Social Selling Marco Ottonello Director of Digital and Social Media Why social selling is important?
2 Digital Channel Is Now Influencing More Of The Buyer’s Journey
Source: IDC 2016
3 Digital Channel Is Now Influencing More Of The Buyer’s Journey
4 74% Of Salespeople Who Exceeded Their Quota Described Themselves As “Highly Effectives” Social Media Users Or “Better Than Most”
5 Social Selling Helps Sales To Reach Quota By Enabling Them To Research And Connect With Buyers
• Social Sellers Vs. Non Social Sellers, a study by SalesforLife, December 2017
6 Definition Of Social Selling “Social selling is leveraging your own professional brand and social network to gather insights and connections, then use those information to help you discover new opportunities, sell, and get business done.”
– Jamie Shanks
7 What’ Is NOT SOCIAL SELLING?
Social selling is not sell products in the social media When we talk about social selling is that a lot of its guiding principles are very much in line with human good practices in general. Tying to sell to someone as soon as you connect with them on LinkedIn without nurturing the relationship or trying to understand their needs won’t do you any good, in the same way that 100% “cold” calling has a very low success rate compared to better targeted campaigns.
Social selling is not blasting content on social media Use your sales reps as human billboards, ask them to blast promotional content about your latest products on their social media channels, it probably won’t work.
Proper social selling focuses on the prospects, building a long-lasting and customer-centric relationship, which makes it the perfect strategy for the times we live in.
8 Social Selling & LinkedIn: A perfect Marriage
9 The 4 Pillars Of Social Selling
10 Exercise 1 : Check Out Your Social Selling Index (SSI) Score https://www.linkedin.com/sales/ssi
11 How To Use LinkedIn Effectively In 3 Steps For Connections
1. Number of connections. The average social media user in B2B has 500 connections, a number that can be used as a benchmark. Remind to take a few minutes each day to establish 1 or 2 quality relationships with high-potential prospects rather than just add random connections.
2. Number of personalized connection requests Sales reps focused on new business who exceed their quota send 148% more connection requests each month than those who do not hit their quota. Establish a baseline of the number of connection requests you currently send, and gradually increase this number by extending 1 or 2 new invites a week.
3. Connections at key accounts The average B2B sale today typically involves 5.4 decision makers. Measure how many connections your sales reps have within their target accounts. The more relationships you build, the more opportunities for referrals or introductions to decision makers.
12 How To Use LinkedIn Effectively In 3 Steps Of Engagement
1. Extended Network Leverage Prospects are 5x more likely to engage with a salesperson referred by a mutual acquaintance. Report how many “get introduced” requests they are making on LinkedIn. Make sure everyone in your organization is connected with each other as these connections will reveal who is linked to key decision makers.
2. LinkedIn Group participation Sales reps are 70% more likely to secure an appointment when reaching out to pick and actively participate in a few Groups that are the most relevant to your industry (or your role). A divide-and-conquer approach can help you and your team create a solid online presence.
3. Engagement rate 81% of buyers report they’re likely to engage with sellers who have a strong professional brand. Evaluate the amount of content you share during a specific time period. Measure the engagement of your network by tracking how many people like, comment on, and share each piece of content.
13 The Best Sales Profile In 10 Tips
14 1. Upload A Professional Photo
• Professional headshot (with smile) of yourself that would be worthy of a business card1. FORGET THESE PICS
• Profiles with photos receive a 40% higher InMail response rate
• Think of how you would want to appear in a face-to-face sales call
15 1. Upload A Professional Photo
FORGET these pics
16 2. Write a Compelling Headline
• The text underneath your name is the headline.
• It’s the first thing people look at in your profile after your photo and follows your name in search results.
• Instead of simply entering your job title underneath your name, think about how you can creatively explain what you do or how you help clients (e.g., “helping sales teams grow their business through social selling”) + Call To Action
17 2. Write a Compelling Headline (3 Examples)
18 3. Customize your Public Profile Url
• … At the bottom of the top block on your profile containing your name and headline, your public profile URL (web address) is a nice addition to signatures and business cards and will make you more easily found in search engine results.
• Choose an URL that closely matches your name (e.g., www.linkedin.com/in/givennamename).
19 4. Add Your Contact Information
• Being easy to contact you.
