How to Turn LinkedIn Activities into Targeted Phone Calls

If you are in B2B sales, than it is pretty darn important that all of the effort you put in to LinkedIn, social selling and online activities converts into business.  Often we invest hours and hours every week, yet the ROI (return on investment) isn't there.  Many aren't seeing their activity convert to clients because they are missing the most valuable step... getting the initial phone call. Most of my prospects tell me that if they could just have more opportunities in front of the right people, they would close more business. In fact, our measurement of a successful social selling plan isn't necessarily the new business generated but the number of qualified phone calls the sales person has. Clearly, the end goal is new business, but if your calls are with the right people but aren't converting to sales, I would recommend finding a great sales coach.

So, for now, let's focus on the topic here, how to turn your LinkedIn activities into targeted phone calls, so that is what we will cover today.

THE FOUNDATION

1. Your profile has to be client engaging. The goal of your profile is to get the right visitors to want to talk with you. In order to do that, your profile has to be a solid resource, one that gets them excited to take your call as they are confident it will be time well spent. Your profile shouldn't be about your mission, your passion or the 20 years experience you bring to the table, that may help you close the sale but it wont get someone excited to talk to you.
2. You NEED to have a calendar syncing scheduler. Often the biggest challenge sales professionals have is getting a mutually beneficial time on the calendar. After a few back and forth emails, the opportunities grow cold or get forgotten. Once I implemented a scheduler, my qualified phone calls more than tripled and my business exploded. I use Calendly but I know that TimeTrade and Schedule Once are very popular as well. I bought a URLs from Godaddy - ScheduleaCallwithBrynne.com and CallBrynne.com and I redirect it to a page on my website where my network can choose a time slot. Even if you don't have a website, the calendar sync program will give you a URL to share. You can always customize a URL shortener as well (bit.ly). 
3. Create your templated messages. I have saved hundred of typing and copying and pasting hours over the last few years, and it makes it very simple to send a clear message with a link to my calendar consistently. I use Chrome's Auto-Text Expander and my iPhone's keyboard short cuts to store my templates and make it very easy to engage where ever I am. 

THE ACTIVITY

You may have heard me say that it is the biggest LinkedIn myth is If you build it they will come... you have to invite them. Sadly, I have no pixie dust or no magic potion or wand for that matter, however, what I do have are proven activities that if you do them... they will come and even take your call.

1. Write or Curate good content that is relevant to your prospects, share it on a consistent basis and then engage with everyone that likes, comments and shares it. Now, for the big reveal - send a connection request and ask for the call:

   ✉ NAME, thanks for "liking" the article I posted, I had a chance to look at your profile and I think there could be some synergies between us. Let's connect and set up a time to talk.

   When they connect send:

   ✉ NAME, Thank you for connecting with me on LinkedIn. Typically I like to have a brief call with my new connections so we can explore how we can help each other now or in the future. Here is a link to my calendar, please pick a time that works best for you - CallBrynne.com

2. Leverage Other People's Content. I highlighted this a few weeks ago in a blog [CLICK HERE TO READ] but the short version is, find content that is related to your industry that is already engaging your targeted audience and interact with the people that are engaged. Ultimately build a rapport, connect and ask for the phone call.
3. Use Company Search and Advanced Search to identify key players within a prospective client. If appropriate send a quick connection request: 

   ✉ NAME, Your name came up on LinkedIn as someone I should connect with and I wanted to reach out and introduce myself. Let's connect and possibly set up a brief call.

   ✉ NAME, Thank you for connecting with me on LinkedIn. Typically I like to have a brief call with my new connections so we can explore how we can help each other now or in the future. Here is a link to my calendar, please pick a time that works best for you - CallBrynne.com

4. Identify a few clients and/or networking partners and search their connections to see who they know that you want to meet. Schedule time to review the names and ask for email introductions. Offer them a brief paragraph that they can use, then all they have to do is copy you and their connection with a note ie. I would like to introduce you to... you will just reply all with:

   ✉ NAME, thank you for the introduction. NEW NAME, I am looking forward to meeting you. Here is a link to my calendar ScheduleaCallwithBrynne.com please pick a time that works best for you.

If you ask for more phone calls, you will get more phone calls. Try it, you'll like it!

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Are you in a B2B sales role and need to leverage LinkedIn for your business development efforts? Let's talk, even if we don't work together, I am confident our call will be full of insights that can help you grow your business. Here is a link to my calendar ScheduleaCallwithBrynne.com please pick a time that is most convenient for you. I am looking forward to our call.

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