Laura Heffron, Extended Stay America’s Regional Account Director, had a goal of becoming a trusted advisor for those seeking temporary lodging. She wanted her sales prospects to view her as a credible expert who always keeps her customers’ best interests in mind.
And now they do. Her secret? LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator.
The reason Sales Navigator is a great tool for reaching key decision makers, Heffron says, is that “LinkedIn provides a trusted forum.” Keeping LinkedIn open, on both her laptop and smartphone, allows her to consistently seize opportunities to engage her audience on a platform they rely on for professional advancement.
By allowing her to zero-in on the right people, Sales Navigator has greatly streamlined Heffron’s lead generation process. “Just the fact that I can build a lead and put them in categories— from their role within the company to the areas where they’re from — has helped me tremendously,” says Heffron.
Read on to learn how Heffron uses LinkedIn in her trust-building quest, and how it can help you reach your goals, too.
First, Build a Profile That Impresses
Having a stellar LinkedIn profile can help you build trust, because it serves as your digital first impression. With Sales Navigator, you have access to a Premium Profile with more personalization options. Be sure to keep the information in your profile up-to-date, so your self-presentation is as accurate as possible. If you want to further establish your trustworthiness, focus on including profile content that clearly illustrates the value you provide to prospects and peers.
Some example “extra” pieces of content you might include are infographics, presentations, or links to your company blog. Think about your profile as less résumé and more portfolio, showing off who you are as much as what you’ve done.
Make Connections Using TeamLink
TeamLink is a Sales Navigator feature that helps you find the strongest route to someone you’d like to meet. When you’re looking at their profile, TeamLink automatically shows you other LinkedIn members who can introduce you.
Whether through your personal connections or those of your sales team, Sales Navigator lets you harness the power of contacts in your collective network. And, because you’re following a TeamLink-identified path, you convey the additional trustworthiness of the LinkedIn brand.
Rise Above the Inbox with InMail
As you know, getting unfamiliar professionals to trust and respond to you can be a challenge. Leveraging InMail can be a great way to increase response rates to your outreach. The messages are optimized for viewing on any device, automatically carry the trusted LinkedIn name, and don’t get buried in the black hole of an email inbox.
“The ability to send InMail really separates you from other B2B vendors,” says Deltek Sales Development Director Jason Ellert. “It allows you to be on a more peer-like level of engagement.”
That peer-like level of engagement might be exactly what you’re hoping to achieve. From helping you improve your digital first impression to increasing the number of message replies you receive, Sales Navigator could be just the tool you need to establish your credibility and start building stronger relationships online.
If you want to learn more about Heffron’s social selling success on LinkedIn, check out the How to Maximize LinkedIn’s Value with Sales Navigator eBook.
Topics: Winning with Sales Navigator
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