• Add your company email address and phone number at a minimum + website + Twitter account to be easy to contact. You can put 3 URLs (think also CTA, Call To Actions!)
• Contact information visible to everybody on LinkedIn.
20 5. Add Rich Medias
• A place where prospects and customers can access and download important files and : data sheets, white papers, and presentations.
• Upload files from your computer or add links to videos and SlideShare presentations to display your own presentations, and check out presentations from your colleagues/partners/competitors.
• Look for the Add Media button in the Summary, Education, and Experience sections of your profile.
21 5. Add Rich Medias Example : https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinejambartboomerangconseil
22 6. Customize Links To Website
• Under the Contact Info section of your profile: Add relevant links and websites that relate to what you are selling, your point of view, or your background.
• Instead of using the default link title, choose Other and customize your text to include a call to action such as “Download our White Papers.”
23 7. Tell Your Story In a Summary After your photo and headline, the most commonly read portion of your profile is the summary. This is your opportunity to outline how you solve problems and for whom
• Tell your story. Think about it from the perspective of someone trying to determine if they want to contact you. • How can you add value? • What value have you brought to organizations that have already done business with you? • What unique insights can you bring to their business?
24 7. Tell Your Story In a Summary
25 7. Tell Your Story In a Summary
26 7. Tell Your Story In a Summary
27 8. Update Your Current And Past Positions With Results
• Update the descriptions of your current and past positions to speak to your potential clients instead of employers.
• Demonstrate how you help your customers solve their business problems (“pain points”).
• Use keywords your prospects may be looking for, include rich media like data sheets and product demonstration videos, and show your career trajectory.
28 8. Update Your Current And Past Positions With Results
29 9. Add Your Education
• Highlight your education.
• Tap into your alumni connections to help grow your network, leading to better chances for future opportunities.
30 10. Ask for Recommendations
• Ask for recommendations from colleagues, employers, partners and, even better, customers.
• Ask them to focus on a specific skill or personality trait that drives their opinion of you.
• Make meaningful comments when you recommend others.
• Think quality, not quantity, and be authentic.
31 10. Ask for Recommendations
32 How to find the right leads on LinkedIn
33 How to Contact
34 1. Identify Prospects by Creating Personas
35 1. Identify Prospects via LinkedIn Advanced Search
36 1. Identify Prospects via Rapportive (Google Chrome App) https://rapportive.com
Rapportive Shows LinkedIn profiles in your Gmail Rapportive shows you everything about your contacts right inside your inbox.
You've got mail… • Who is this? See their happy smiling face. • Where are they? See if they're nearby, and arrange to meet. • What do they do? See their job, company, and LinkedIn profile. • What do my apps say? See their activity in MailChimp and more.
37 1. Identify Prospects via Prophet (Google Chrome App) https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/prophet/alikckkmddkoooodkchoheabgakpopmg
Uncover more information about people.
Prophet finds emails, phone numbers and social profiles.
Look at a LinkedIn profile, it shows you that user's Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Blogs, sites, emails.
38 1. Identify Prospects: How to find LinkedIn groups with Targeted Prospects
1. Define What A “Good” LinkedIn group is There is regular discussion going on b. The quality of discussions is good c. The group is moderated…but not too moderated d. The most popular job function in the group is your target market e. (LOCAL ONLY) The most popular location is your area
2. Leave an impression on group members by providing value
3. Being also focused in the groups of your personas/targets (don’t be only in your industry groups)
39 2. Sending a Connection Request
• Personalize your message when connecting
• Be polite
• Be short/concise
40 3. Send a Thank you message
• Reach out with a personalized Thank You message.
• Don’t pitch your services or self-promote in any way other than adding the URL to your website in your signature.
• If possible, find some commonality in their profile that can be used to engage in a conversation
41 4. Send Relationship Messages
• Set a reminder to reach out to your new connection in a week with what I like to call a “Relationship Building” message.
• Provide something of value to that person with no ulterior motive.
• When done right, it shows that you understand their struggles and can plant the seed for a future client.
Here are a few examples of content you can share: • Checklists • Reports • Articles • Videos • Case studies • eBooks
42 5. Join The Same Linkedin Groups Of Your Prospects
43 6. Connect and engage not only in Linkedin
44 7. Move Relationships Offline
Because now, you have:
• Credibility, • Expertise, • Value
45 Strategic tactics with InMail and Messages
46 InMail overview
• InMail messages are sent directly to another LinkedIn member you're not connected to. If you have a Basic (free) account, you must upgrade to a Premium account to use InMail.
