LinkedIn Sales Connections: Powerful Results

LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for expanding your network and creating sales connections. Even if you have never used social media before, you can begin today to build better LinkedIn sales connections and start reaping the rewards of an expanded sales network.

Start with the following three steps:

1. Create a Professional Profile

The first thing you need to do to start building LinkedIn sales connections is to complete your profile and make it look as professional as possible. You don’t want to look like a rookie on social media, but that’s exactly what happens to lots of people. It’s not difficult to create a professional-looking LinkedIn profile. Just use these tips:

• Focus on the visual. A plain old text-based profile won’t catch anybody’s attention, but when you use multimedia, you stand out from the crowd. Include presentations, photos, links, PDFs, and video, to show off your skills and expertise. Even just a few images can make a big difference in your profile’s overall professionalism.
• Write a concise, killer summary. Your summary is your opportunity to describe who you are and what you do. Make your summary personal. If it sounds like everyone else’s summary, it will be passed over. Whatever you do, don’t leave the summary blank or limit it to a few boring sentences that could describe anyone or no one.
• Include details. This isn’t your resume, so you can include all kinds of details about yourself that give others a good feel for what you have to offer. For example, talk about odd jobs, volunteer positions, and success stories. This is the place to list everything you couldn’t fit onto your resume.
• Ask someone else to proofread for you. It’s difficult to proofread your own writing, so ask a co-worker or friend to give your profile a once over and make sure you haven’t used any incorrect grammar or spelling.

2. Join Professional LinkedIn Groups

One of the advantages of LinkedIn is being able to join groups of people with common interests. Some of these groups are geographically based, but most of them are based on industries and interests. Therefore, they’re a great way to make new connections, learn, and share expertise.

Start by joining a couple of groups, and get involved in the discussions. Whenever you can, be generous by answering questions when you have helpful answers. You might also consider starting a discussion thread by posing a thought-provoking question. As you contribute to these groups, you’ll improve your LinkedIn sales connections.

3. Increase Your Network

Don’t be afraid to send requests to connect with people you know. You’ll increase your LinkedIn sales connections by widening your network of people. 

Include your LinkedIn profile link at the end of your emails to encourage others to connect with you. You can also put your LinkedIn profile link on your business cards. It also helps to check out the “People You May Know” option on LinkedIn from time to time to see who has joined LinkedIn that you could connect with.

By increasing your network, you’ll start getting and sending updates to more people, strengthening your LinkedIn sales connections and improving your professional reach.

Another way to increase your LinkedIn sales connections is to connect your other social media profiles with LinkedIn. When you post something interesting on LinkedIn, use Twitter to spread the word. 

LinkedIn Sales Connections: Valuable Resources

When you’re trying to improve your sales reach, use all the tools available to you. Fortunately, today those tools include social media. Your LinkedIn sales connections can help you to find new contacts and capture new leads.

By creating a professional profile, joining appropriate groups, and increasing your network, you will encourage powerful LinkedIn sales connections that can make lasting positive contributions to your career.