Training Teams to Become Social Sellers
Digital Edge began leading destination sales teams through LinkedIn training about eight years ago. Still, the volume of activity and interest truly hit a peak immediately after the start of the pandemic. Today, LinkedIn training and support is one of the top services our convention and visitors bureau clients are seeking – which totally makes sense to me.
Developing a salesperson’s social profile to help them fluidly move between in-person sales opportunities and virtual ones is a key to today’s hybrid world. Our program helps sales professionals utilize the valuable tools LinkedIn offers to make it possible for them to incorporate social selling into their role and to leverage the platform as a database.
Digital Edge’s LinkedIn training is focused on blending our background in destination sales and marketing to show sales teams how to utilize LinkedIn in their daily practices.
We walk them through how to:
- Transition their profiles from looking like resumes to looking like thought leaders in their various vertical or geographic focuses – showcasing their destination knowledge, expertise and passion
- Become avid social sellers by posting, sharing and engaging with planners and their networks routinely
- Utilize the database functionality to find, qualify and reach key planner audiences
In case you still wonder why LinkedIn????
Linkedin is the largest career network platform with NOW up to 810+ members and 200 countries and regions worldwide. In its most recent quarter, Linkedin had record levels of engagement, up 31%.
LinkedIn efficiently connects you to the people who matter.
- 65M – decision-making positions
- 61M – senior-level influencers
- 300K – titles of meeting & event planners on the platform
- 80% of B2B leads come from Linkedin
Most recently, we trained the Visit Savannah sales team and the Savannah Convention Center sales team (14 total people) with a two-hour training session. Prior to our session, we surveyed the teams to assess their skill level and goals for the training program. We also met with the leadership team to identify the goals for the program, and as a result, we developed goals for year one and where to take the program in year two.
During the Visit Savannah training, we covered:
- Rationale
- Thought leadership via LinkedIn
- Transitioning profiles from a resume to more representative of a destination sales expert
- Posting and engaging via the platform
- Searching and utilizing LinkedIn database features
One of the differences with our LinkedIn training program is that we don’t just hold a session and leave the team to figure it out. We provide ongoing support.
We conduct:
- Profile reviews and suggestions
- Monthly LinkedIn posts crafted with images and hashtag suggestions
- Quarterly check-ins
- Training follow up call
When sales teams go through our LinkedIn training and support program they:
- Become Social Sellers
- Develop thought leadership skills
- Transition profiles away from resumes
- Develop business development skills using the platform as a database
- Have social posts ready to customize and use as their own
For those teams looking to invest in LinkedIn Sales Navigator, we walk them through creating lead lists, account lists and search/qualify. In addition, Navigator allows for teams to be measured on their success across key areas of usage, giving the team feedback and reporting on their results.
By developing a sales team with skills in LinkedIn, your destination will have another source for growing business opportunities that can be leveraged anytime and anywhere.
Looking to take advantage of our LinkedIn training? Reach out!
