LinkedIn Stories: The Ultimate Guide to Follow

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If you want to be a true “selling star” instead of a cheap sales performer, it’s time to put some action into improving your LinkedIn social selling index score and learning to take advantage of LinkedIn, among other social networking sites.

What is a LinkedIn SSI Score?

Your SSI score, otherwise known as “The LinkedIn Social Selling Index” is a score that was developed to indicate how well you are leveraging your LinkedIn profile for sales and marketing opportunities. It rates your efforts on a scale of one to one hundred. LinkedIn has reported that social selling experts with higher scores have been able to close 45% more deals than their counterparts with lower LinkedIn social selling index scores over the course of a year.

In addition, sales professionals utilizing LinkedIn and raising their social selling index scores are 51% more likely to achieve their sales quota and meet other sales goals.

Sales professionals who utilize social selling opportunities are 78% more likely to outsell the sales professionals who DON’T use social media at all.

RELATED: Improving Your LinkedIn SSI Score: The Ultimate Checklist

#1 The Content Strategy

Here we go! LinkedIn social selling index: five things you need to know #1!

If there’s anything we want you to walk away with today, it’s that your content strategy can make or break your LinkedIn social selling score.

Successful social sellers utilize written content as well as plenty of eye-catching media to top it all off. So when you’re creating a content strategy, make sure you’re keeping it diverse, informative, educational and inspirational.

Posting about your current and past projects are also a great way to draw attention to your talent, services and products.

Interviewing your clients and encouraging them to share their experiences as well as their honest opinions can also help build more engagement and excitement around your brand, so share away!

RELATED: LinkedIn Stories: The Ultimate Guide

#2 Growing Your Network Should be Part of Your Routine

So #2 for LinkedIn social selling index: 5 things you need to know is making social selling and growing your network a part of your everyday life and routine.

Seriously. This needs to take priority right before your workout, but after you brush your teeth. (I mean, priorities, right? Who wouldn’t want to put their exercise off for a few minutes to make more friends on LinkedIn?)

Not only do you want to spend this time adding connections and interacting with them, you want to take this time to catch up on what’s happening in the online world and reflect on how those happenings might affect your industry and your target market.

A few ideas for things that need to be built into your daily routine would be:

Check your feeds for responses, reactions and questions.

Comment and interact on your friends posts.

Investigate your profile viewers and your “people also viewed” section for possible connections.

And remember- you can do this over your morning cup of coffee, while you’re waiting in line for a burrito or even on lunch break!

#3 Be Personable and Be Specific

LinkedIn social selling index: 5 things you need to know #3!

Social selling has to be more than just putting your message out there. If you’re going to get serious about exceeding your sales goals and your sales quota, you’re going to have to be industry specific and personable.

Warm, friendly communication is much better than cold, distant communication, right? Nobody wants to be talking to a wall. Sharing a bit about yourself and asking questions is an excellent way to get the conversation going in the right direction and start finding out how you can best help your connections.

The best results are going to come from industry-specific updates, posts, problem solving and Q&A. There are plenty of tools that can help you take advantage of this trick, including LinkedIn Sales Navigator. And P.S you definitely need to invest in the Sales Navigator.

#4 Team Effort=Team Results

LinkedIn social selling index: 5 things you need to know…..#4!!!

The change starts with you, but what if you could get someone else on your team on board with the social selling program? If you’re both working to improve your score and double down on opportunities, you’ll be making progress two times faster!

Suddenly, you’ll be getting twice the amount of leads, working twice as many opportunities and pretty soon, making twice as many sales!

If you’re ready to take it to the next level, we highly recommend investing in the LinkedIn Sales Navigator. You’ll be able to track, analyze, and even take a closer look at the performance of your team and your own efforts.

In addition, you can offer specific coaching and training to support change and improvement in your team’s ability to make sales and land opportunities.

#5 Be Patient and Consistent

And last but not least in our LinkedIn social selling index: 5 things you need to know: #5!

When it comes to establishing yourself on LinkedIn and improving or maintaining your social selling score, being patient and consistent is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle.

You don’t want your efforts to go to waste, so in order to gain the most traction and get the most bang for your buck, you have to make sure you’re keeping after it and actively working to find prospects on LinkedIn, improve your SSI score and make those sales.

Though at times you may be tempted to give it up when it feels like you’re taking more backwards steps than forward steps, continuing to work hard and stay consistent is the key to success here. Are you up for the challenge?

RELATED:

7 EPIC LINKEDIN SOCIAL SELLING EXAMPLES FOR ULTIMATE VICTORY

FAQ

“Does a Higher LinkedIn Social Selling Score Make it Easier for Me to Get Sales?”

No, a higher LinkedIn Social Selling Score score does not have an impact on the amount of sales you can make or your performance or amount of leads you end up with. However, those with a higher score do tend to get better results and this is because they’re putting in the effort to prospect more, optimize more and interact with their connections more effectively.

RELATED: SOCIAL SELLING ON LINKEDIN: YOUR ULTIMATE HOW-TO GUIDE

“Is My Social Selling Index Score Visible on My Profile to Other LinkedIn Users?”

No, other users will not be able to see your LinkedIn Social Selling Index score. Your score is only visible to you and anyone who has access to your account.

“How Important is My LinkedIn Social Selling Index Score?”

Having a good LinkedIn social selling index score is important because it lets you know you’re on the right track. If you’re doing a good job warming up leads, interacting with potential and past customers, sharing industry insights and otherwise working the field, your score will reflect that and your efforts will bring forth positive sales results.

Are You Ready to Level Up Your LinkedIn?

We’re always looking for ways to help businesses improve their LinkedIn efforts and their social selling across platforms in a variety of industries. Are you prepared to level up your LinkedIn and take your social selling to the next level? Give us a call or click today and let’s start making your phone ring together!

Start measuring the impact of your social selling efforts with the LinkedIn Social Selling Index Score. Improve your social selling efforts. Click now!

Are you familiar with the LinkedIn Social Selling Index (SSI)? The LinkedIn SSI is a measure of your social selling skills on LinkedIn.