LinkedIn Myth One: I don’t know how to use LinkedIn

Do you still feel you don’t know how to use LinkedIn despite being on all the right training course?

If so, you’re not alone. The interesting thing about LinkedIn is that it is really isn’t about technology or knowing which button to click when. But rather, it’s about knowing your OUTCOME.

Ultimately, as business owners, our OUTCOME is to win new sales. We want to meet potential clients who want to do business with us. And this comes down to two things:

1) Creating awareness of the problem we solve for clients and
2) Book Sales appointments

Because it is only by booking a sales appointment that we have the chance of winning new business. When we approach LinkedIn with the question “How can I book 10 new sales appointments today?” our focus shifts.

✅  We spot ideal prospects and start a conversation
✅  We help them identify they have a problem and offer to help
✅  We casually (but precisely) pitch why we can help
✅  We establish our credibility and the foundation of the relationship
✅  The person books in and we begin our ‘Sales Conversation’

When our eyes are on the goal, our entire focus changes and how we relate to people. Our attentions become more focused on doing the things that will actually get us what we want. 

There are so many strategies and techniques for using LinkedIn – I know – I used to facilitate countless workshops on them – but speaking to the delegates weeks later I always found the same thing. Knowing how to click the buttons and clever tricks never resulting in actually doing it. 

Why? Usually because they didn’t have a clear idea of what to say once they’d found the profile of an ‘ideal prospect’. They didn’t have an ‘in’ that made the conversation feel natural. They felt uncomfortable reaching out cold and pitching their solution, and could spend hours crafting that one perfect message.

They knew methods for reaching out systematically (‘life hacks’ if you will) and doing it repeatedly – but they hadn’t identified who to do this method with, why they should do it or what they wanted as an outcome.  

So give it a go today. Ask “How can I book 10 sales appointments in this week?” and let me know how it changed your focus, your actions and your conversations.