Everything you publish on LinkedIn must make the reader or viewer crave more. This is a core success principle that my new LinkedIn training for sales professionals will help you tap into. 

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Create hunger in prospects for more satisfaction

Your success at generating leads on LinkedIn will increase—when you start getting prospects hungry for more answers, short-cuts and satisfying experiences you can give them. Yes, for free BUT in return for the prospect becoming a lead.

Now, I know you’re probably thinking, “Jeff, I thought I was supposed to be giving my best advice and tips away for free in LinkedIn Groups—and expecting nothing in return?” or “I just need to be seen as an expert in my field, right? Won’t that attract prospective customers to me?”

Maybe you’ve already experienced the lack of success that goes along with these beliefs. If you haven’t I’ll spare you.

The #1 that makes the difference between getting a lead and being a starving expert is the ability to create a CRAVING inside prospects you engage with.

Move the needle for prospects to earn leads

You’ve got to move the needle for prospects by boosting their ability to achieve success or avoid a risk.

This technique is what earns leads on LinkedIn.

This is just one of a handful of practical success principles that my new LinkedIn training for sales professionals will help you tap into. 

Create irresistible curiosity

Tune into my training and learn how to start providing answers in Groups that create irresistible curiosity in you, provoke more questions and generate leads. The increase in questions draws in more readers, more question-askers (more prospects) by keeping you at the top of the Group’s “Popular Discussions.”

The fastest way to get more attention, more response and more leads on LinkedIn is to change the success rate of prospects in return for the chance to court them. 

Think of it this way. This success principle (giving customers content that moves their needle) creates a few ‘results in advance’ for them. It proves to prospects that YOU can give them things they truly need. This makes them eager to talk more with you.

Why?

Because you’ll have created that craving inside them. Your prospects will have experienced a bit of success and feel more confident in themselves. And they’ll be more trusting of the person who gave them that confidence. You.

Ok. Enough reading. Now let’s start DOING. Sign up for my new LinkedIn training for sales professionals course now. It’s free. 

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The post FREE LinkedIn training for sales professionals: How to get leads on Groups appeared first on Make Social Media Sell with Jeff Molander.

Time to read: 2.5 minutes

McKay Allen is a one-man social media lead generation powerhouse at LogMyCalls.com. So I asked him: how he would hire someone as good as he is?

How can an employer lower the risk of hiring an unproductive resource? Here’s what he told me, raw and unfiltered.

#1: “What questions do you have of me?”

Boy, this one can really throw social media candidates—or not. They’ll often swing and miss, or hit a home run. Be sure candidates ask YOU questions that reveal how they think.

This shows you how they would ACT if you employed them.

“I want them to ask me questions about our lead generation strategy, and how our blog fits into our lead generation strategy,” says Allen.

“When we hire new content marketing people here at LogMyCalls, I want to hear these types of questions… they should ask, ‘How many leads does LogMyCalls generate each week from the blog? How many leads do you want to generate each week from the blog?’”

Allan says these kinds of questions demonstrate how a candidate, “truly views a blog as more than a place to write stuff. It is a tool to generate leads.”

He’s brutally honest about the importance of questions coming at you from candidates.

“As an employer, I wouldn’t consider hiring someone that didn’t have any questions for me,” Allen says bluntly.

Ok, let’s look at more questions to ask social media candidates.

#2: Give me 10 blog titles you would write about us, right now

“This will put them on the spot, but it is a critical question to ask,” says Allen.

I agree. If your candidates have experience in writing blog titles that sell they’ll be able to provide you with:

• Concepts for articles that are “how to” and problem-sovling oriented (focused on your customers’ pain and/or goals)
• Titles that exploit proven copywriting rules by getting prospects to take action

Allen says the social media candidate, “should be able to, very quickly, come up with 10 blog titles they could write about NOW. Obviously this presupposes that they’re educated on what the company does. This is also a great question to ask to determine how quick they are on their feet and how creative they are.”

Ok, one more question to ask social media candidates.

#3: How will you track your success as a content marketer?

Again, Allen is point blank: 

“The answer should not be based on traffic or YouTube views. Their answer must revolve around leads and phone calls. If they are generating more form fill-outs, phone calls, and revenue for your company, they will be successful. If they’re only interested in Facebook ‘Likes’ for example, it just won’t work.”

Be warned: Many candidates are reluctant to use such measurable, bottom-line-oriented performance metrics. They’ll lean toward using the word engagement a lot in the response.

Be strong. Hang in there.

You’ll probably need to burn through a bunch of candidates before you find a gem or two.

Mitigating risk: Making sure you hire a producer

The word “producer” is an insurance industry term. It’s a great word because it’s what we’re talking about isn’t it!

A good social media manager or content marketing pro will produce leads and sales. Period.

So how can you to hire someone that will, with some certainty, work out? How can you mitigate hiring risk?

Allen says hire someone that can clearly demonstrate an ability to write articles, videos and other content that produced leads.

Get writing samples and look for calls-to-action within them.

Verify they produced leads as best you can with prior employers or clients.

“You also want to make sure that this person is okay writing and engaging with people online all day every day,” says Allen who recommends exploring former journalists or copywriters.

He says to avoid hiring someone that is too detail-oriented.

“This may sound weird. I’m not suggesting that you hire an underachiever that doesn’t care. However, someone that is a perfectionist will spend way too much time producing one 600 word blog. They need to know that every blog won’t win a Pulitzer prize. Nothing will sink your content strategy faster than a slow content producer. They need to be fast.”

Allen says the biggest way to lessen a hiring risk is to have applicants produce content for you in a short period of time during the interview.

“For example, give them 20 minutes to write a blog on a certain subject and see how they do. You can learn a lot about a person when they are under substantial stress like that. See if they can write quickly, accurately, and cleanly in a very short period of time. This will stress them out, but it will tell you what you need to know.”

