Part 1- Next Week… Part 2- … and Influence People
Jeff Bezos often hears this question:
“What’s going to change in the next 10 years?”
Bezos responds…
“The more important question is: ‘What’s NOT going to change in the next 10 years?'”
B2B Sales and Marketing has certainty changed over the past 10 years.
Sales pros no longer control and guard product and service information.
Today, thanks to the impact of the internet, social media, and the recent pandemic, here’s how businesses buy:
- 70% of the buying research is done online.
- 81% of the buying journey is completed before talking to a sales person
- 90% of Business Decision Makers prefer to do business remotely
Marketing and Sales strategies and tactics that once worked are no longer as effective. To achieve success, B2B requires both Outbound and Inbound Marketing and Sales to win clients.
So, what has NOT changed in winning business clients?
Basic Human Psychology.
You still gotta get potential clients to know who you are.
It’s key to stack the odds in your favor and get them to Like you.
And finally, you must earn their trust to have any shot at winning their business.
The BIG thing that has changed?
You have a HUGE advantage if you can build Know, Like, and Trust online and offline.
LinkedIn is the place to build Know, Like, and Trust with Business prospects online.
Let’s tap an Old-School resource to drill into how to Win Friends and get Like flowing from the six principles outlined in How to Win Friends and Influence People.
1. Become genuinely interested in other people.
It’s simple to win friends on LinkedIn.
Unfortunately, for lots of people it’s not easy.
Empty flattery isn’t going to win friends.
It takes being sincere and showing a true interest in other people.
What’s the difference between appreciation and flattery?
It’s being unselfish.
It’s putting the other person first.
It’s dropping any hints of “commission or sales breath”.
We all spend 95% of our time thinking about ourselves.
Be different.
Take a sincere interest in people you meet on LinkedIn.
Offer praise and appreciation from your heart… with zero expectation of getting any thing in return.
Adopt an attitude of curiosity of what makes other people tick.
When someone writes a post or shares a comment that helps you, why not reach out with a Direct Message and express your thanks.
It’s a great opportunity to open up a conversation based upon the other person’s interest…not your agenda.
2. Smile
One of the 3 elements to pass the LinkedIn Profile 3-second test is your Headshot Photo.
Perhaps the most important element of a great headshot Photo is your smile.
A genuine smile signals that you are warm, friendly, and approachable.
Your smile removes any unconscious fight or flight reaction.
Your smile wins friends and earns Like.
Adding a relevant selfie with a smile to your posts further positions you as a friend to your readers.
What’s more, if you can make your readers smile with your posts, messages, and comments you’ll win friends on LinkedIn.
Spread Smiles.
3. Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.
What’s the deepest urge in human nature?
The desire to be important.
In How to Win Friends and Influence People, this William James quote is cited:
“The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”
It’s not a wish, desire, or a longing.
A gnawing and unfaltering human hunger.
One of the easiest ways to show someone is important and you appreciate them is say his or her name.
Yes, tagging someone in a post or a comment has great power to win friends.
But never overdo it. Be genuine.
One other way is to send a personalized audio or video direct message.
4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.
“Listen” for the emotions behind the posts, comments, and messages you see on LinkedIn.
Ask smart questions in your posts, comments, and messages to get people talking about their problems, challenges, and desires.
“I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among my people the greatest asset I possess, and the way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.” – Charles Schwab
Never criticize. Lift people up. Offer your praise and encouragement in everything you do on LinkedIn.
5. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.
Look for clues of someone’s interests on his/her Profile.
Who do they Follow and who are their Connections?
What Groups do they belong to?
Where do they Volunteer or what Causes do they support?
What topics and themes do they post about or share comments about?
Then, rather than blurting out your personal experience, focus on the other person first.
For example:
“Big Brothers is a great organization. I loved the 5 years I spent with my “Little Brother”.
Versus…
“Wow… 11 years as Big Brother. What do you find most rewarding about being a Big Brother?
6. Make the other person feel important- and do in sincerely.
LinkedIn is loaded with opportunities to make other people fell important.
You can Like their posts.
You can share comments about their post.
You can champion them in a post of your own.
You can send them a personal thank you Direct Message.
You can interview them and ask them to share their insights on a LinkedIn Live.
You can write a recommendation of how they helped you.
Make it a habit of “…leaving a friendly trail of little sparks of gratitude on your daily {LinkedIn) trips.”