How to NOT Sell

LinkedIn is a great resource for getting to know other professionals from within your community and industry. I’ve used it on more than one occasion to ask for career advice or assist others in their employment search, and I am happy to do so.

Unfortunately, some people take advantage of the ease with which to send InMail and do not maximize the opportunity. I am always flummoxed when I accept a connection request and it is followed by a message such as,

“Hey Devon, Thanks for the add. Can I get 10-15 min of your time to sell you XYZ product?”

Messages should be catered toward the intended audience. Some sales professionals on here blast out the same exact message to prospects without regard to their needs and where they fall on the decision-making hierarchy.

In my last job, I was a worker bee. I was not C-Suite and I did not have the purchasing authority. I could not buy any units of XYZ. That being said, I did have a good rapport with decision makers higher up at my old company.

If I were to receive an earnest message like,

“Hi Devon, I noticed you work for ______ as a marketing consultant. I represent ABC Software Company and we are working on a new marketing CRM. Would you be interested in taking a brief survey or participating in a focus group to address how our software could best fit your industry’s needs?”

You would pique my interest.

If I thought your software was awesome, then you could convert me into an ☆advocate☆.

Advocates are just as great a conversion as a paying customer. Probably better. Because even if I can’t personally use your software, I might know others in my industry who could benefit from its features. Or, if my employer starts shopping new CRMs, your product can be the one that I suggest to them.

The takeaway is that salespeople can't treat all prospects the same. You will need to make a solid effort to understand their problems and offer creative solutions. Does that take time? Yes. Is it easy? No. But I think you'll find the reward is better at the end.

tl;dr If you want to acquire more clients, strategically target your messages to the appropriate audience.

- As published on LinkedIn -