Every day your job as a sales rep becomes more difficult. Gone are the days when you can walk into an office without an appointment and get to meet a prospect. When calling prospects your phone calls end up in voice mail and many never call back.
Companies are still buying. However, they are researching the products or services they need prior to contacting a vendor. In fact, they are 60% along in the process of making a purchase before they even think about contacting you.
You need to look for other ways to connect with prospects. Probably one of the best is Linkedin. In fact, it is an unbelievable one.
Almost every company you want to target as a potential buyer is listed on Linkedin. Most probably the key people you need to talk to are members.
Linkedin is a massive database and learning how to search it can pay dividends for you and your company. It also has several different ways for you to get in front of the key people you target.
Before looking for companies and their people in Linkedin, you need to be a member on Linkedin. Your company should also have its own page. Your marketing people can be a tremendous asset for you.
Once you are a member, you need a profile. It is necessary for your profile to be dynamic. The people at any company you target are going to be looking at your profile to learn about you before they contact your company. You want to make sure your profile entices them to want to do business with you.
The first important piece in your profile is the headline. Don’t go with a standard headline. It should stand out. Linkedin experts, Josh Turner, Ted Prodromou and Christine Hueber have great information on how to create profiles. Check them out on the Internet and see what they recommend.
You may feel you’re not skilled enough to create a great headline or profile. Get the people in your marketing department to help.
Linkedin can help you identify companies you want to target. It can also help you identify their key contacts you need to connect with. There are many ways to do this. Here are some:
Identify those companies most likely to need your products or services by searching Linkedin’s industry and service directory.
Next look through the employees of each company who are Linkedin members for those who most likely would be the ones you need to contact.
Find out as much as possible about those you have identified by reviewing their profiles. Their profiles will also let you know if they belong to any Linkedin groups. Join one or more of these groups.
Post articles about your products or services to these groups. These can be ones you or your marketing department have written. Also respond to other’s posts. This will help your prospects get to know you.
Once you’re an active member of a group they belong to, you can send prospects a request to connect with them. They also might choose to connect with you.
Once they have connected with you, you can start a dialogue with them. You can find out more about them and answer any questions they have. You want to position yourself as a consultant with them who they can come to for help when they need it.
When they are in the market for a product or service you offer, they are more likely to check you out. You want your product or service is the one they really want.
Ask your marketing department for help. Not only can they help you create your profile they also can help with messages to use, answering questions prospects have and furnishing you information on products or services.
