PRO NETWORKING
Posts Tagged ‘Using Linkedin’
Understanding Linkedin for Sales Professional – Part 1
Look up your next contact on Linkedin
Last week I convinced my friend Bob of the value of using Linkedin for sales. It happened right after I saw him having lunch with John, another friend of mine. When Bob called me later to let me know that he was doing well in his new position and to make an appointment with me for continued sales coaching, I mentioned that I knew John well. I asked him if he had used Linkedin before he talked to John. Bob said no, he hadn’t. I was sitting at my computer at the time. I asked, “Did you talk about the fact that you are both big Hurricanes fans? “No, I didn’t know that,” Bob replied. Then I asked him, “Did you discuss that you both did your undergraduate work at North Carolina State University?” Again, Bob said no.”Did you tell Bob he knows your best customer, Richard Jones? Bob replied, “No, that would have been great to know, but it didn’t come up–how did you know this?” I told him I knew it because I had looked at John’s LinkedIn profile. “If you had just taken a moment before you met John to look up his Linkedin profile,” I explained to Bob, “you would know all this information and more. Also, since John posted his profile on Linkedin, it is information that he is clearly comfortable having others know, so it’s okay to mention. You could have said, ‘I looked you up on Linkedin and noticed that you are a Hurricanes Fan, or that we both went to NC State.”"Now, on the other hand,” I continued, “if he looked you up on Linkedin, he would see that you had 15 connections, that your profile says you still work at the company you left two years ago, and that you don’t have a single recommendation.” “Bob,” I said, “you’ve done your best to always sell top-quality products with a personal commitment to give the best quality support to your customers. Would you want an easy way for potential customers to see your years of experience and be able to check you out before you meet? I know you have a large number of customers that would be pleased to give you a recommendation on Linkedin if you simply asked. Bob replied, “Can we include some Linkedin training along with regular sales coaching-as soon as possible?I told him to start immediately by making sure his Linkedin profile was fully filled out and to start looking up customers before meeting them. And I noted that there’s also a large amount of information available by looking up the company that many people aren’t even using, which gives info which would have traditionally cost money or a lot of research. Several key things for a sales professional about Linkedin: Start looking up companies you are involved with, including your own. Before you meet with someone see if they are on Linkedin and review their profile. Make sure that when your future customers look you up on Linkedin, current information is there that enhances understanding and trust of you. Linkedin is a valuable tool for a successful Sales Professional and offers a great deal at the free service level.
—Martin Brossman: Success Coaching & Trainer offering Social Media, Personal Branding and Linkedin training since 2006. www.ProNetworkingOnLine.com -Martin@CoachingSupport.com (919) 847-4757 (Article re-printed from www.LinkingRaleighNC.com )
A Few Tips on Getting the Most out of Your LinkedIn.com Account by Martin Brossman
LinkedIn.com is a business networking resource on the internet. It complements your fundamental networking skills in building relationships of value which you would use with people you interact with in person. It offers you a world wide connection, a way to “personally brand” yourself, make contacts for jobs, and have a chance to acknowledge good people throughout your past.
First of all sign up if you have not, today! The basic service is free! And fill out the entire profile. Include as much information in your profile as you can. This includes simple hobbies, interest, and associations that are important to you. Those profiles show up in Google searches, so others will be able to view the information. If you understand “personal branding” of YOU, then you know the benefit of this. The more positive points of reference to you on the web the better (as long as they are real).
Take a few minutes and think about people of value from your past who you might link with. Search for their names and invite them to reconnect. Then take the time to write them an endorsement (even a sentence is good). Your name is tied to this so make sure it is authentic and also reflects well on you. If you keep doing this and helping people your own endorsements will grow over time and be well earned. Endorsements of you initiated by others are obviously best. You really don’t want to ask for an endorsement unless you are clear they would love to give you one and are simply looking for an opportunity.
Look for professional associations or groups such as your college on LinkedIn and if they are not listed encourage them to”register.” My own college St. Andrews is not listed and I am working on getting them to sign up. This “group” feature of LinkedIn is very important. It lets you gain contact with all the members of that group to build relationships if appropriate. As you set up for your own “LinkedIn” web link be sure it reflects your real name. When you sign up for an account, you are assigned a random number that designates your profile page on LinkedIn. You can then go into your profile settings and change that number so that instead of http://www.linkedin.com/pub/1/712/a78, you would have a personal link like mine: http://www.linkedin.com/in/martinbrossman . You can and should add this to your website and email address.
Understand and use the questions area. People are wonderfully generous about helping other LinkedIn.com members. Ask questions of things you think the members may be able to help you with and answer some of the questions if you can. You may be known as an “expert” over time in that area.
Also, have some fun. I found a distant cousin in Australia of whom I was completely unaware of. I have looked up people who took training programs that turned out to be of great value to me and made some good friends that way. Remember to build your network and invest in it before you need it!
Let me know how YOU are using linkedin.com
You may enjoy the current article in the News & Observer about Linkedin.com. It is titled “Are You Linked?”
http://www.newsobserver.com/business/technology/story/630408.html
www.linkedin.com
Be well,
Martin Brossman
www.CoachingSupport.com
martin@coachingsupport.com
www.InquireOnLine.Info