Do you have questions to ask social media candidates that work for you? Let me know in comments!

Photo credit: Tim O’Brien

The post 3 essential questions to ask social media candidates (so your hire creates sales) appeared first on Make Social Media Sell with Jeff Molander.

Time to read: 3 minutes

Step 1: Put customers’ fears & goals down on paper

You’ve probably heard the experts preaching about how important it is to have a strategy. “You’ve got to have a goal for your content” and “start with the end in mind.” Blah-blah-blah. This never helped me get started. I already had a goal: 

Attract customers searching on Google to a blog or YouTube video, capture them as a lead and create a SALE.

So here is exactly where to start: Your target market’s pain, suffering, fear or aspirations.

Literally, jot down the answers to these questions on a piece of paper:

• What keeps my prospects up at night? 
• What has them excited? 
• Are there specific goals or aspirations customers have? 
• Are there myths they believe in that prevent them from achieving what they need? 
• Do they fear getting ripped-off or talked into a situation that doesn’t serve them? 
• Is there an experience they’re craving?

This is how to start content marketing.

Coming up with blog content that creates sales is as easy as:

1. laser-targeting what matters (most) to your customers … then …
2. answering; responding to what potential customers need or crave in your blog.

Get tuned-in to topics that customers are motivated to take action on—then answer them. 

Step 2: Show customers how to avoid risks & reach goals

Now that you’ve jotted down customers’ biggest pains, most frightening fears and exciting goals give them some results. Show them you can actually move their needle. Yes, for free, but with earning a lead in mind.

Show prospective customers how to change their success rate.

Using your blog, take them by the hand. Just as I’m doing in this blog post with you. Show them step-by-step how to achieve something important to them—then make it easy for them to do by offering them what I’m about to offer you.

Short-cuts and ways to access what they want faster. Scratch their itch.

Literally take your new point-of-view, better way of achieving something or avoiding a risk and share it. ALL of it. Give content away free and make sure it’s your best stuff.  

Because effective social marketing filters out people who you do NOT want to talk to. If someone can’t afford what you sell, or doesn’t see the value in it (yet), let them try to do it themselves. Or let them waste the time of your competitors’ sales reps! Let go.

Focus your time on netting fish that DO see value in your services—and need little (or no) convincing of it.  

Changing your customers’ success rate makes them confident in themselves… and that rubs off as trust in you.

So spill the beans on what you know and show customers how to get results they crave, in a limited way. Make them hungry for more by showing them how to solve a small yet serious problem—one that you can eventually connect to a more complete solution, a more satisfying experience.

This leads us to the final step.

Now that you’ve scratched an itch it’s time to get a lead.

Point blank: Your ability to earn leads with blog or video content depends entirely on one thing:

How much hunger (for more details) you create in presenting the content. The idea is to answer questions in ways that create more questions in prospects’ minds—then bury a call-to-action inside your blog post or video.

Your call-to-action will provide customers with a way to act on their urge—a means to access a more complete set of answers or a faster, easier way of developing this new skill you just described.

A shortcut.

I’m talking about providing “cheat sheets”, checklists, guide booklets, tutorials and other ways to access what prospects want—faster or more effortlessly. 

For example, here is a free online course that gets you started on what I’m describing. This is an example of what I’m describing AND a means to help you. I practice what I preach! Are you hungry to get going on this? Well, check out the course.

My course offers a handy worksheet that makes doing everything I’ve described in this article effortless… and takes you to the next step. It will get you blogging in a way that creates results—all for free. Why?

I want you to DO what I’m telling you about because it will create success for you. 

You see, if I change your success rate you’ll become confident in yourself. You’ll actually be blogging in a new way that moves your needle. You won’t have invested a dime in me but you will, most likely, trust me.

The FASTEST way to create trust (and leads)

Giving prospects a way to better understand their problems… and gain confidence over them… can help make what you sell the obvious next step. This way, your product transforms from something to consider buying into a logical next step in a journey prospects find themselves on.

Your blog or YouTube video is a chance to do more than engage—it’s an opportunity to take customers on a journey toward where you know they want to go. Along the way you’ll create a “mini-success” for them.

This positive experiences makes it EASY to connect what you sell to the journey later on. 

So start responding to whatever prospects need or crave in your blog or video. This is how to start content marketing. Keep it super practical. Use this 3-step system and make it easier for yourself to (in time) connect what you sell to your blog posts.

Start right now by asking yourself, “Which questions do our customers need answered before they’ll buy?” or “Is there a skill I could teach them that would make them feel (and act) like a smarter buyer?”

Remember: Don’t restrict the questions to those about your product—think like a buyer (who may not, yet, be ready to buy).

My free training program is a great place to start doing this. It comes with a worksheet to get you started on this exact process www.makesocialmediasell.com/free-training

Otherwise, follow these strange but effective steps to start producing content that SELLS for you. That’s how to start content marketing—by getting it done effortlessly and making certain it creates sales effectively.

Photo credit: SantiMB

The post Where to start: Producing content marketing that sells (in 3 steps) appeared first on Make Social Media Sell with Jeff Molander.

Time to read: 4 minutes. Need to get attention, interaction and leads on LinkedIn? Here is the best LinkedIn leads strategy I know of. Mine. I made one Linkedin Group post, invested 90 minutes of time and generated dozens of good leads. I’ve perfected an effective, practical approach to generating leads on LinkedIn. Here’s how you can do the same.

No bull, no buzzwords. Here is how you can create and execute a LinkedIn leads strategy that gets prospects paying attention to you inside LinkedIn Groups—AND converting to leads.

The fastest way to get more attention, response and leads in LinkedIn Groups is to:

1. Claim you can change the success rate of prospects …
2. prove it—show them how, exactly, step-by-step …
3. give them a clear way to start NOW, in return for a deeper relationship

Here’s the best part: When done right, this 3-step system draws attention from more-and-more prospects. 

