Your LinkedIn Social Selling Index: The Second Element, Find the Right People

Welcome to my third installment in my series about your LinkedIn Social Selling Index (SSI)!

My last article discussed the first element in your SSI, Establish Your Professional Brand.

This article is about the second element, Find the Right People.

Let’s get started!

Find the Right People has four components as taken from the LinkedIn page:

1. Use LinkedIn’s powerful search tools to zero in on decision makers
2. Leverage warm introductions to expand your network
3. Research potential prospects
4. Take advantage of who’s viewed your profile

Let’s look at each of these more closely.

LinkedIn summarizes use LinkedIn’s powerful search tools to zero in on decision makers as:

Use unlimited profile search – up to third degree – and advanced filters that reflect the way you naturally prospect on Sales Navigator.

Their expert tip is to use Boolean search terms (e.g., AND, OR, NOT) in keyword search on Lead Builder to power up your results.

You can execute this by:

1. Using Boolean searches regularly as well as in your saved searches
2. If you run afoul of the commercial use limit, not to worry! As of this writing, LinkedIn searches on iPhones and iPads don’t seem to trigger this annoying “feature.” The search interface is a bit different but beats paying for something that used to be free until recently.
3. Approach your searches in an organized manner.

LinkedIn summarizes leverage warm introductions to expand your network as:

Expand your reach with second degree, connections, which can transform cold outreach into a warm introduction.

Their expert tip is to filter to second degree connections with the same filters to identify potential introductions.

You can execute this by:

1. This is a good use for your saved searches
2. Focus on your ideal customer persona or employer
3. Search regularly with the goal of either starting a conversation or having a face-to-face meeting

LinkedIn summarizes research potential prospects as:

Look for commonalities to establish a relationship, join LinkedIn Groups and save leads that you want to receive updates for.

Their expert tip is to engage your prospects at the right time with real time insights saved on saved leads in Sales Navigator.

You can execute this by:

1. Take advantage of groups and participate regularly
2. Look for groups that are active and well managed
3. Leverage your ideal client persona or employer when engaging in groups
4. BTW Evernote or OneNote work perfectly well if you’re looking for a place to save leads online and avoid paying for Sales Navigator

LinkedIn summarizes take advantage of who’s viewed your profile as:

Your activity drives views of your profile. Review often and engage with relevant viewers.

Their expert tip is to check who’s viewed your profile regularly to see inbound leads, check the last ninety days with Sales Navigator.

You can execute this by:

1. Even free accounts can take advantage here, they can see the five most recent viewers of their profile in thelast ninety days. Check this feature daily and you won’t miss too much.
2. Do follow up with viewers who could be potential clients or employers
3. BTW If you do decide that you need to see who’s viewed your profile in the last ninety days, go with the Business Premium Plan, it’s cheaper than Sales Navigator.

Again, as I’ve blogged before, there’s no silver bullet when using LinkedIn to either grow your business or secure a new position.

You just have to work at it and stay on top of it.

In other words, have a plan!

One last word, LinkedIn tries to upsell its users to more expensive plans.

I always recommend to my clients exhausting the free features before spending your hard earned dollars.

Ask yourself, how much more money will I take in or earn because I upgraded on LinkedIn?

That’s it for now!

Please check-out my 8 step approach for developing a social media program to get some more ideas on how to use social media.

Also, never forget to reach out to either ask questions or to ask for help from someone like myself!

In the meantime, thank you for following and reading my blog!

I look forward to any and all comments that you may have. I will reply to any comments made to this blog post as promptly as I can.

And, remember!

I do this for a living and if I can be of any assistance to either you or your organization, please feel free to call on me. Our initial discussion will be of no charge to you.