In my previous article, Trapped in the Gap I talked about how your LinkedIn lead generation is useless if you don’t convert those leads into sales. Sure, you have the best sales software on the market, but if you’re not getting ROI and converting those LinkedIn connections into calls and meetings, what’s the point?
This is called The Sales Conversion Gap!
To convert LinkedIn connections into calls and meetings, here is the standard sales conversion process. This process is NOT for cold leads, so use sales software like Maj3.com to warm up those leads before you try and convert them. Your LinkedIn connections should have already engaged with you and your content so they are familiar with who you are and what you do.
Each business and sales process is different, so take this Linkedin sales system and tweak it so it becomes your own.
STEP 1: Send a LinkedIn Direct Message
The prospect has read one of your articles… or visited your website… or opened your emails… or watched one of your videos. They know who you are and you have their LinkedIn profile open in front of you. How do you know this? Because your sales software tells you! It’s clear from their profile they are a high quality prospect…. now it’s time to convert that LinkedIn connection into a call or meeting.
Begin the LinkedIn sales conversion process by sending them a LinkedIn direct message as follows:
- The first two sentences of your LinkedIn message should be personal. Research their profile and show them that you have taken the time to get to know them. Compliment them on an award or any volunteer work they have done. Make a comment about their background image or their bio. Converting LinkedIn contacts into calls and meetings requires you to find something personal that says “hey, I am not a spammer, I am taking the time to get to know you!”
- The next sentence should reference the article / video / content that you know they have read / watched / engaged. For example, “in my article I discussed that xyz is a key problem for engineers like yourself…”
- Finally, ask them a question about their pain and to what extent that pain is affecting them. Leave it as a question. The goal here is to get a conversation going.
SALES CONVERSION SECRET: You’ve read this far so you deserve it… here is our LinkedIn cheatsheet to help you frame the perfect first LinkedIn message:
Wait 3-7 days.
STEP 2: No Response? Send a Follow-up Email
Many LinkedIn prospects won’t respond right away. Don’t take offence, they are not going to become your best mate and you won’t convert them into a call or meeting overnight. You need to persist. The next step of your quest to convert your LinkedIn contacts into calls and meetings is to send a good old fashioned email.
You’ve already done most of the work to write the email. Just copy and paste your message in Step 1, only clarify who you are and why you are mailing them at the start of the email. For example:
Hi #fname, I messaged you on LinkedIn – if you recall I wrote the article on the pain that you and your industry is going through.
Some people respond to LinkedIn messages, others respond to emails. Amazingly, converting LinkedIn connections into calls and meetings requires both LinkedIn direct messages and good old fashioned email!
Wait 7-14 days.
STEP 3: No response? Send a LinkedIn Voice Message
LinkedIn voice messages will become one of your best tools to help you convert LinkedIn connections into calls and meetings. I discuss this in detail here.
Ordinarily I recommend that you do not send a LinkedIn voice message without permission. In other words, ask them if you can send them a quick voice message. This is the only exception to this rule – because they know who you are and you know they have engaged with your content (thanks to Maj3.com), send them that voice message regardless.
LinkedIn voice messages really help convert those LinkedIn contacts into calls and meetings, but remember it’s got to be part of a bigger process. Sales software will get you the leads, but don’t expect LinkedIn voice messages to be your silver bullet right off the bat.
Wait 3+ days.
STEP 4: Whether or not they reply, call them!
The Maj3.com sales software has generated the leads for you and high quality prospects are engaging with your content. You have set them up for conversion into a call or meeting using the three steps above. All you need to do now is hit the phone. They know who you are so they are very likely to take your call. In many cases, they will apologise for not responding to your messages.
Like most people, if you hate the phone, this video can help.
Remember, this process needs to be customised and tweaked for your specific company and sales team.
Generating warm leads from LinkedIn, then helping you convert those LinkedIn connections into phone calls and meetings is exactly what Maj3.com will do for you.