These 3 steps are the essence of how it works. Now, I’ll explain the details inside each step below. Or, if you’d like, I’ll guide you in a step-by-step tutorial complete with a worksheet to get you going. I just released this Free LinkedIn Training for Sales Professionals Video.

WARNING: This is not what most marketers do on LinkedIn. If you are not willing to risk the usual you will have to settle for the ordinary. More of what you’re currently getting.

Everything you write makes them crave more

Before we dive into step 1 let’s get one thing straight.

Here is the #1 “lesson learned”—the success principle that makes the difference between getting a lead and being a starving expert:

The ability to create CRAVINGS inside prospects you engage with.

Your success at generating leads on LinkedIn will increase—when you start getting prospects hungry for more answers, short-cuts and satisfying experiences you can give them. 

Yes, for free BUT in return for the prospect becoming a lead. 

Most sellers are using LinkedIn Groups to:

1. Engage with prospects in ways that make them …
2. look like an expert and …
3. give before taking (not look like a crass seller)

But most sellers aren’t getting anywhere with this LinkedIn leads strategy. And you’re not most sellers anymore. Ok, let’s get to the good stuff.

Step 1: Attract prospects by provoking responses

Here’s where to start. LinkedIn is filled with people just like you. They have problems to solve or goals to reach. They’re ambitious. They’re hungry.

They need your help.

Your potential customers are craving better ways to…

• avoid risks 
• compete better or create market distinction
• make faster, smarter decisions

Start by kicking off a magnetic LinkedIn Group discussion that gives them what they want. Use this practical formula:

1. Focus on a nagging pain prospects are suffering from,
2. quickly suggest a specific, genuinely new/unheard of remedy and …
3. ask for Group members to give feedback on it.

Use your discussion title and first sentence of the description to appeal to the emotional frustration of prospects. Then say, “I know how to solve this problem” (and make that pain go away). Appeal to the emotional end result prospects are longing for.

For example, in the Linked Strategies group I asked, “Why isn’t LinkedIn generating LEADS for me?” in my title. My description presented a dramatic take on the issue, suggested a compelling solution to the problem and invited others to comment on it. 

When writing the description of your Discussion you’re trying to encourage prospects think, “That sounds important for me to understand. I wonder what, exactly, he/she means by that?”

In other words, present your remedy in a way that encourages readers to ask for more details. Leave out most of the important details. You’ll get to them in step #2.

For now, share a powerful insight on an itch prospects need scratched. Present the remedy briefly. Make readers crave more clarity. Now, on to Step 2 of your new LinkedIn leads strategy.

Step 2: Getting prospects hungry for your answers

Remember the last time you needed something fixed urgently? You were impatient. LinkedIn users are the same. So get right to-the-point when starting a LinkedIn Group Discussion.

Don’t make readers wait for the solution you promised. 

However, when it comes to ALL the juicy details of your remedy take it slow. How slow?

Slow enough to encourage more questions. Be specific. Be action-oriented. But avoid being so complete that readers become totally satisfied with your words.

The idea is to satisfy the curiosity of Group members for the moment. 

The success of your LinkedIn leads strategy hinges on holding the attention you worked so hard to get. But you have another goal: 

Creating hunger for an increasing number of “the details.” 

It’s time to make everyone want more of the specifics you’ve been holding back. Your best stuff.

Pay attention please because this is the part most sellers miss!

As the discussion unfolds, keep revealing more-and-more tips and advice… BUT do it in ways that:

1. prospects can act on yet also …
2. leads them to ask more-and-more questions of you … and …
3. creates hunger for a BIG SHORT-CUT to what they want.

That short-cut will be a free video tutorial, white paper, checklist or ebook that you will trade in exchange for contact information. I call these helpful electronic thingies “knowledge nuggets.” 

This is where you get a business lead!

So remember: present knowledge, advice and tips in ways that encourage more questions. Be specific. Be action-oriented. But avoid being so complete that readers become fully satisfied with your remedy.

Ready for Step 3 of this rock start LinkedIn leads strategy?

Here we go… and remember if you’d prefer to have me help you step-by-step, grab this Free LinkedIn Training for Sales Professionals Video tutorial complete with a worksheet to get you going!

Step 3: Make calls-to-action that give prospects choice

Prospects that are hyper-engaged will see and ACT on the new bits of information you slowly toss out in Step 2. Some will ask more questions of you. Others will “lurk”—sit on the sidelines and lap up your advice.

Rest assured, young Skywalker. Many lurkers will become prospects when you give them the chance.

They’ll make a bee line for short-cuts you provide in the form of a link to your Web site. 

The final step of your new LinkedIn leads strategy involves making simple calls-to-action. This gives everyone a place to put all that pent up hunger for your “knowledge nugget.” 

Here’s how.

As you continue to reveal more-and-more there will be a point where it feels natural to offer prospects a short-cut. Think of it as giving them access to a bunch of the answers they’re craving in one fell swoop. 

This is where you link to an elegant, focused opt-in lead form page on your Web site. I recommend doing this once and absolutely no more than twice within a given discussion.

WARNING: Don’t be crass but DO be direct. You’ve worked hard to get here. All that is needed is a clear, text-based call-to-action that is:

• casual in tone (are not pushy) and suggestive (“this might help you if you are serious about _____”)
• in context with how the discussion is flowing
• promises free, step-by-step instructions, a way to learn a new skill, avoid a risk, make a decision etc.

Here’s a trick I find to be VERY effective: Tell them that the decision is theirs.

Present the call-to-action confidently. Let prospects know you’re doing this because it will help them … BUT … be sure to reaffirm your prospects’ freedom to choose. Doing this indirectly says to them: “I am not threatening your right to say no. You have free choice.” 

