LinkedIn the well-known and one of its kind Professional Social Media Platform has a tool called SSI (Social Selling Index), which is very useful for sales professionals like me and you to know their social engagement level. Many of us are unaware about this hidden tool that LinkedIn use to promote its Service Offering under LinkedIn Sales Solution. I will try to make you understand LinkedIn Social Selling Index in a brief.
LinkedIn Social Selling Index (SSI) measures how effective you are at establishing your professional brand, finding the right people, engaging with insights, and building relationships and is updated on daily basis based on your activity in the platform. The SSI takes into account four major criteria to arrive at your SSI Score which LinkedIn calls four elements of social selling.
Establish your professional brand:
Make your profile look attractive with a smart picture, expert tagline, highlight your experiences, skills and certificates, etc. Make sure to complete 100% of LinkedIn profile.
Keep your customers in mind while doing all these and regularly publish meaningful posts relevant to your are of expertise. While demonstrating your experience also ask for recommendations from your customers, colleagues and connections and give them endorsements too.
Find the right people:
LinkedIn has various search and research tools to find and get in touch with key decision makers. Use warm introduction to introduce yourself when sending connect requests and utilize your 1st and 2nd degree connections. Find out commonalities while searching through profile and also leverage through persons who viewed your profile.
Engage with insights:
Discover, share and create conversation worthy updates to grow your audience. Follow relevant companies, leverage industry data and news, leave insightful comments, and join LinkedIn groups. Always try to customize your message while sending to any connection based on their profiles.
Build relationships:
Connect with your contacts as a first step when you join LinkedIn, while searching for profiles always try to kind key decision makers, connect with multiple contact for a same company. Another successful approach will be to get well connected with maximum of your colleagues to get reference for their connections. Once connected you have to keep nurturing the relationship by posting updates, relevant product or service information at regular intervals and try to address their business problems.
LinkedIn might be trying to sell one of their services by the means of SSI, but I personally find it useful to gauge your engagement level on the platform and you can get a fare idea of how you compete within your peers and industry. Below is my rankings within the telecom industry and my networks.
Why Social Selling is Important ?
Social selling goes beyond traditional sales techniques by leveraging the power of social networks, with LinkedIn being a frontrunner in the professional realm. Here’s why honing your social selling skills on LinkedIn can be a game-changer:
Relationship Building: Social selling empowers you to connect and engage with potential customers on a deeper level. By sharing valuable content, participating in relevant discussions, and providing personalized insights, you build trust and establish meaningful relationships with prospects.
Targeted Approach: LinkedIn offers a treasure trove of data about professionals and businesses, allowing you to identify and target the right prospects effectively. With accurate information at your fingertips, you can tailor your outreach, messages, and content to resonate with your ideal audience.
Brand Authority: Consistently sharing industry insights, thought leadership articles, and success stories on LinkedIn positions you as a knowledgeable expert in your field. This boosts your credibility, increases brand awareness, and attracts potential clients who are more likely to seek your products or services.
Expanded Reach: Gone are the days of solely relying on cold calls and emails. Social selling enables you to expand your reach exponentially. Through LinkedIn’s vast network, you can engage with decision-makers, industry influencers, and prospects worldwide, opening doors to new opportunities and partnerships.
Competitive Edge: Social selling provides a competitive advantage by allowing you to stay ahead of the curve. By actively monitoring your prospects’ activities, engaging in meaningful conversations, and providing relevant solutions, you can outshine your competitors and position yourself as the go-to expert in your industry.
Data-Driven Insights: LinkedIn’s built-in analytics and tracking tools offer valuable insights into your social selling efforts. You can measure engagement, track conversions, and evaluate the effectiveness of your strategies. This data-driven approach enables you to refine your tactics, optimize your sales process, and achieve better results.
What is a good SSI score to have ?
As per my personal opinion anything above the average industry index is a good score, but anything above 65 is a great score to achieve. Moreover its easy to get a god score when starting up with LinkedIn for the first time as a new user, but its way more difficult to retain your score.
How to improve my SSI score and retain or increase it ?
The answer to this will be religious use of this platform and engaging with your connections. You can follow some of the steps as mentioned in the four elements of social selling and for a detailed read and expert tips you can visit https://business.linkedin.com/sales-solutions/social-selling/the-social-selling-index-ssi. You can also check your score from the link.
As a sales person and particularity being into the B2B segment its easy to promote and get noticed by relevant audiences through LinkedIn and the Social Selling Index score is a metrics you can use to track and improve your engagement level. Use it religiously to increase your and your company or product and services visibility which in turn will help you to explore ways to maximize revenue potential.
In today’s hyper-connected world, social selling skills have become a prerequisite for sales professionals aiming to thrive in the digital landscape. By harnessing the power of LinkedIn and mastering social selling techniques, you can forge stronger connections, boost your credibility, and drive business growth like never before. So, embrace the digital era, equip yourself with social selling skills, and unlock the endless possibilities it brings!