Since the descent into hell of Viadeo (recently put in receivership), LinkedIn has a boulevard in front of him. And it is clearly admitted today that it is the first professional social network 100% oriented. Therefore, in a digital strategy built for BtoB, difficult to do without him! However, are you sure about use LinkedIn?
In a B2B context, social selling refers to practices that are to use social media for sales development. In fact, in the Western context, social selling basically boils down to the use of the social network LinkedIn and Twitter. Social selling translates into day-to-day individual practices on the part of trade, but also by real strategies and business devices implemented by stakeholders in B2B. Social selling is obviously complementary to other techniques and marketing.
In the end of 2016, LinkedIn is bought by Microsoft for an amount of $ 26.2 billion. January 2017, a new interface is then deployed, giving a beautiful in a more clean design, and much more readable than the previous. Search features are then expanded with new parameters, and additional insights (analytical) added. A dust collection more than welcome, with a new algorithm of operation, it is therefore important to understand.
A tool built for you?
LinkedIn is therefore now an essential tool for social selling. However, before start you a strategy specifically oriented LinkedIn, you must determine if:
1. This tool is really relevant for you
2. you will have the means to work well with
Because like any social network activated by the company in its digital strategy, it can only produce good results if it is properly used. To evaluate your business performance through LinkedIn, ask yourself the following 5 questions:
• How can LinkedIn benefit me?
• What are the results I want to achieve through this network?
• What key steps should I use on LinkedIn?
• What are my objectives?
• What usage patterns would I have on LinkedIn?
Set SMART goals to start (Specific - Measurable - Acceptable/Ambitious - Realistic - Temporarily defined) it can be for example a quantity of new contacts per day or per week. Alternatively, a number of appointments available, etc.
If you think that LinkedIn is a relevant tool for you, then I strongly advise you to take out a Premium subscription to take advantage of all the features of this platform. You can then draw at your leisure in our 30 LinkedIn Marketing expert advice and tips that will help you to use LinkedIn.
Optimize your profile
your professional goals on LinkedIn must in practice be summed up in two words: Seduce and convince. You must immediately receive the attention of your visitor.
1. So use for your profile a high quality picture: neat image, good brightness, neutral background. Give yourself a professional image. Focus on portrait format, centered on your face.
2. Write an understandable title and summary for your visitors by including keywords that match the profiles of future buyers. Take a good look at the new interface and then put yourself in the visitor's place: What does he see? And more importantly, what are you going to do about it?
3. Take care of the spelling, syntax and punctuation of your texts. And this in the summary (2 lines visible) that in the lower detail of your experiences. In fact, you are in the position of the advertiser who must write the right message to sell the product (you) .
4. Complete your profile with relevant information in relation to your offer, and be explicit in your experiences. So describe in detail your missions, as well as the results obtained. And always put forward the positive; Your LinkedIn profile is not a CV. Even in the job search phase, you have the right to have "holes" in your professional life.
5. increase your credibility with appropriate media content. Add so in your experience of presentations (remember that SlideShare has been acquired by LinkedIn in 2012...), or videos. So use the "Accomplishments" section to add price, projects, awards, etc. Objectives: show your skills and stand out from the competition
Share & Create content
like on any social network, to be visible on LinkedIn, you have to be seen there (no it is not a palisade ...) In other words, being active, participating, sharing, commenting, expressing yourself, short of being present. E.
6. Post on a regular basis content that may be of interest to your relationships. Don't have a blog to communicate? What a pity ... but you can still enjoy your LinkedIn contacts on your watch. Share for example resources, or news. Thus, you will sit your reputation as an expert or even a leader in your business world.
7. communicate with messages that represent you. Offer to your relationships, your opinion and your feedback, on different topics, not necessarily focus on your business. Show your sources of information, like your areas of interest, are wide and varied 8. Save your time by using tools like Hootsuite or Buffer to simultaneously share your vigil on different social networks (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) These tools offer formulas freemium, so test them before you upgrade, possibly your account.
9. write! The new interface is largely your activity. The one you share ("posts") but also and especially that you produce ('items') you have now on LinkedIn from one integrated platform of writing. Formatting of the titles and texts, adding images and links, is there even a draft mode to save your work .
10. Comment and share what you see on your TL (timeline). Follow your notifications and your e-mail, send notes... Basically, apart from emoji, this new interface (I like/comment/share) furiously resembles that of... Facebook! So what? Facebook (winner) algorithm based of course all his other classmates. The more you interact with others, the more you improve your own visibility.
Expand your network
be on a social network in practice always involves 3 actions: feed him, do live, do grow. And to use LinkedIn - that is no exception to the rule - you must also apply these principles.