Of course, exactly when and how you make calls-to-action is determined on a case-by-case basis. 

Just remember: What you give-away (your “knowledge nuggets”) are helping customers create value for themselves. By doing this you’re actually giving them reasons to invest in you.

So be sure your calls-to-action ask prospects to do something (click your link, exchange their email address) in a way that adds-on the sentiment that they are free to choose. 

The words you’ll use are not terribly important. Phrases like, “But obviously do not feel obliged,” work just as well as “but you are free to decide.” 

There you have it. 1, 2, 3. A LinkedIn leads strategy that actually works.

Photo Credit: Alan Cleaver

The post LinkedIn leads strategy: How I generated 94+ leads in 1 Group post appeared first on Make Social Media Sell with Jeff Molander.

Time to read: 2 minutes. 

Question: “What is my Facebook page’s impact on sales?” 

Answer: It’s creating leads and sales.

That’s the answer being given by Steelmaster Building’s marketing team. Steelmaster is one of the best Facebook B2B examples I’ve seen.

It’s the answer being given by Rachel Farris of PetRelocation.com, Amanda Kinsella of heating and air conditioning systems provider, Logan Services and McKay Allen of B2B call tracking/recording service provider LogMyCalls.

So why aren’t you getting more leads and sales with social media?

Probably because you are still asking what the effect is—rather than structuring ways for blogs, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn to create what you want.

You’re thinking like a marketer rather than a sales rep.

People ARE on social media to be ‘sold to’

Beware of self-appointed “social media experts” espousing hogwash like, “people aren’t on social media to be sold to.” That’s nonsense.

It sounds logical. But it’s a shallow understanding. It glosses over the opportunity staring you in the face.

Right now, your customers are using blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn in ways that occasionally direct them toward products. Think about how you use the Web.

Ever since humanity became connected to it we use it to find…

• shortcuts to getting things done
• solutions to vexing problems
• free ways to learn new skills 
• better ways to compete

Don’t confuse yourself 

Don’t confuse “not wanting to be ‘sold to’” with a prospects’ desire to solve a nagging problem or taste a powerful, new experience.

There’s a difference between not wanting to be interrupted with a marketing message or sales pitch—and wanting to act on something important. The key is

1. identifying that something (the itch customers’ want scratched)
2. showing customers a clear way to TAKE ACTION on it
3. deliver a few results (proof) to the prospect (scratch that itch in ways that give buyers’ confidence) … so you can …
4. eventually connect that positive experience to what you sell.

The Web is exploding with people expressing need, their intent to solve a problem or experience something important to them.

Your customers are craving…

• ways to avoid risks they don’t need to take
• ways to compete better, do things differently (better) than others  
• guidance… getting a hold of a faster way to do something important or make decisions

Are you listening, answering, being found on Google and capturing leads?

The 1 common element in social selling success stories

I’ve documented a ton of social media sales success stories. They all share the same common element that drives leads and sales.

They’re problem solvers.

Successful social sellers create leads and sales by solving customers problems in ways that connect to what they sell through a lead nurturing process. They don’t wonder about social media’s effect on sales. They’re too busy selling on social media. How?

They’re creating a sense of self-confidence in buyers that fosters trust in them/their business. They’re using blogs, video and other content to solve problems or give away samples of remarkable experiences they sell.

Ask yourself what…

• urgent problem do you solve? 
• nagging pain do you remove? 
• powerful pleasure do you create? 
• freedom do you permit?
• connection do you allow?

Why you’re struggling and what to do

Struggling to get response and leads with social media? You’re probably focusing on the message of what you publish on it—rather than structuring your words to:

1. increase the success rate of prospects and
2. trigger response.

Leads.

Measuring social media effect on sales comes into focus when you stop and notice the common theme in social media sales success stories: connecting blogs, LinkedIn and such to the sales funnel.

Suddenly social media’s impact on sales is clear: leads and sales!

As George Bernard Shaw once said, “People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it.”

Photo credit: Stephen Poff

The post Social media’s effect on sales is … SALES! appeared first on Make Social Media Sell with Jeff Molander.

Time to read: 3.5 minute

#1 Talk MOSTLY in terms of what they want

Are your email response rates low? You’re probably letting what you need (leads) get in the way of what your prospect needs to act on. The solution is to talk mostly about what the message recipient wants. Put what they want right up front in the first sentence. 

Where to start?

Social media gives us many “instant” ways to create personal relevance. Take the time to discover what REALLY matters to prospects. Monitor their comments in LinkedIn Groups. Listen for pain, fear, worry, need. 

Don’t just listen for things that can immediately connect to what you’re selling. Stay open-minded.

Respond directly and obviously to what you discovered using InMail with the solution to their problem.

Think in terms of the

• remedy to their pain
• pleasure you can create for them 
• freedom you can allow.

A short-cut

I know, it takes serious focus to do this when we’re under pressure to “hurry-up-and-GET” leads. It feels un-natural, I admit. So here’s how to make sure you succeed. It works for me and it will work for you:

At the end of drafting your message go back and reduce the number of times the word “I” appears in the message!

Get the “I’s” down to a bare minimum. This will help you focus your words on what your prospect wants. They already know you exist. The idea is to not let your need to get a response get in the way of what they want to act on—your message!

But what if you can’t even get them to pay attention to your message? How can you get a higher LinkedIn Inmail response rate if they’re ignoring your message?

#2 PROVE you’re not like the other crap in their inbox

The best way to get someone to read and respond to your email is to prove you’re special. Here’s how:

Show them you’ve done your homework on them.

Don’t just say you’ve done it prove it. Get dramatic.

In one sentence (yes, you CAN do it!!) say something that makes them think, “hey, THAT took some effort on the sender’s part.”

