It goes without saying that lead acquisition and nurturing are the lifeblood of sales. So, whenever there’s a new way or tool, we’re right there trying it out on ourselves in order to become experts and make recommendations to our clients.
We know, from personal experience, that Linkedin is a powerful tool for developing thought leadership, building trust, and generating demand and leads. We also have answers to two of the most common questions about social selling; how to create effective social nurturing strategies and whether or not an investment in Linkedin Sales Navigator is the way to go. Or, more specifically, is it worth $80/mo?
Truth be told, nurturing your prospects requires an intentional strategy and while you can be successful using the free version of LinkedIn, when Sales Navigator is added to the mix, time and effort required on your part can be significantly reduced. That said, as with most sales and marketing efforts, social media ROI depends on several variables, unique to your organization. For starters, it includes the tools you employ, your social presence, your sharing cadence, the type of content you post and how, when, and why you engage with prospects.
If you're considering augmenting your social selling practices with Sales Navigator, the first question is: do you already have a CRM tool? If so, do you also have the resources to purchase and analyze lists? If you answered yes and yes, you're probably all set without the extra cost of adding Sales Navigator. If your answer is a combination of yes, no, and/or maybe then Sales Navigator, which by the way can be a fraction of the cost of a CRM, might be a good idea. Here's why:
The good news of InMail is users don’t have to deal with as much spam/junk as we do with email. This helps explain why we’re more receptive to checking it. The bad news though is if you’re using Sales Navigator for lead targeting it’s critical to avoid coming across too sales-y, otherwise you risk wasting subscription costs on tactics with no traction.
There is a silver lining however. Prospects found via Sales Navigator are targeted matches to your buyer persona but remember - even a good demographic match, will require some nurturing before they will be receptive to hearing from you. Presentation and messaging are key - especially when using InMail.
Sales Navigator includes the ability to send out a couple dozen “free” InMails to users you’ve never met. Yes, statistically the open rate of InMail is much higher than email, but LinkedIn can still sniff out and put a stop to spammers.
There’s a built-in ranking system based on user behavior that will signal and filter emails based on the perception of whether or not your communication is “spammy.” So, in addition to warming up a lead via interaction, it’s important to approach from an authentic (not canned) position of curiosity and offer valuable information. Try a relevant insight, add more thoughts on one of their posts, or even asking advice. All work well to open conversations.
LinkedIn has a free trial which helps when vetting whether or not it’s going to work for your team. The trial period is rather short (14-days) and beware, it’s auto-charged without a refund if you don’t exit before the trial period. Set a calendar reminder if you think you’ll be on the fence about continuing and if you need pointers before taking the leap, contact us. We’re happy to help!
To learn more about social selling best practices on LinkedIn, try our 4-Minute Social Selling Pocket Guide: