Small Business Sales Playbook

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SALES Find the right people, find a way in, and close the deal.

Personal Profile

Products covered in this playbook:

Sales Navigator

LinkedIn Groups

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S A L E S

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B E G I N N E r :

Polish your personal profile.

As you reach out to leads and prospects, it’s important to have a profile that speaks to your industry experience and knowledge. Add a professional photo, descriptive headline, and summary of your work experience to establish your credibility.

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I N t E r m E d I A t E : Spotlight your offerings.

Bring your work and company to life by uploading or linking to press coverage, company blog posts, presentations, or websites.

I N t E r m E d I A t E :

Let your network speak for you.

A recommendation can go a long way in establishing your and your company’s reputation. Get recommendations from partners and clients who can speak credibly about your abilities and your company’s contribution to their businesses.

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B E G I N N E r :

Build your sales network.

Broaden your network and increase the chances of finding the right decision maker by connecting with colleagues and business associates.

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B E G I N N E r :

Find and join LinkedIn Groups.

Join groups relating to your product or service and the industry you’re targeting to understand what potential customers are talking about.

B E G I N N E r :

Follow channels and Influencers.

Stay up to date on industry news and trends and speak with authority about your industry by following channels and thought leaders (Influencers).

B E G I N N E r :

Follow competitor companies.

Follow Company Pages to track how competitors are positioning their solutions. this will help you differentiate what you have to offer.

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S A L E S

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B E G I N N E r :

Identify leads on LinkedIn.

Find decision makers at your target accounts by running a people search on LinkedIn. With Sales Navigator, focus on the right contacts by using Premium search filters such as function and years of experience.

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B E G I N N E r :

Surface new prospects.

don’t have a list of accounts to target? Build a pipeline of new prospects with a company search, using specific keywords and search filters. Use Sales Navigator to access additional Premium search filters like seniority level and job function, and quickly identify decision makers to engage.

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I N t E r m E d I A t E :

Get more context.

With Sales Navigator, get a deeper look into a decision maker’s LinkedIn profile to understand their relationship with the company and how they might influence a sale.

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To learn more about Sales Navigator and Premium features, go to lnkd.in/premiumselling

A d v A N C E d :

Message leads outside your network.

message any lead on LinkedIn using Inmail, a Premium feature. on average, the response rate for Inmail messages is 3x higher than email. Plus, if you don’t get a response to your Inmail within seven days, you’ll receive another Inmail credit for free.

I N t E r m E d I A t E :

Find the best path in.

After identifying decision maker profiles on LinkedIn, look within their network for mutual connections. these connections can be very influential when reaching out and making your pitch.

I N t E r m E d I A t E :

Get a warm introduction.

After finding the best path in, leverage your network

to get introduced through mutual connections.

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S A L E S

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Leading up to your meeting, establish your credibility by sharing relevant industry news and insights on LinkedIn.

I N t E r m E d I A t E : Establish credibility.

Social proof can make all the difference when trying to seal the deal. Flex your LinkedIn network and prompt mutual connections to give a recommendation on your Company Page or personal profile.

A d v A N C E d : Activate your advocates.

reaching out after an initial meeting can make all the difference in converting a lead to an account. Use LinkedIn Contacts to set reminders for following up, which can be accessed by clicking the “star” icon below a contact’s profile picture.

A d v A N C E d : Schedule your follow-up.

make a lasting impression after your meeting with a follow-up on LinkedIn. Invite people to connect or share industry news.

A d v A N C E d : Continue the conversation.

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To learn more about LinkedIn Contacts, go to contacts.linkedin.com

S A L E S

ChECkLISt

MonthlyC h E C k L I S t :

Prompt customers seeing success with your services to provide a recommendation.

Connect new colleagues to your Company Page to extend your reach.

keep your profile up to date with rich content showcasing your latest accomplishments.

DailyC h E C k L I S t :

Create and experiment with LinkedIn searches to surface account leads and new prospects.

Prepare for your daily meetings by looking at the profiles of people you’re meeting with, and finding new ways to engage.

Find opportunities to say hello by scanning your network for important events like job changes and company news.

Weekly C h E C k L I S t :

reach out to new leads and prospects with Inmail, or get introduced.

Connect with existing leads to nurture your relationship with them.

Set reminders to reach back out to active opportunities using LinkedIn Contacts.

Share great industry news and content that you find online to build your reputation and spark a conversation.

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