Prove to the message recipient how you’ve already invested in them—beyond scanning their LinkedIn profile. If possible, put this proof in your Subject line. 

For example, I show prospects that I noticed their Tweet on Twitter expressing a need or goal … or desire to avoid a risk … or pain they want to remedy. Sometimes I choose to prove to them that I’m relevant by referencing their recent blog post. You get the idea.

I write subject lines like, “Your article on _____” or “I noticed your tweet about ______.”

Rise above all the CRAP in your prospects inbox in dramatic form. If you’d like to get started on applying this technique, here’s a FREE Linkedin training. Otherwise… 

Reveal something that quickly makes them think “Hey… could this person be my hero?” or “Be my solution to ____?”  This gets to the next step:

#3 Create irresistible curiosity

Can your service solve a problem? Can your product give buyers a life-altering experience or bring them closer to reaching a goal? Let them know you’ve got a sample of it waiting for them. 

All they need to do is respond.

Politely tease them a little. Dangle a carrot. When you’re writing the goal is to help them think, “I wonder what, exactly, he/she means by that?” 

This part is tricky but critical to your success. I say tricky because you’ve got to be BOTH credible and provocative. You’ve got to be respectable and mysterious. 

I get the most response when I present myself as a “pain reliever” to someone who just expressed a pain. Then, I get to work saying just enough about my remedy to create curiosity. 

My promise about the remedy is—above all else—BELIEVABLE. 

I also get response by presenting myself as a “vehicle to opportunity” by creating a sense of intrigue, curiosity. I work really hard to make them wonder, “this guy did his homework, knows about my specific pain… I wonder if he can actually help me… hmmm… I wonder….”

That’s the spark of curiosity you’re going for (and how to go about getting it). That’s how to boost your LinkedIn InMail response rate.

#4 Ask for a decision to be made

Want immediate access to the true potential of your prospect?  Invite them to say “yes” or “no.”

One day I tried this on a whim. WOW. It works.

Why and how can you do this?

First of all, hardly anyone does it. Very few sales people (and even fewer marketers) are smart enough to know: Honoring the time of the prospect is key to getting their immediate, honest response.

Think about how you use email—how you respond most often to short, compelling messages that ask you to!

That’s why it works.

Here’s how you can apply it:

“In the interest of your precious time, I would like to decide if there’s a focused conversation for us to have—or not…”

Let them off the hook right in the email. (the “or not” part) Why? Because it works. They’ll respond!

Remember: A negative response is GOOD. This lets you move on … invest time in better prospects.

Give your prospect a way to do what they’re already looking to do—escape your email.

This tactic increases response rate tremendously. It’s an old cold calling tactic of mine. By inviting the prospect to say “no” you’ll get immediate access to the true potential of closing the prospect.

#5 Keep it short

This part is obvious. Let’s not linger on it.

Stop writing emails longer than 3 sentences. You can do it. Trust me.

You DO want to get get a higher LinkedIn InMail response rate, right? Well, trust me!

What you’re really doing here is crafting a message that a) will get read and b) asks them to decide, right now, IF they want to talk with you or not—based on the “30 seconds of well-thought-out reasoning” you just gave them.

Good luck!

Photo credit: Iscan

The post Get a Higher LinkedIn InMail Response Rate in 5 Steps appeared first on Make Social Media Sell with Jeff Molander.

Time to read: 4 minutes

First, I’ll lay out the system in short form. Then I’ll dive into each step. Here we go…

The template in a nutshell

Here is the proven, simple blog post writing template that is making my blogging flexible, fun, fast and profitable.

Promise Tangible & Emotional Results up Front
When crafting titles and first paragraphs, write about what customers need help with—in ways they will discover on Google. Match how you write with how they search. Think in terms of questions prospects are asking and answers you’re publishing. Also, remember the ‘emotional end result’ your customers are craving. Promise it to them. 

Give Readers Confidence in Themselves (not you)
Give away tips, tricks, shortcuts and/or samples of what they need to achieve things or avoid risks. Get readers confident in themselves. Make them believe they can achieve something they want by giving them the tools to do it. For example, empower them to make better decisions or teach them a new skill. But then plant a seed: give them reason to question that new found confidence. “Could there be more to discover about ___?” This makes buyers hungry for more of what you’ve got.

Deliver a Result: Help Customers DO Something (not just know it)
Toward the end of the blog post create a call-to-action that lets customers take action on the craving (for more results) your post just created. Play on their hunger to get more confidence. Publish and promote downloadable guides that help customers get something done faster, better, smarter, cheaper. For example, help customers decide on “best fit” for their needs … or checklists that guide buyers toward better (personalized) decisions … or short video tutorials that teach customers a skill or short-cut that is relate-able to their goal and what you sell.

This template is like “guide rails” for creating information my prospects need and making sure they produce leads for my business. Want to get started on implementing it in your business (free)? Check out this free tutorial where I’ll guide you step-by-step. Or just see details below.

Promise to solve a problem / give a result

Coming up with blog content that creates leads (and ultimately sales) for your business is as easy as:

1. listening to your target market’s pain, suffering, fear or aspirations … then
2. answering; responding to what potential customers need or crave in your blog.

Using this practical system makes it EASY to connect what you sell to your blog posts. Start by asking yourself, “Which questions do our customers need answered before they’ll buy?” or “Is there a skill I could teach them that would make them feel (and act) like a smarter buyer?”

Remember: Don’t restrict the questions to those about your product—think like a buyer. 

For example, are there myths prospects believe in that prevent them from understanding an important consideration point?

Do they fear getting ripped-off or talked into a situation that doesn’t serve them? Is there an experience they’re craving?

To get ideas, listen to potential customers as they express:

• fears
• hopes, aspirations
• goals or objectives
• problems or challenges

Listening is easy on the Web. You should conduct search engine keyword research but here are other GREAT places to find your buyers’ questions—FAST.

