10 Tricks on How Sellers can Increase LinkedIn Visibility(Call Them Hacks!)

Hey Sellers, here are a few quick questions for you-

• Do you know what conversation intelligence can do for you? Make your sales conversations effective.
• Do you know what a sales analytics tool can do for you? Make sales decisions data-oriented.
• Do you know what CRM tools can do for you? Record and analyze customer data.
• But what does LinkedIn do for you? Where does it fit in the sales cycle?

While everyone can have their individual perception on how and what LinkedIn does?

I’d like to address the question more simply-

LinkedIn is a robust platform that allows sellers like you to stay socially relevant, support and enable new professional opportunities globally.

How do sellers benefit from LinkedIn visibility?

Personally, I’m a big fan of LinkedIn. And just can’t wait to read posts and start meeting like-minded people each day.

But sellers have to present a different game altogether. The pressure of attracting prospects and keeping customers engaged makes it even more difficult to exploit the many benefits of LinkedIn.

And before we further discuss the different techniques that sellers should use, let’s understand how LinkedIn benefits salespeople.

1. Maximize visibility in a cost-effective way
2. Find key decision-makers and learn about them.
3. Research key accounts and buyers thoroughly.
4. Receive the most up-to-date information on a variety of subjects.
5. Massive repository of information and contact data.
6. Networking opportunities outside the physical world.
7. Keeping current customers engaged and aware.
8. Helps and supports education and learning.
9. Focuses on personal branding and selling oneself.
10. Trust and credibility gaining platform.

Mitali Pattnaik, Sr. Director of Product Management at LinkedIn offers some great insights in an interview with SocialMediaToday.

She says, “ With LinkedIn, salespeople are more likely to meet or exceed sales targets by more than 2X, and InMail acceptance rates can increase by as much as 87%.”

And buyers too prefer salespeople with LinkedIn profiles.

Now that we know how LinkedIn can supercharge your selling program, you are ready to earn 10 tricks that can make your experience on LinkedIn fruitful.

0. Not a hack, but something to keep in mind and digest TODAY!

You are required to understand the rules and changing trends of LinkedIn.

Just because your trick is working today doesn’t guarantee that it’ll work tomorrow as well.

Similar to other social media platforms, LinkedIn too keeps updating its algorithm, rules, and policies.

So, take note of this Zeroth point before you start working on the next 10 points.

1. Build an Awesome LinkedIn Network

Are you networking with the right audience? Is it just quantity or houses quality contacts too?

A quality network is the first step to starting your LinkedIn journey.

Don’t get carried away by friends and relatives and of course your office buddies. It’s okay to add them to your network but that shouldn’t be the majority of the crowd.

Linkedin Tips for Salespeople

Source: Reddit

Surround yourself with three types of people, one who can-

1. Help you learn
2. Show interest in your business or product.
3. Enable opportunities

Essentially, this is how you must categorize your LinkedIn network.

How to create the right set of audiences?

• Check if you’re in their first, second, or third-degree networks.
• You share a common group with your contact.
• Keep track of people visiting your profile(ideal prospects looking for what you offer).
• A large quality audience attracts similar contacts to your account.
• Qualify new accounts- network size and activities.
• Try to network with thought leaders and industry peers
• Join good LinkedIn Groups.

2. Join LinkedIn Groups

This one’s my favorite.

I have witnessed results with LinkedIn Groups.

After posting and engaging in a sales group, I received 15+ page views in less than an hour.

In a group, you will find people who share your interests, and you will receive updates that you like.

There’s more to LinkedIn groups than just that.

How to find and exploit LinkedIn groups?

• Use of keywords to locate LinkedIn groups is the first thing.
• Read group rules carefully. Don’t violate the rules.
• Each group is unique. Start with understanding the group, not posting.
• Start with engaging on others’ posts- react or comment or discuss.
• If you find something worth appreciating, send a personal message and state why you liked the post.
• When you comment, don’t be foolish to write “I agree”. Write something valuable.
• Share stories instead of what the Link contains.
• Share your own experience.
• Stay active in the group as much as possible.
• If possible, create your own LinkedIn group.

3. React and Engage Meaningfully With Others Posts

Which one would you appreciate more?

“I agree with your opinion.”

Vs.

“I agree with your opinion, but I have one more point to add- sales coaching is no longer optional, and it’s need of the hour.”

I feel sorry for your Linkedin profile if the first option is your answer.

Reacting and commenting meaningfully is always a good sign and improves your chances of getting account traffic.

How to use comments and engagements?

• Read the posts carefully before writing in the comment. Don’t write or like just for the sake of it.
• If you share the post, state the reason why you shared.
• Try to sound like a thought leader yourself.
• Also, comments are a brilliant way to slide your company’s content as a response.
• Choose your posts carefully, let your activities show a similar interest and passion for the same type of content.
• Be consistent and regular in posting comments.

4. Take and Make Video Content

According to a study by Wyzowl, 91% of marketers believe the pandemic has increased the importance of video for brands.

I am not pushing you only to post videos, but posting videos is a great way to attract your audience.

You and I can agree on this- videos work better than texts.

