How To Sell Using LinkedIn

If you're somebody who's exploring the concept of social media. Specifically, LinkedIn, in this article, you'll learn about the rise of LinkedIn, a LinkedIn Client Accelerator, Richard Moore's tips, if direct messaging is the new cold calling, content creation and how to convert brand awareness to sales.

Do you prefer listening to a podcast? Richard Moore joins me on, Talking Business and provides us with some great insights on how to sell using LinkedIn. To listen to this episode, click here.

Richard Moore's Story And The Rise Of LinkedIn

Richard Moore, a LinkedIn Client Accelerator, has pivoted a few times in his career. He came out of corporate about eight years back, started looking at the online world, such as Facebook, and began helping startups and entrepreneurs convert sales in our digital world. "People seemed to be creating the content, but they weren't clear on how to get people to step forward and get someone to want to buy something in the most un-irritating way possible", Richard Moore states.

Back in 2017, Richard saw an opportunity with LinkedIn. Like everyone else at the time, he joined LinkedIn in the 2000s, although it hadn't entirely built traction. However, in August 2017, LinkedIn went beyond the regular status updates and allowed users to upload videos and articles. He knew as the business space on LinkedIn grew, he no longer would have to compete with wedding photos on FB.

In early 2018, Richard Moore started producing content, creating traction on his business whilst connecting with clients, business professionals and colleagues. Richard Moore felt that he needed to learn how to best resonate with his audience and write content correctly. As Richard's expertise sharpened, he was invited to visit LinkedIn HQ in San Francisco in 2019. Furthermore, he had the opportunity to learn more about the enigma of the algorithm and pick their media team's brain. Richard has increased his value by focusing on the purpose behind his content, identifying strategies and how he should use those strategies to drive meaningful opportunities into the businesses he's coaching. 

During the pandemic, it's no shock that Richard has become even more relevant as professionals began to depend more on social media for brand awareness, growth and sales. "LinkedIn is the professional telephone book", Richard states.

I've Been Doing Content For Months. Why Am I Still Not Able To Convert Sales? 

Richard explains that most people believe that writing comments and producing content will somehow allow them to close deals. When in fact, "the results will only change unless you begin to understand how to interact with the individual", Richard reveals. Ultimately, the only reason anyone buys anything is because they like the person they're interacting with. Richard continues, "maybe one day everyone will be focused on this, but right now, that's the bit that's missing".

How Many New People Should You Speak To Every Day?

Richard answers, "It's dependent on how much time you can deploy because the answer is ideally as many as you can. But, what it isn't is as many as the bot can. There needs to be meaningful conversations." The metric that you should use is how many meaningful conversations can you make. 

The truth is if you're doing that right, then you shouldn't be spending more than four hours a day because the rest of your time should be spent on your existing clients and working in and on your business. No matter how little progress you make, it is still progress, Richard highlights.

Is A Direct Message On Social Media A Modern Cold Call?

Richard answers, "that it is for some, but the problem is that people are overlooking how conditioned their prospects are to receiving a cold DM. We're all conditioned that when we get InMail from a sales navigator and with the business as the subject line, we assume that it's going to be spammy or rubbish."

Richard explains that you may have the best offer in the world, but your process is wrong. In the real world, you'd meet someone properly and have some level of pleasantries. Outright cold calling via direct messaging and expecting a sale is not how you sell to people in the real world.

When reaching out via direct message, it's better to look for commonalities such as, "Hey, I saw we've both got mutual connections, we're both going to this particular event, I saw we went to the same university". Instead, businesses assume that people want to see the free webinar of value, but these individuals are not emotionally interested. Direct messaging is not the most effective or efficient way. 

The great news for everyone is that because most people do cold DMs and pitch straight away if you bother just to be a bit more human, you're wildly unique, Richard emphasises.

Are You A Freelancer, Business Owner or Entrepreneur on LinkedIn? Do This…

If you want to generate more business, then you're not looking for a job. What you want to do, is change the context of your profile to creator mode. What this does is it takes all of your job experience that no one actually cares about unless they're trying to hire you and shoves it further down and replaces it with the latest content you'll be producing, Richard explains.

Focus massively on connections and commenting. What's your peer group like? Connect with people that are going to enjoy what you're doing. They'll be your cheerleader. These individuals might be people you could collaborate with, or they could even be people who you're competing with! Create a list of connections and engage with them each day. Be active in the LinkedIn community. The algorithm will recognise that activity and give you a bit of a bump.

Start making some noise. It doesn't matter if you have the best product in the world unless people know you. Obscurity is your biggest problem. Recognise why people want to begin discovering you and ask yourself if they can buy from you based on how much they like you. Once you've become a thought leader or created some traction, you'll start to develop a crowd. They're the people who will decide themselves that you're interesting enough to explore more. You're creating this perfect platform for you to then move your established relationships to the buying process.

"When you get people interested in you, you're creating what's called a curiosity gap and your connections will start checking out your profile", Richard states.

My Advice To You

My advice to everyone is don't forget that it's about relationships. When you do massive information gathering and listen to your clients' pain points and produce content based on that, you will better your content. Take the frequently asked questions and use them for content topics. Don't be a focus group of one.

Keep learning,

Kobi Simmat