• LinkedIn Groups
• Webinars
• Monitor www.search.twitter.com (for expressions of pain or un-met needs around what it is you’re selling… and complaints about your competitors)
• Google keyword research

Give results that create cravings (for more)

Has anyone ever stopped you, sat you down and told you about a dangerous risk you were unknowingly taking—that you didn’t need to be? When we suddenly realize a way to avoid danger (thanks to someone else) it makes us feel relieved. But then we start to worry again. We often wonder, “Gosh, what else do I NOT know … that this person DOES know!?”

We’re not confident in ourselves … but we want to be. NOW!

You see, once we discover how avoid something dangerous from someone else it creates hunger for more knowledge about avoiding more risks.

PLUS it builds trust in the person dispensing the advice!

So spill the beans on what you know. Show customers how to get some of the near-term results they crave. By showing them how to solve a small yet serious problem (that you can eventually connect to what you sell) you will make them confident. They will feel like “I CAN do it!” (whatever it is that’s important to them) AND they will become hungry for more.

Solve problems or give useful answers on your blog—on your terms and in exchange for knowing who your potential buyer is and a little bit about them.

Be clear, helpful, yet not 100% thorough.

In other words, lay out your knowledge, tips and actionable information in ways that encourage more questions. Be specific but not so complete that readers become fully satisfied. For example, find ways to share actionable information in ways that make readers crave more examples. 

Help prospects DO (not just know)

Toward the end of your blogs make calls-to-action that clearly show customers a way to get more results (just like what you just gave them). Show them a clear way to relieve more pain, avoid more risks, achieve more success or get to where they’re going faster. 

Give them the actionable information they’re now craving.

I call these bits of knowledge “nuggets of wisdom.” I’m talking about what you know (right now) that (when you share it) will help customers DO something … something that moves their needle. Something that creates success. Something that gets them even more confident in themselves.

Let’s face it: Knowing is not enough to get people BUYING!

You’ve got to create a “mini-result” for them. This way your nuggets can be eventually, logically connected to what you sell.

I’m talking about useful tools like:

• Checklists. Help customers make smarter decisions FASTER about something important to them.
• Ebooks. Help prospects compare features and benefits of products & services they are in need of (but in ways that do NOT push your product).
• Educational video tutorials. Teach customers (step-by-step) a new skill, avoid an unseen risk or help them make faster comparisons to determine “best fit” in a pithy video or short series.

Start here: Keep it simple

What wisdom nugget should you produce? Where do you start? 

Start with what is EASY for you to produce—right now. Start by asking yourself:

When what pressing problem do we solve? What pain do I remove?  What hidden risk do most customers NOT know about …  that I can reveal and look like a BIG hero? What pleasure can I help create? What freedom does our service permit? What important connection does our product allow? 

How do you start capturing and nurturing leads with these nuggets? That’s a subject covered in my monthly lead generation training course. The strategy varies based on the business, customers, competitive environment, etc. If you’d like to take first steps toward discovering the power of this blog post writing template, sign-up for my free tutorial. I’ll guide you step-by-step.  

Full disclosure: The video series itself is an example of the effective lead-generation system I’m describing!

Your turn

Until I discovered this “better way” of writing, I struggled. It felt horrible. I could not get Google’s attention nor convince people who were reading my posts to respond to me.

Today, I use this simple, effective system to get blog posts discovered (in Google) and acted on by potential buyers. Now it’s your turn to have a blog that:

1. Creates response by putting customers on the path to deciding if and when they want to buy from you.
2. Proves you’re worth investing in by giving “results in advance” to people who apply your tips.  
3. Encourages purchase by creating confidence in buyers … so much they may start asking you for the sale.

The power of this blog post writing template is the response it creates for your blog. By putting potential buyers on the path to deciding if (and when) they want to buy you’re empowering them AND giving yourself a business lead.

So start saying, “I can solve that nagging problem” to prospects on your blog. Then solve them in exchange for the chance to court prospects using a “wisdom nugget” or series of them distributed with an email nurturing routine. 

Because if you change your customers’ success rate they’ll become confident in themselves. Moving your customers’ needle before they invest in what you sell you creates trust in you.

Giving prospects a way to better understand their problems … and gain confidence over them … can help what you sell become the obvious next step. Your product transforms from something to consider buying into a logical next step in a journey prospects find themselves on.

Photo credit: Slaff.net

The post The only blog post writing template you’ll ever need appeared first on Make Social Media Sell with Jeff Molander.

Time to read: 3 minutes.  It sounds like a fairy tail but it’s true. Inbound marketing manager, McKay Allan created a social media lead generation system that got LogMyCalls more new customers in 90 days than any prior campaign. Now you can discover how this growing business tackles blog-focused social media lead generation and apply it in your setting.

McKay’s now famous, “150 Blog Posts in 50 Days” effort was successful. Really successful. It even spurred the company to stop some paid marketing tactics—and fire a search engine optimization contractor.

“With a company our size, the commitment has to be significant in order to produce 3 unique and useful blog posts a day,” says McKay.

“After all, we also produce 2 original marketing Webinars each week, monthly case studies, a variety of marketing White Papers, and some humorous and awesome marketing call tracking videos.”

How many blogs should you publish and why?

“All of this requires commitment,” says McKay who recognizes the number of blog posts per week will vary depending on a company’s business environment.

LogMyCalls is producing 3 unique blogs each day, “for as long as we can,” says McKay. “For the foreseeable future, we’re going to continue to generate more unique content, more great blogs, and more sweet Webinars.”

Should you follow in McKay’s footsteps? How many blogs should you be publishing, to whom, about what and why? And how long will it take to start getting leads? Learn the answers to these questions and more by listening to my interview with McKay above… or start taking action in my Make My Blog Sell for You lead generation training course.

Should you fire your SEO agency too?

