One of my friends posted this on Facebook today.

If you are in sales, your LinkedIn profile is important.  Probably the most important tool in your toolbox.

Tom (a guy I work with) walked in my office the other day, telling me that he doesn’t do much on LinkedIn.  It just doesn’t get him much business.

After looking at his profile, I understand why.

• Tom has been with us for 3 months, and his Linkedin profile doesn’t reflect this.  It still has his old job on there....One he hasn't had for a long time.
• Tom has very few contacts who he is connected to on LinkedIn.  Tom knows a lot of people.  If he would just connect with them on LinkedIn  he could actually drum up business with people without doing a thing.
• Tom's profile on LinkedIn looks like he isn't open for business.  LinkedIn has become a welcome sign on the internet.  
  
• LinkedIn is not Facebook.  Not even close.  LinkedIn is the business classifieds.  

I tell everyone this.  LinkedIn is the most important place to be if you are a salesman.  It is at the top of the list when someone Googles your first name.  It is your business card on the web.

Your profile should:

• Have a Photo:  Have a professional photo of you, taken wearing a suit.  Pictures of you with your dog, wife, child, boat, motorcycle are not encouraged on LinkedIn.  This isn’t Facebook.  This is the biggest mistake that I see on LinkedIn.  And ladies, no bikini shots, unless you sell bikinis.  I shouldn’t have to type this.
  
• Job Title:  Your job title should be all encompassing.  It should include your title, as well as your profession.  Add your phone number to the end, so that people can easily call you.  Mine is

Senior Sales Director /// Solution Sales /// Author /// 248-233-0792

• Summary:  Your summary is a summary about you.  This should come from your resume.  Years ago, I had my resume done by a professional, Deb James ([email protected]).  I refer business to her all the time because she can sell me better than I can.
  


• Experience:  I have every position listed here, including every promotion that I have had.  I also put all the awards and honors that I have received.
  


• Education:  Put all relevant degrees in LinkedIn.  Refrain from including your high school diploma, as this isn’t really a draw.  If this is your highest level, leave the education part blank.  There is nothing wrong with not going to college.  I know very successful people who didn’t go to college.   
  

• Recommendations and Endorsements (R&Es):  Give glowing recommendations to people that you do business with.  I typically write specific, unique paragraphs detailing the person that I am writing about.  When you do that, you get three benefits.  You should also ask your close contacts to give you recommendations.  In your request, you should ask them to make it unique to their experiences with you.

1. You do something nice for someone who you like working with or do business with.
   
2. Typically, 75% of the people that you R&E will return the favor.  Their R&Es will build your profile up.
   
3. Whenever you give an R&E, it actually makes you look good.  People who aren’t connected with you will see that you said something nice about someone else.  I have had a number of people click on my profile after reading one of my recommendations.
   

• Pay for the premium version of LinkedIn.  The premium version allows you to see who looked at your profile. 
  
• Join groups that relate to your business.
  
• Post articles of relevance on your news feed, but make sure to refrain from posting advertisements for your service as articles.  You can even post this blog post on your LinkedIn...I won't complain.
  

I was just with a client this morning who told me that it is hard to be a salesman making cold calls.

It is hard, being told no all the time.  It is hard being rejected.  Nobody likes being told that their prospect is not interested.  Steve A., one of my bosses always says "they all buy, eventually", which is partly true.

So this is your pep talk.  This is my imitation of Matt Foley (Pictured Left).  This is the thing that will get you going as a salesperson.  This should get you through the day….because if you aren't calling, you aren't selling.

When someone says no:  When someone says no to you over the phone, it doesn't actually mean that they will not buy.  It means that you haven't shown them anything to move forward in the process.  I call people all the time, and I get told no.  Sometimes, you need a different tact.

One of the things that I have done is to send them an e-mail shortly after the phone call.  I make it short and sweet.  I thank them for taking the time to discuss, and I bullet point 3 things that similar company's have found value in what I sell.  

And then I call someone else.  Next.

Make a goal for the day:  I find a lot of salespeople take a morning to cold call, but fail to make a goal for themselves.  Is 10 substantial meetings in the next 2 weeks your desired accomplishment?  Then make that your goal for your cold call time.  Make these goals obtainable but challenging.

Make some mini-goals:  If you already know that not everyone is going to say yes, find some Mini goals to get you through.  After 10 calls, get yourself a coffee.  After 20 calls, get yourself up and walk around the office outside.  After you set up 3 meetings, go buy a candy bar.

Give yourself small treats for inching towards your final goal.

Track your sales metrics:  

• What is your average deal size?
• How many deals does it take to make your desired sales number for the month?
  
• How many substantive meetings does it take to make one deal?
• How many quality phone calls or emails does it take to get a substantive meeting?
• How many dials must you make to actually get through to someone
• Now multiply that "# of dials" by 1.25.

Armed with these numbers, you can figure out how many actual phone calls you must make in order to make your desired sales for the month.  

If you don't have a clue of any of these numbers, then you should go back through your records and figure it out.  A great salesman ALWAYS knows his/her metrics.

Why do you work?:

Why is it that you work, anyways?  To put food on the table?  To buy toys?  

Whatever your motivation, be sure that your office is peppered with those reasons.  If your child draws pictures, you should have them on a wall, reminding you that every sale can go to pay for art school.

My office has pictures of my wife and kids all over it (my office is a little messy, so sometimes I have to hunt for them).

The point is that you should make sure that your external motivation (outside the office) matches up with the internal motivation (inside the office).

Today, I received a gift.

A prospect who I have spoken with in the past finally came in.

Back in December, I spoke with a gentleman about my services.  I presented him an agreement, and while he was interested, it wasn't the right time.  In December, you probably did the same thing, right? 

December is notorious for trying to get that end of the year deal in.  You throw some stuff out there and hope that something will happen.  Sometimes it does, but the majority of the time, it doesn't.  It just isn't the right time.

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR NOW:  Go through your list of prospecting calls from December, and reach back with a call.  6 months has gone by and a lot has changed.

June/July are notorious for these types of deals.

1. You should always keep track of your prospecting calls and the answers they gave you at the time.  Use that to your advantage.
2. You should always keep a large pipeline full of everyone who has said no to you.  For example, I have many clients who were prospects for 8-10 years.  Sometimes the planets must align in order for a deal to get done.  Be there when it happens.
3. If someone gives you the response that the time isn't right, write them a handwritten note along with your business card.  Tell them that one day, you envision them buying from you, and you look forward to that day.
4. Like the prospector above, you must have a large stream (pool of prospects) in order to catch those golden nuggets.   When you speak with a prospect who says no, ask them when you should follow up, and then mark it in your calendar.