By Keith Daw,
Maximize LinkedIn, CEO coach, and Sales Trainer
Ask most people, "What is LinkedIn?" and you’ll hear one of two responses: "A professional Facebook" or "A professional networking site." I will give you half credit for either, but, LinkedIn is far more than simply the marketing and promotional piece 95% of people talk about. LinkedIn is the most powerful prospecting, qualifying, and referral generating tool available. Companies, teams, and professionals who have a system, a plan, for incorporating LinkedIn within their weekly and monthly activities are far more efficient and effective with their prospecting efforts. Period.
During Maximize LinkedIn training sessions, I teach the following: beyond the importance of looking professional and having something smart to say on your profile, LinkedIn is being laser-focused when searching for suspects and qualifying hard to determine whether to make them prospects. Who do you need to speak to within an organization? How are you connected? Better still, are you requesting the introduction in a manner which DOES NOT make you sound like the stereotypical salesperson?
Who has looked at your profile within the last week? Month? Is this important? It probably is not, unless allowing potential clients to walk by unnoticed is a big deal to you. Have you looked at their profile? Did you share something valuable and relevant in their world? The quality of your contacts is paramount to your success with LinkedIn. Your ability to get strong (not warm) introductions directly to the individual(s) you wish to speak to is priceless. Should you upgrade? Yes, if you plan to use LinkedIn for prospecting, upgrade to a premium account. In nearly two years, I have yet to see a client who has implemented the Maximize LinkedIn plan, and NOT paid for their subscription several times over.
The two most common questions I receive regarding LinkedIn are, "How do I find and qualify the right prospects?" and "I have hundreds of connections and no idea what to do with them; can you show me?"
Maximize LinkedIn was designed to systematically address these two questions and a myriad of others. There are four methods to uncover suspects: By individual, company/organization, via advanced searches (industry segment, geography) and through an alumni feature. Have a name from a business story or colleague? Know the name of the company, but not the person with whom you need to speak? Enter them into the white box at the top of the screen, hit enter, and the magic starts.
The key is identifying the 2nd Connection; someone who knows how awesome you and your company are and would be willing and able to make an introduction to the desired individual. Here is where most people struggle, however. If you accepted any and all LinkedIn connection requests sent your way, the odds of a quality introduction are quite slim. If you have not worked for them, with them, or have not spoken to or met with them about their business, do not accept them (until you do). The age old adage, "Garbage In, Garbage Out" plays true on LinkedIn searches.
If you attended a four-year college or university, the Alumni Network tool allows you to research and directly contact your fellow alumni via graduation year, geography, company, or industry segment. Have a client who keeps promising a referral, but has not delivered? The little magnifying glass within their Connections section of their profile is the most effective way to identify specific contacts with whom you would like to speak. Imagine the power of hand-selecting your own referrals from your most trusted colleagues? Yes, it happens. Every day.
So ask yourself…do you know how to Maximize LinkedIn?
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