Social media is sales game-changer. In B2B selling, LinkedIn (LI) has emerged as a must-have. Several books have been written about using LI in your sales efforts, and it wouldn’t be difficult to write another one here. Instead, this article focuses specifically on LI and 5 things you can use that will improve your sales.

What makes you so special? – Your LinkedIn profile

Jack Welch, former CEO of GE is quoted, “if you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.” This principle applies to your LI profile. Following are four critical elements to your LI profile…

1. Is your profile 100% complete? If not, you lose credibility.
2. Does your profile contain popular search phrases that someone might use to search for people like you? If not, identify good search phrases and place them into your profile. However, always write your profile for the reader, not the search engine.
3. Do you have recommendations? If not, get them. Last I checked you need at least two recommendations to have a 100% profile.
4. Does your profile stand out and present you as more qualified than the next person? If not, acquire some certifications, and author content that enhances your expertise and your competitive advantages.

Do you play well with others? – LinkedIn groups

There are more than a million different LI Groups. If you live in Turkey and graduated from VA Tech, there’s a LI group for you! Why join any LI Groups? Here’s why…

1. When you are a member of a group you can email anyone else in that group.
2. Participating in a group in which people in your target market participate facilitates connecting with the right people, and can give you a common bond with people to whom you can add value.
3. Contributing positively to a group will enhance your personal brand and increase awareness in your marketplace.
4. If you are developing strong, original content that showcases your expertise, you can post that content in your various LI groups.

It’s not what you know but who you know – connecting with people

When you are a “1^st Degree Contact” (one of your Connections) in LI, you can interact directly with that person. However, unless you have an upgraded LI account you cannot communicate directly with anyone who isn’t a “connection.”

When you are seeking to contact someone who isn’t “connected” directly with you, find one of your “1^st Degree Contacts” who is connected to the person you are seeking. Here’s how to do it…

1. Type in the person’s name in the search bar
2. When his/her profile appears, look to the right of the page to see how you might be connected – through someone else
   
3. Reach out to the person with whom you are connected seeking an introduction to the person with whom you want to contact

The image to the right is an example. I searched for Meril Gerstenmaier, who is a “2^nd Degree Connection”, and I see two people who are my connections (Sabet Stroman & Eric
Sunberg) that are connected to Meril. So, I reach out to Sabet or Eric and seek an introduction to Meril. It’s that easy!

People do business with people they know – research your prospects

When you first meet a sales prospect it is important to build rapport. What better way to begin building rapport than to know more about that person? Using LI, and the other social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Google +, you can find out quite a lot about someone.

Before you meet with that new prospect, search for him/her in LI. Where did he go to school? Who and what do you know in common? Where has she worked in the past? Don’t comment about the fish on the wall or embarrass yourself by making an inappropriate comment. Do your research and use it to build rapport with your buyer.

Information is power – be a LinkedIn premium member

I don’t earn sales commissions from LI! But, I do suggest you pay a little extra every month to utilize LI premium services. Here are three benefits you get with an upgraded LI membership…

1. InMail (LI’s email system) enables you to make direct contact with people who aren’t “1^st connections”
2. See who is viewing your profile and get more information about them
3. Hundreds of additional search results and more precise search filters
   

Certainly there’s more to using social media in your selling activities, but make sure you do the basics first - utilizing LinkedIn. You should look good (your LinkedIn profile), behave well (participation in LinkedIn Groups), be sociable (connect to others through your connections), be prepared (research your prospects ahead of time) and act like an elite sales professional (premium LinkedIn features). Do these things along with other sales best practices, and your sales will grow.