But let’s understand how you can explore the video segment-

• Majority of videos are complicated. Invest in short videos(3 sec-5 mins) that break down complex topics.
• Don’t push branded videos. Try to publish videos that are original and capture your opinion.
• Write a strong caption, clear CTA, and avoid voiceover.
• Draw inspiration from thought leadership videos, How-to videos, and Interviews.

According to LinkedIn, people watch video ads almost 3x more often than static sponsored content.

5. Good Copy Shouldn’t Be Just Any Copy

A good copy in your LinkedIn post shouldn’t be just anything and everything you find online.

Make it a daily practice to share something:

• Inspirational
• Challenging
• A Social issue
• Opinion
• Experience

In case you want to improve your copy a little more and expect action from your viewers then you can also try the following:

• Add clear CTA(place it naturally, not forcefully)
• Use numbers to grab attention
• Include hashtags

Linkedin Tips for Salespeople

Source: Reddit

• Have a constant tone with your audience
• Ask insightful questions instead of writing statements.
• Use # (hashtags) and @ (mentions). If you tag someone, you are asking for their opinion.
• Create content that is Entertaining, Educating, or Thought-provoking.

6. LinkedIn Introduction Matters

Many of you’d say- what’s so different about LinkedIn Introduction? Isn’t that a hygiene factor?

Unfortunately, that’s a wrong perception and I’d like to change it immediately.

You are a seller and before you sell a product or service, you must focus on selling yourself.

As soon as a prospect lands on LinkedIn,

1. They should be able to find you on LinkedIn.
2. Once they find your account, your display picture, cover image, and headline( introduction card) should move them to learn more about you.

Those few fields will decide whether the prospect will scroll down or bounce to another page?

Hence, I’d like to run you through a few must have’s in your introduction area-

• Start with a professional introduction.
• Have a client-focused LinkedIn including keywords within your headline
• Your headline must address your target market.
• Ensure a neutral background with a well-dressed, smiling, and straight-looking display picture.
• You can also be creative add a 30-sec video cover story in place of your display picture.
• Be innovative with your cover image and draw your prospective client’s attention.
• Try to advertise your achievements through the cover image.
• Avoid silly mistakes and spelling errors.

7. When Engagement Goes Low, Use Polls

Convin has seen higher organic impressions of posts that include polls- a low-touch mechanism to get contacts involved.

One such company has seen a 115 percent higher impression than other posts.

The problem with polls is that poll options are restricted to 30 characters and the questions to 140 characters, making them difficult to construct.

How should you use the LinkedIn polls?

• Try to grab attention by asking for opinions and feedback.
• Conduct market research with the help of polls.
• Learn about your prospects’ challenges and pain points.
• Polls should be crisp and clear.
• Use the caption section to give background information.

8. Help someone on LinkedIn

Here’s my opinion about helping someone.

Once I tried helping a contact on LinkedIn posting and seeking a candidate for an urgent job role. I have been receiving a lot of help from that contact.

In another instance, a contact needed help with some promotion and engagement on their post. I have been receiving equal engagement from the connection without any request.

Simple things can make a lot of difference like:

• Helping search a candidate for someone on LinkedIn.
• Assisting someone in finding information.
• Share someone’s new project or entrepreneurial venture with the world.
• Share someone’s inspirational story with others in your network.
• Add a few words of recommendation for someone.

Note: You can always ask people with whom you have an excellent relationship to give you a recommendation for some help or good performance.

9. Attend Events that Prospects Attend

Party where the prospects party!

Now this one is relatively simple but is way too underrated.

Track all the events your prospects and customers are attending.

Share the space with your customers and prospects often to grab their attention and maximize your visibility.

They’ll also appreciate it if you will participate in the event and contribute. Try to contribute and add some valuable information to the event.

10. Use LinkedIn Messaging

It’s easier to communicate with someone you already know and doesn’t need an introduction.

You can send and receive private messages only with 1st‐degree connections.

So ensure you make every message count-

• Engage with your prospect’s posts before messaging.
• Create a persuasive message.
• Messaging should be simple and not too formal.
• Include the goal in your message.
• Appreciate the time of your prospect.
• Your closing statement should be thought about.
• Always add a personalized message.
• Your message should reflect your research.
• Never overstep your contact’s boundaries. Do not overreach or overreact if your contact doesn’t respond.

Finally, it’s time for some quick reminders that sellers must memorize effortlessly.

LinkedIn Quick Tips:

1. Stay active when you’re audience is active(consider time zones).
2. Comment meaningfully.
3. Add more texts and fewer images and videos posts.
4. Push links to the comment section.
5. Comment and engage on the article or contact you wish to get in touch with.
6. Tag and mention someone to get more eyeballs.
7. The first line of the caption is the most important one.
8. Share others’ posts too.

Linkedin Tips for Salespeople

Source: Reddit

9. Promote your LinkedIn posts on other online channels like Facebook, Twitter, Slack, and Reddit.

10. Stay away from stalkers and fake accounts.

Phew… I think that’s all for today.

Start with implementing these tricks before investing in Sales Navigator or LinkedIn Premium.

There are so many sales tools available free of cost. Explore them first, and then plan to purchase a premium product.

What other topics would you like me to write about if you found this helpful?