McKay is level-headed, pragmatic and recommends you follow suit.

“We are not advocating that every company fire their SEO firm, or that SEO firms are bad, or that our SEO firm was bad,” says McKay who doesn’t mince words nor shy away from controversy.

“We’re simply stating the fact that we didn’t see much impact in 9 months and our efforts were working, so we fired them.”

Tell the truth in ways that move customers’ needles

One of McKay’s biggest success principles is positioning LogMyCalls as a serious advocate for customers. Really serious. For
example, he frequently blogs warnings to customers about changes that dramatically effect their bottom line.

He recently posted, “… if you use session-based keyword call tracking, you’re likely wasting at least some of your money. Why? Well, the only reason someone gets session-based keyword call tracking is to determine which organic keywords generate calls. If Google won’t give you 60% to 70% of that keyword data then you are, by definition, wasting 60% to 70% of your money.”

Worth noting, McKay pairs his warnings with calls-to-action that provide a pathway toward more complete answers. His 5 Ways to Prove Marketing ROI with Call Tracking e-book is a perfect example.

McKay is essentially “baiting his hook” with this book and answering questions on his blog that create hunger for more answers … that his ebook answers. He trades valuable knowledge inside the ebook for insight on his prospects. 

This is exactly what I teach in my Make My Blog Sell for You lead generation training course.

Give away your best knowledge—all of it

McKay also recommends blogging about business failures in ways that attract attention, earn respect and genuinely teach prospects a lesson they can benefit from. 

“Our brains, contrary to what most people think, have been designed to learn much more from lessons learned… from what didn’t work; from conflicts; from situations that were everything but successful; from what would force us to re-think what we’ve just done and do it better, trying harder next time around,” says Luis Suarez, an IBM knowledge management consultant.

So let potential customers find your treasure trove of answers. This approach proves your business:

1. Completely understands the market;
2. is bold enough to give away the answers (and not worry about people “stealing” your knowledge) and
3. realizes value is in the DOING not merely knowing

 Tune in to the above Webinar, meet McKay and learn how to turn up the volume on your social media lead generation efforts!

The post Social media lead generation: How to increase leads 400% in 90 days appeared first on Make Social Media Sell with Jeff Molander.

Time to read: 3 minutes

Step #1: Say This

“What do I say to prospects when they don’t want to talk about what I sell yet?”

Whatever matters to them. 

Remember: Don’t confuse your customers’ un-willingness to buy at the moment with their hunger to act on something urgent right now! There’s a big difference between pitching your product to someone and giving them the opportunity to act on their desire to solve a nagging problem—or take a step toward achieving a goal.  

The best way to start generating leads with LinkedIn is to ask yourself, “What’s keeping my typical customer up at night?” Be sure to focus on issues that are related to what you sell but outside of the context of a sales pitch. 

When interacting on LinkedIn, talk about answers to your prospects’ problems, methods to avoid risks or ways to achieve goals. Do this in terms that don’t (yet) connect to what you sell. 

Coming up with “what to say” (that creates leads) is as easy as:

1. listening for customers to express pain, excitement, fear or goals … then
2. responding with a way to remedy the pain, capitalize on the excitement or avoid the fear.

Step #2: Where to Say It 

There are three “places” you’re probably conversing with prospects:

• LinkedIn groups
• email
• your blog

Let’s say you’re engaging prospects in LinkedIn groups or with emails using LinkedIn’s platform. The best way to start generating leads with LinkedIn is getting people OFF of LinkedIn—and onto your blog. 

Interacting with prospects in groups gives you the chance to capitalize on prospects’ expressions of pain, fear, anxiety or ambition. They’ll all but tell you what to say. It’s up to you to decide where you’ll respond to them: In the group (publicly) or in a direct message (privately). 

The goal is to get prospects’ off of LinkedIn and onto your blog. This gives YOU total control over what you can do with the prospect to earn a lead. Want to get started DOING this? Check out my FREE LinkedIn Training for Sales Professionals video tutorial.

The best way to engage prospects a LinkedIn group is publicly.

This gives more prospects the chance to be “drawn in” by your words. However, some groups prohibit the sharing of links to your blog. If you want to share a link be sure to provide wisdom privately and publicly (without the link).

When using LinkedIn’s email system (after a prospect has linked to you) the objective remains the same: Get the prospect off the LinkedIn email system and onto your blog. To do this you’ve got to be relevant AND provocative enough to earn prospects’ clicks (to your blog).

This leads us to the most important piece of the puzzle.

Step #3: How to Say It 

You’ve got to be relevant and present yourself in a way that leaves the prospect wanting more.

Most folks generating leads with LinkedIn struggle with this part… with good reason. Being provocative takes practice. Here are some quick short-cuts.

Here are the best ways to provoke response—get people to dive deeper into your blog article, explore your LinkedIn profile, register for a Webinar or white paper download, email or call you. No matter which one you pick you must make a compelling promise:

Materially change your customers’ success rate, ability to solve a problem, avoid a risk or achieve a goal… for free.

Here are the most effective approaches to provoking prospects:

1. Be clear, helpful, yet not 100% thorough. In other words, lay out your knowledge, tips and actionable information in ways that encourage more questions. Be specific but not so complete that readers become fully satisfied. For example, find ways to share actionable information in ways that make readers crave more examples. 
2. Bust a myth. Few things attract and engage customers more than telling them “Let’s face it. What you’re doing is popular yet not effective. Here’s the secret on what actually works. I’ll prove it to you and show you how to get more of what you want.” By using this provocative technique you’ll create more response and a distinct voice for yourself. You’ll start generating leads with LinkedIn.
3. Make a clear call-to-action. Again, you’re not selling. Instead, saying, “I have a cure for that” or “I’ve experienced that pain, suffered and here’s my 3 step system to fix it.” Then make the pathway (to get that system, knowledge or quick fix) clear. Open the door for prospects by inviting contact via LinkedIn’s email system or presenting a link to your Web site (if allowed in the group).