11 make sure to quickly reach 500 contacts to a minimum. Then, you will be recognized as active by the algorithm. Start by inviting your friends, your colleagues, your clients... Then expand as much as possible your circles, to your relationships of 2nd or 3rd level
12. Accept all requests for contacts, unless proven if blatant inconsistency or spam. This allows you to gain visibility. More relationships, the more you will appear in the search results of other people.
13. to invite people to connect to you, use the custom notes. It is not mandatory, but strongly recommended. Write a little engaging text, which shows you quickly, and offer to your interlocutor to discuss for example your mutual expertise. Nothing more galling than an impersonal and standardized contacts application; adapt your text to the person, and mention his name. Please, avoid the "product push" immediate and detestable!
14. When you have a relationship with someone, will see his profile. If this sounds interesting for your business, take a few minutes to find commonalities between you and that person. Write to him and mention them in your message (3 common enough) you show him a minimum your interest; and this can often 'break the ice' and to engage in conversation.
15. Use events on which you are present, or follow on Twitter for example, then generate conversations and then new LinkedIn contacts. The relationship will be easier!
Consolidate your network
it is not so much the amount of relationships that will prime on LinkedIn, but good quality. If you want your profile to be often presented to other members during suggestions, no choice ... You must have real exchanges with your relationships.
16. LinkedIn clearly indicates the mesh of contacts between people. Target your requests to the contacts of your contacts, or even ask them to introduce you to them. The principle of word of mouth also applies, even (especially!) with the tools of the virtual.
17. In the opposite direction, be a potential contact detector. If you think that in your relationships, two people could have common synergies, put them in touch. A good, elegant and unusual practice, which marks the spirits for sure
18. Put your contacts in value Use the "competency Recommendation", as well as the written recommendations. Also, ask your clients or partners for written recommendations after a mission completed .
19. Target contacts and especially decision makers. You can "track their activity" without necessarily getting in touch with them right away. Take the time to comment and/or share their activity first, then invite them. This is also the best practice to touch an influencer, whatever the network concerned ...
20. follow company your customers pages if they have one. It's a good way to keep informe.e about their news, and to remember their good memory by one I like or comment... Similarly, you can now see what are company pages followed by your contacts (in the section "Centres of interest" right at the end - click on "See all")
Use groups
the new interface contains now 3 types of groups in the 'Interest' section: pages businesses, groups, and schools. With a click you can follow those that interest you.
21. Register in groups related to your business theme, or your personal interests. The professional side of LinkedIn does not prevent friendly relations. The maximum limit is 50 groups, you have margin before reaching it ...
22. You now have 2 ways to access groups. Either as seen above, by the topic center of interest of your contacts, or in the General menu at the top, by the small mosaic on the right (entitled "Work"). In this part, LinkedIn may suggest you join certain groups, according to your profile
23. A good way to prospect? Locate profiles among your contacts that match your target, and look for the groups they belong to, the professional profiles similar to their own. There is a good chance that your services will interest them.
24. Follow the conversations, be discreet. E at the beginning, as long as you do not master the practices of the group. Listen before you comment and comment before you post. Unless the group clearly announces the color, it is more than unwanted to disembark by propelling above all its product offer ...
25. The biggest interest of the groups is that members can send private messages to each other, even if they are not related. To handle with lightness of course, but handy! Attention, one can be reported/banned from a group.
Make LinkedIn a reflex !
LinkedIn highlights today the user experience. In this sense the new interface is much nicer than the last. The idea also was to send to more cohesion with the mobile app. Of course, if you do one of your horses in battle of LinkedIn, you install it on your smartphone!
26.update your information regularly, and ensure especially that they are consistent with your other social networks. Today, before every meeting professional, we have the reflex to consult his interlocutor's LinkedIn profile. And so does the same before any job interview.
27. use LinkedIn regularly: make it a habit to sign every day for work posed, on computer, minimum 15 minutes per session. You can simultaneously and more often in the day follow cuta and sweeping requests for contacts app mobile 28. Respond quickly to the commercial solicitations, buyers can still be connected. Always beat the iron while it's hot!
29. [BEST OF] Use the function that viewed my profile? It's magic! Not only do you see the people who came to see your profile, but when it comes to your first level relationships, Linkedin tells you with which people from its own circles this relationship can put you in touch on its side .
30. [BEST OF] Already mentioned in the 15th. But that deserves to be repeated. Make the most of your contacts during your networking and in the trade shows. Collect a maximum of business cards, and use them systematically by sending an invitation to the person without delay, accompanied by a small personalized word.
To go further here. I hope that the list of 30 tips above will help you to use LinkedIn. It is surely not exhaustive... So if you have any other best practices to offer, feel free to leave them in the comments below!
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