool, they often make the mistake of thinking that it's only a channel. 

But remember: there's no way you could be on every single social media platform at once! And even if you were able to use all those platforms at once - what would be the point? 

Just because someone is active on doesn't mean that Facebook isn't the best channel for your brand to engage with them on. Social selling is a strategy, not just a single channel you use to market yourself.

2) Social Selling Has Changed the Way People Buy- The basic human need for connection is what drives social media , and it's why people are so eager to share information about themselves online. 

That means that when someone makes that first connection with you on LinkedIn they're already more open to your pitches than ever before - which is awesome! 

Now, there's no doubt that this openness also comes with some hesitation because of all those scams out there - but if you can show prospects that you aren't trying to sell them something right off the bat, they'll trust you more. 

This is part of why you shouldn't make the mistake of thinking that social selling is only about using LinkedIn.

3) Sales Are Personalized - So Be Personal- While technology can help to connect buyers and sellers across the globe, it's still up to good old fashioned human beings to close deals. 

And because your prospects want someone they trust, you need to take the time to look at each one as an individual with their own unique challenges that you can solve for them. 

If you don't, then many companies will just fall back on sending mass email blasts or using pushy telemarketing tactics instead of trying to build relationships one by one. 

Look at every prospect as if they were a friend or family member - not just another possible sale - and you'll be making a great first impression!

4) When You Connect With 'Strangers' on Social Selling - When you start using LinkedIn for social selling, it can be easy to connect with people who don't know you at all. 

And I'm not just talking about cold outreach (where prospects don't know you and aren't expecting to hear from you). When your network grows into thousands of connections then even those people who actually do know you can still feel like strangers. 

So when building relationships through social selling, remember that every time you send an email or share something with someone online it's still an opportunity to create that human-to-human connection.

That's why things like including GIFs in your emails are so effective - because they make your prospects feel like you know what they're thinking and feeling (even if you've never met them in person).

5) You Don't Have To Compete With Other Sales Reps- When it comes to social selling, many sales reps are worried that their customers will choose another rep for the sale. 

And again, this is just another reason why it's so important to build relationships with people online - because then your prospects will see you as someone who truly understands them and really wants the best for their business. 

If things don't work out with one company or one rep, there will always be other opportunities in the future - but when you stand out through social media it can be much easier to connect others than before!

6) Social Media Has Changed the Way People Buy - But It's Not Just About Being Social-I mentioned this earlier, but social media has changed how people buy online.

That means that before you even start talking about specific platforms or tools to use for your brand, it's better to think through what kind of content and tone your prospects want from your company on those channels. 

If they're looking for something fun and lighthearted then don't try to go in with a hard sell just because it would work before Twitter and Facebook became so popular. 

Social selling still comes down to being helpful by providing information your prospects want - just like in the olden days when sales reps would send out newsletters to their customers about upcoming events or relevant industry news!

7) You Should Actually Be Doing It Already- Many of you are probably thinking " social selling sounds great, but my company doesn't have a budget for it". 

That's okay - because chances are good that if your company is already doing marketing online through blogging , sharing content on Twitter and other platforms, or other tactics, then they're ready to do social selling too! 

So before worrying about whether you should be using something new like LinkedIn Sales Navigator (which you definitely should), think about how others can work together with you to promote your company. 

If you're part of a marketing team at your current placement, then ask them how they want to help bring social selling into the mix. If you don't have anyone to collaborate with on this, I'd recommend looking for sales positions where the company is already involved in social media or blogging. It can be an indicator that they're open-minded about trying new things too!

8) You Need To Be Prepared To Shift How Your Company Works Online- Even if your company isn't quite ready to do social selling yet, it's still important to start thinking about what that might look like if ever given the go ahead. 

From building out profiles on LinkedIn Sales Navigator (or other platform for that matter), to making a content calendar for your blog, to rethinking how you approach customer service - social selling is going to change the way you work online entirely. 

And even if all of these changes can feel overwhelming at first, it's definitely better than the prospect of being left behind!

9) Social Selling Can Be Easier Than You Think- At the end of the day, what this post comes down to is that social selling isn't that complicated. 

If you have a Twitter account and know how to make an email marketing campaign , then there's plenty of tutorials and guides out there (like this one!) about learning how to sell on LinkedIn . 

The company's trying to make it easier for sales reps through their platform too - things like demonstrating business value through LinkedIn Sales Navigator, or seeing which of your connections could be a fit for your product right now through the CRM/Sales software. 

It's not easy - but it can definitely be worth it. The goal of social selling isn't to replace in-person networking and good ol' fashioned outbound cold calling - it's just a way for you to up your chances of closing deals quicker. And if you're not doing that already, then what are you waiting for?

10) You Can Do It From Anywhere!- If the thought of getting back into the workforce after time off (whether that means raising kids, caring for an elderly parent or other similar circumstances) is making you nervous about finding a job , then don't stress too much, because there's plenty of options available to you wherever you live! 

Here Are The Top Ways To Learn More About Social Selling:

1). Post Job Openings -  By posting jobs to LinkedIn, not only will you attract qualified candidates who may be interested in your company and the types of jobs you offer but also send a message out to anyone who has an interest in hiring for that position or similar positions.

2). Social Posting - It's easy to share original content on any topic relevant to your business through posts, status updates and industry news that is important to your target audience. 

You can even schedule LinkedIn posts ahead of time so that they go live at the best possible time which helps get more views from potential clients.

3). Social Networking - Putting effort into building relationships with people in your network is priceless when it comes time to find new customers or references for potential partners & vendors down the road. 

Social selling doesn't stop once you close the deal, it starts then and continues to foster relationships after each sale.

Tips And Tricks

LinkedIn is a powerful tool that can take your business to the next level.  Now that you know how & why LinkedIn social selling works, here are some tips on building your presence and becoming an active contributor:

1). Connect - Connect with people in your network and expand your network by reaching out to people based on industry or job titles using advanced search. 

Follow companies you admire, especially those who do business in your local area like restaurants, bars, clubs etc... make sure to read their posts & share relevant content. 

2). Share - Post original content (photos & articles) on topics of interest related to your company or business but avoid directly promoting yourself or your products & services as this can be considered spamming. 

In addition to sharing news or relevant industry information, offer helpful tips and advice along the way by posting status updates on topics that will help your connections find solutions to their problems. 

3). Engage - Keep engagement levels high by liking posts, commenting on posts and replying to connection requests. People are more likely to engage with you back when you take the time to acknowledge them which helps build trust and credibility over time. 

4). Join Groups - Joining groups is a great way for you to share content from the group members' posts directly onto your profile page allowing potential clients or customers of interest to see exactly what kind of valuable information they may be able to expect from you once they connect..

Conclusion

Post updates daily that add value to your connections on LinkedIn by sharing industry news, fresh content from influential authors and helpful tips. 

New leads will start coming in from the people who engage with you which gives them a taste of what it would be like to work with you or partner with you on a project down the road. 

Social selling works because of trust so building trust is key to success.

LinkedIn offers plenty of ways for business owners, sales reps & recruiters to use their platform as an advantage over competitors.  

Social selling is being used every day by companies big & small that are getting results through this more personal way of doing business online.  

By becoming an active member on LinkedIn, posting thoughtfully worded messages and proactively adding value every day, you'll start seeing increased traffic to your profile and ultimately get more sales or conversions from the platform.

Remember, social selling is all about being visible in the places where your target audience is spending their time online so get active on LinkedIn today and watch your business grow!