Create Free “Tastes of Success” 

Ultimately, success in generating leads with LinkedIn is based on prospects’ curiosity… a hunger for more information about your solutions to their most urgent situations.  

Make no mistake: your first meaningful interaction with prospects cannot be one they pay for. Not in this day and age. 

First, you’ve got to give customers a “taste of success” in advance of their purchase. This will get them talking to you. You’ve got to give prospects a reason to start a focused conversation with you. 

If you’d like help actually learning how to do this check out May 2013′s Make My Blog Sell for Me monthly training class where I’ll show you. We’re limiting the class to 25 students.

So start saying, “I can solve that nagging problem” to prospects on LinkedIn—and then solve them—in exchange for the chance to court prospects.  Solve problems or give useful answers on your blog, on your terms and in exchange for knowing who they are and a little bit about them.

The above three steps will get you started moving in the right direction.

The opportunity standing before you is terrific. Giving prospects a way to better understand their problem or gain confidence over it can help what you sell become the obvious next step.

In this way your product isn’t something to consider buying; instead it is a logical next step in a journey prospects find themselves on.

Photo credit: 2 Dog Farm

The post Generating leads with LinkedIn: An effective 3-step process appeared first on Make Social Media Sell with Jeff Molander.

Time to read: 4 minutes

#1: Basic copywriting skills gets response

Getting prospects to click on your profile or links inside LinkedIn groups works like gangbusters if you create irresistible curiosity in the reader. This means having:

1. Something NEW to share
2. Basic copywriting skills 

Whether you’re starting a group discussion or responding to one, without these two things forget about it. Toss in the towel. With these two things? You’re sure to get noticed AND (the biggie) create irresistible curiosity in prospects. You’ll earn response.

Learn how to write effective copy—right now. One of the best resources to learn good, solid copywriting skills is Copyblogger.com. 

Here’s a short-cut. Write these on a sticky note and hang it on your wall for reference. Every time you write responses in LinkedIn groups:

• Speak fearlessly from the heart
• Get to the point immediately
• Keep the message simple
• Use the fewest words you can
• Eliminate adjectives and adverbs 

Your success using LinkedIn groups for lead generation starts with being able to write about something important to customers—in a way that irritates, excites or somehow creates intense curiosity in you. For example, your writing must get them to say, “ah-HA!” (have a moment of clarity) and then act on that impulse. 

Not sure what to write about? Check out this tutorial on coming up with blog content fast. It even includes a worksheet to get started!

Or sign up for my FREE LinkedIn Training for Sales Professionals video tutorial.

#2: “Comment templates” save time & help cover more ground

I’m like you. I’ve got limited time to invest in LinkedIn groups for lead generation. So we’ve got to cover a lot of ground—quickly—and get back to calls, emails, etc. So as a seller, you have 3 challenges:

1. getting prospects in the group to pay attention to you
2. adding value through what you write  
3. not being seen as a seller; rather, as a “giver first”… and, of course, gettin’ those leads!

Using “answer templates” can help you overcome all of these challenges.  

This is my biggest secret: Taking my best nuggets of wisdom and putting them into “comment templates” that save me time AND get more response. Here’s how it works.

I take my best insights or step-by-step instructions on “how to do ___” (something group readers clearly need to do or figure out) and write them in bite-sized portions. (75-200 words)

Then I apply them (cut, paste and lightly edit for context) every time I see an opportunity to help someone who needs it… as I’m trolling LinkedIn groups for prospects who need them.

You see, LinkedIn groups are places where prospects seek free advice, tips, shortcuts or ways to avoid risks. Within groups, discussions start as questions or commentary. Sometimes questions are the topic. Other times questions emerge as discussion unfolds. Either way, you have a chance to:

1. spot questions and expressions of pain, fear, confusion, worry or desire and
2. convert them into leads.

These expressions are opportunities to start using LinkedIn groups for lead generation.

Pre-write 75-200 word answers or tips that provide guidance, put out a fire or help to avoid risks. Literally jot down your best answers to commonly asked questions relating to your area of expertise. Keep them in a handy Word /word processing document for easy access.

Be sure to make everything you write ACTIONABLE. Use the classic communication model:

• Tell them what you’re about to tell them
• Tell them
• Tell them what you just told them

Of course, there will be times where you will strategically share a link to more information. This is where the magic can happen.

#3: Encourage group participants to become a lead

First, I use the term “ethically bribe” customers to make a point—not suggest you bribe prospects!

This part takes finesse. But I know you’ve got it.

The idea is simple: Lay out your knowledge, tips and actionable information in ways that ALSO encourages more questions. Be specific but not so complete that the reader will be satisfied. For example, find ways to share actionable information in ways that make readers want more examples. Then make that pathway clear. Open the door for prospects by inviting contact via LinkedIn’s email system or presenting a link to your Web site (if allowed in the group).

Making this call-to-action in a way that affirms your prospects’ right to choose your advice or path (link) is critical to:

1. Getting them to respond (at all)
2. Creating good rapport (being seen as a “giver first”) among participants
3. Winning over the group’s owner/manager

Here’s a real life example of how I gave actionable advice that created additional, intense curiosity that netted me leads.

Once I started using this to my advantage I started getting more leads on my Web site. Using LinkedIn groups for lead generation isn’t difficult. It just takes some experience and knowing the “better ways.” 

One of the best ways to use LinkedIn groups for lead generation is to turn your best answers and tips into bite-sized, templated answers to save time and get response. Good luck!

Photo credit: Sheila Scarborough 

The post Linkedin groups for lead generation: 3 lessons learned (that made a difference) appeared first on Make Social Media Sell with Jeff Molander.