PPB April 2019

them, especially those who are prospective clients. One way to do this is by sharing an article you’ve written—such as a blog on the cost per impression of promotional items versus traditional advertising sources. Send the article to them via LinkedIn with a note. For example: “ John, it’s been a while since we connected on LinkedIn. I hope you’re doing well. I thought I’d share this short article I wrote with some key insights on how promotional products compare to traditional advertising. I’d appreciate your feedback.” This will have a double benefit: it will help you re- engage with John and provide insights that show you are more than a salesperson— you are a thought leader in promotional products. Build Relationships Another mistake most people make on LinkedIn is connecting and forgetting. LinkedIn doesn’t have to be a huge time drainer. If you set a timer for five or 10 minutes each morning, you can accomplish a lot. Building relationships online happens over time, but you must start somewhere. Each morning, in the time frame you’ve allowed yourself, go onto LinkedIn with a few goals to accomplish. For example, set a goal for how many posts you’re going to like, comment on and share. Set a goal that once a week, or every other week, you’re going to write a post that shares insights into your industry. As you comment on other people’s posts, you’ll begin to build relationships with them and the more you share, the more you’ll be seen as an industry expert. Engage With Insights This step specifically has to do with the posts and articles you write on LinkedIn. By sharing content, you position yourself as a thought leader who adds value to each conversation. Consider this statistic from sales training company Corporate Visions, “74 percent of buyers choose the sales rep who was the first to add value and insight.” In a world in which we’re bombarded by unsolicited emails and cold calls, it’s refreshing when a salesperson shares insight and offers value with no strings attached. LinkedIn is the perfect place for you to share the latest news from our industry. A few ideas to consider are these: • Videos of new products— especially after a trade show or at key times of the year • Articles featuring a chart from PPAI® research • Supplier content on new products • Posting about the latest safety guidelines for promotional products When this content is focused on education and providing value, rather then selling, it provides you with great follow- up content. You won’t have to send that email or message that says, “Hey Sue, I just wanted to check in and see if …” Rather, you can email Sue with a copy of an informative post you wrote, or better yet, send it to her on LinkedIn. Now you’re following up with something of value. In fact, according to LinkedIn, nearly 64 percent of B2B buyers report that they appreciate hearing from a salesperson who provides knowledge or insight about their business. With more than 150 million LinkedIn users in the United States alone, LinkedIn needs to be part of your business development strategy moving forward. Most people who use LinkedIn are guilty of “random acts of social”—in other words, they lack a strategy and cadence to their activity on LinkedIn. By focusing on your professional brand, the right people, building relationships and engaging with insight, your engagement, influence and network will grow, and you’ll be positioned to increase your connections, andmore importantly, your bottom line. Bill McCormick is co-owner of Catskill, New York-based distributor Team Creative Connections, which he and his wife, Sue, started in 2013. He quickly found the value of LinkedIn, first as a lead generator and then to increase sales. Since then, the couple attribute over $350,000 in sales to using LinkedIn as part of their sales cycle. McCormick is passionate about the power of LinkedIn and combining that with the power of promotional products to help distributors find leads and generate sales. He recently joined the team of Social Sales Link to help individuals and sales teams leverage the power of social selling to attract, teach and engage targeted buyers. In a world in which we’re bombarded by unsolicited emails and cold calls, it’s refreshing when a salesperson shares insight and offers value with no strings attached. LinkedIn is the perfect place for you to share the latest news from our industry. 32 | APRIL 2019 | INNOVATE