• You receive a specific number of InMail credits based on your subscription type. You can find the number of available InMail credits in the top section of your Manage your account page.
47 2 Essential Tips for InMails
TIP 1 Remember -- asking for appointments kills response rates. Avoid this in your "first touch" email. If you forget and do ask for a call? You'll get rejected by 90 - 97% of perfectly good prospects. Be warned!
TIP 2 The goal of your "first touch" InMail/email message is to earn the right to have a discussion. Nothing else. It's exactly like an effective cold call. Your job is to spark CURIOSITY in what you have to offer.
48 InMails Success in 5 Top Points
• Personalize • Build a conversation • Keep it short • Nurture socially • Have a great profile
49 InMails Success in 9 Crucial Points (by HubSpot)
1. Subject line 2. Their first name 3. Your name and company 4. Commonalities 5. Observation 6. Resource offer 7. Question 8. Interest 9. Request
50 Template 1: For challenging Prospects
• For Buyers who don't (yet) know they need your product - or are happy with the status quo:
• Subject: Let's decide?
Hi, [prospect first name]. Are you adding new capability to your ______[insert area of business your product addresses] at any time soon or in future? I work with organizations like ______[prospect's business] to make sure ______[insert goal].
Would you like to quickly explore, via email, if a larger conversation makes sense? Please let me know what you decide, [prospect first name]?
Thanks for considering, [your name]
51 Template 1: For Challenging Prospects (Alternative)
• Here's a slight variation on this template that "softens" the approach by acknowledging the status quo:
• Subject: Let's decide?
Hi, Phil. Are you adding new capability to Company’s sales training in the future? I work with organizations like yours to help sales reps drive new business using social platforms. • I'm sure you have excellent sales training in place. Just wondering if you're looking to build on that success.
Please let me know what you decide, Phil?
Thanks for considering, [your name]
52 Template 2: Getting new Prospects to talk with
• You’re connected to prospects on LinkedIn but cannot get them to talk with you. Or maybe you just met the prospect at a trade show -- or cold call. Here is a template that provokes discussion.
• Subject line: Quick question? or which hurts most?
Hi, [prospect first name], What ______[insert subject area your product addresses] questions are important for you to answer? Some of the questions I get from folks in ______[insert industry/market you serve] are: 1. ______[question 1] 2. ______[question 2] 3. ______[question 3] Which of these is most important to you, [prospect first name]? • Sincerely, [your name]
53 Template 2: Getting new Prospects to talk with
• WHAT THIS APPROACH DOES:
1) Provokes potential buyers/candidates to respond, 2) gives you a meaningful topic to discuss with them and, 3) reveals if the prospect will EVER buy/change (if there is enough pain or desire to cause a purchase).
54 Your LinkedIn Game Plan
55 Wallflowers don’t get invited to dance Being social is the key to being discovered. Active participation will draw others to you 56 Create A Social Selling Routine “You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine” – John. C. Maxwell
FEED: the 30-60 minute daily social selling routine
FIND: Find your buyers based on triggers, insights and referral
EDUCATE: educate yourself by uncovering insights to share with your buyers
ENGAGE: engage your buyers in a daily conversation providing them with value
DEVELOP: enlarge your network on daily basis looking at the result of the interactions
57 Social Selling Routine: 30 Minutes Per Day
58 Social Selling Routine: 30 Minutes Per Day
59 Resources - Books
Jamie Shanks Tim Hughes @jamietshanks @Timothy_Hughes www.linkedin.com/in/jamestshank www.linkedin.com/in/timothyhughessocialselli s/ ng/
60 Resources – Social Media and Online Resources
Twitter accounts to follow: Websites to follow:
Social Selling http://socialsellingmasters.co @socialselling m/
Social Selling http://www.kenkrogue.com/ @noggledotcom https://www.salesforlife.com
Jamie Shanks https://www.skillslab.io/ @jamietshanks
Ken Krogue @kenkrogue
Steve Jones | Why Social Selling? @kilfrew
61 Thank you Marco Ottonello Director of Digital and Social Media – Expandi Group
Twitter: @mottonello LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marcoottonellomarketing 62