What did you do at your last sales conference?
Did you aimlessly move from breakout sessions to keynotes thinking about the takeaways, or did you put them into practice right then and there?
If you didn’t return to the office with tens — or even hundreds — of new contacts, several of whom were true prospects, you missed out.
Brynne Tillman, CEO of Social Sales Link, has a better solution for successfully combing for prospects at your next event: Use LinkedIn!
As a LinkedIn Sales Navigator trainer, Brynne teaches sales professionals how to convert their LinkedIn connections into conversations. She’s a master of the professional social network herself, having built a following over 60,000 strong. She also shares how to skillfully transition a LinkedIn connection from online contact to client in her role as co-host of the Making Sales Social podcast.
Brynne graced us with her expertise on an episode of the INSIDE Inside Sales podcast, in which she dropped tons of practical tips for using LinkedIn before, during, and after an important event (like Outbound!).
Industry events can be intimidating: You’re fully aware that you’re not the only talented salesperson in the room.
But you can still make sure the people you shake hands with remember you. Brynne says it’s all about leveraging the full range of LinkedIn features.
Heading into an event with a clean, hard-hitting LinkedIn profile is hugely helpful.
It shouldn’t read like a resume, Brynne says. No potential client is concerned with the laundry list of accolades you’ve personally received.
“They need to know you’re a subject matter expert and get excited to hear from you because you’re a thought leader,” she points out.
Brynne recommends thinking about five major goals when building your profile.
A great LinkedIn profile will:
If you aren’t sure how this looks in practice, check out some profiles of industry leaders you admire and imitate any elements that achieve the goals above for you as the visitor— while staying true to yourself.
Once you’ve tightened up your profile, you’re ready to start doing some pre-work.
Brynne shared concrete suggestions for what to do in the days leading up to the event to increase your chances of reaching prospects:
If you get consistent replies that people will be too busy, why not plan an in-person meet-up before the event begins? At VanillaSoft, we like to schedule a presentation or group luncheon (if it’s geographically possible).
At an event, things will probably feel chaotic. You should take the opportunity to attend as many presentations, cocktail hours, and social meetups as you can — and be ready to turn mingling into prospecting.
What can happen when you have LinkedIn handy:
Ideally, follow-up will be the continuation of a conversation — not the start of a pitch.
No matter how you’re getting in touch with your new contacts, continue to talk about the event. Keep reminding them of the bond you built at that initial meeting. Ask them, “What was your favorite takeaway?”
But always follow Brynne’s golden rule: Treat the person on the other side of the message or email as if they were across the table from you. You’re not asking questions to push a deal — you’re looking to connect.
“They just have to remember that you respected their time, that you built rapport with them, and that there’s a solution that’s worth exploring,” she says.
All of Brynne’s advice applies to both virtual and in-person events.
Ultimately, she says, social selling has a lot in common with face-to-face sales. Namely, the time it takes to build a relationship with a prospect.
“You’ve got to slow down the outreach to speed up the outcome,” says Brynne.
It’s a process that begins from the moment you register for that conference.
Next time you’re packing your bags and looking over an event itinerary, don’t forget that the most important item you bring could be the one that takes up no space at all: a blue app icon on your home screen.
Read Brynne’s book The LinkedIn Sales Playbook: A Tactical Guide to Social Selling to learn even more about making the popular network work for you.