3 Things to Improve Your LinkedIn Experience

1. Personalize!

Think of LinkedIn like a real-life networking event. If you walk in and try and tell everybody about your product right away, people are going to be annoyed. They’ll avoid speaking with you all together. Same thing goes for LinkedIn! Timothy Hughes (@Timothy_Hughes) talks about this in his book “Social Selling”.

bad invitePersonalize your message to whomever you’re trying to connect with. DO NOT leave the generic “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn”. Also, don’t try to sell them on your product on the ‘introduction’ screen.

Instead, lead with something genuine! I like to comment something nice about their experience or background. Maybe we have mutual connections in common. Perhaps they’d be an asset to my network because we’re in the same industry. Whatever the case may be, take an extra second and personalize it. You’d be surprised at what people have to say in return.

That took me an entire 3 minutes to look up the most recent post Jason shared, personalize the approach and send the connection request. Now, when Jason accepts, he’s going to see my personalized message and think, ‘Hmm… This guy actually took a few minutes to be relevant. I wonder what he does.’ This could be the beginning to a long and prosperous relationship and I could even help him with a problem someday.

2. Save the Math Equations For Facebook

If you truly care about developing your network, providing value and establishing yourself as an industry thought leader, don’t bother engaging with things that are a waste of time. They seem harmless and it’s an easy way to get a lot of new profile views and connections, but all its takes is one bad ‘like’ and you could ruin your reputation to a potential influencer or buyer. Because… as I’m sure you’ve all seen, you accept a new connection and your feed gets filled with junk.

hide unfollowFor most of us, I don’t want to clog my feed with silly things. Once I see someone like, share or comment on something irrelevant to my ‘world’, I either ‘hide this particular update’ or ‘unfollow user’. I don’t have time to scroll through my feed and see something irrelevant. I go to Facebook and Instagram for that stuff.

Think of it this way; would your boss, mentor or favorite leader find your post worthwhile? If not… then don’t like or comment.

3. Show Your Appreciation!

When someone comments or shares your content, send them over a quick thank you. Envision this: Karen shares my article with her network of 2,000 people. My name, and article have just been introduced to her network. That’s a completely new audience that I’ve been introduced to… Maybe someone in Karen’s network has some questions for me about what I do for a living.

You never know the opportunities that can present themselves unless you do the little things. All of these tips only take a little time to do but will pay off tenfold. If the person never connects with you, even though you personalized it, don’t get discouraged! You can always remove your connection request and try again. (LinkedIn Article on how to do that)

#Social Selling – Personalize, Influence & Resonate With Your Buyers

511zYH2TZILThe art of Social Selling is a continuous process that sales people do. There is no one way of doing it correctly! However, there are a lot of ways you should do it… Notice the word; should. Tim uses a great example to paint a picture of what you shouldn’t do! Image you show up to a networking event (in person event), walk in the front door and yell:

“…’Hi, I’m Tim and I have this great telephone system!’, then launch into my pitch… I’m sure this would silence the room…”[note]Page 47[/note]

Nobody would want to talk to you. Everybody would think you’re nuts! This goes for Social Selling and reaching out to people on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook etc. The minute you connect with them, you blast them your sales pitch. We’re all guilty of it… because it’s the easiest approach. We think, ‘Oh, they accepted… they must know I want to sell them xyz, I’ll pitch them now.’

Good God, no! This is such a turn off. Just wait until it happens to you. This goes for recruiters too! Don’t send your canned, junk, message via LinkedIn after I connect. I’ve got my cell number, my email, my twitter handle and my WeChat information on my LinkedIn. I’ve NEVER had a recruiter hit me up on one of those networks. WHY? Laziness perhaps. Try one of those mediums and watch how fast your response time is.

But, most of all, personalize your message! What does EVERYBODY and their mother talk about?! Personalize your message, dangit. As you build your network, reach and connections, you’ll need to begin connecting with ‘influencers’. You don’t have to… but when someone with 30k+ (industry specific) connections on LinkedIn likes/comments on your post, you’re going to gain a lot of exposure. Makes sense right…? You share something that someone loves and they share it. Your network + their network = reach. Simple… In building rapport with ‘influencers’;

“Influencers will want a personalized message just like everybody else. Use your best active listening techniques. Read the material they write and when you connect with them, sell them the parts you like best of all. For example, tell them ‘I’ve read your blog and can really relate with the Networking event theme.'[note]Page 57[/note]

Everybody likes a nice pat on the back. Tell them something nice about their LinkedIn profile, share some of their content on other network, comment on their website… the list is endless. I will tell you, from personal experience; influencers aren’t just sitting around waiting for you to like their ‘stuff’. They aren’t going to respond at your first attempt. It took me over a year to connect with a very well known CEO… then, it took me another six months to ask the correct type of question to get a response. It isn’t easy, but it was so worth the wait.

In the attempt to connect with ‘influencers’, we also need to focus on our influence. If you’re not a thought leader, trusted advisor or credible source, how are buyers supposed to trust you in the sales process? I think it depends on the type of buyer… but, if you can engage with prospects on multiple platforms, you’ll build credibility. Or, send over an article you wrote to a prospect and see how much credibility you gain! In terms of influence;

“We have two jobs to do. First, our own influence needs to increase. Second, the influence of others who are not helpful to us needs to decrease. Controlling influence is also a constant process.”[note]Page 63[/note]

This is a VERY slow process. It takes a long time to create and if you don’t do it the ‘right’ way, you can destroy your influence in the matter of minutes. A quick guide to establishing influence doesn’t exist. So… you better be in this thing for the long game! You can’t fake your way to the top… sorry.

I’ve found that creating a time frame of when I want to execute on things is very beneficial. That way, while I’m building my network, brand and connection base, I can continuously push out content and engage with people. Creating content is probably the most difficult part only because it’s the most time consuming. But, once you find a topic that gets a lot of engagement, you feel rewarded.

“When on social networks, it is essential that you create resonance in some way. Everyone on a social network is having their attention attracted by something – your job is to be the one who attracts it.”[note]Page 77[/note]

#Boom – Plain and simple. Become relevant, resonate with them and provide some value in some way. If you’re in HR sales.. talk about law changes or compliance. If you’re in travel, show them pictures and top 10 places to visit. Sell cars… show someone safest/fastest cars. Just resonate with your buyers! Each social channel has it’s own ‘voice’… so make sure you’re speaking the right language.

 

Don’t worry; There’s more from me to come about:

Social Selling | Tim Hughes

Quit Giving Other Recruiters a Bad Rep

I am going to cut straight to the chase with this post.

If you are a recruiter, you need to read this.  If this post doesn’t apply to you – I am sure you can relate to someone else in the recruiting field making the very mistakes listed below.

There are many recruiters that are making the rest of us look bad.

You are toying with your candidate’s experience.

You are sending canned responses.

You have lost your ability to be engaged with your talent pool.

You just aren’t doing it right.

If you are guilty of one of the following six things – own up to it, slap yourself around to get a reality check, and stop doing it immediately.  Not just for the sake of a fellow recruiter’s reputation in the industry, but for yourself too.

1.  You Are Treating Candidates Like Numbers

I truly understand that there are recruiting firms out there that are all about numbers.  I also understand that there are quotas to exceed, goals to meet, and positions to fill due to client obligations.  Trust me, I get that.

However, with that said…

You cannot treat your candidates like the numbers you are trying to achieve.  The quotas you need to exceed, the goals you need to meet, and the positions you need to fill are all background noise to a candidate.

Take the time to properly get to know someone without focusing on your “hidden agenda” that they wouldn’t understand nor care to know about at all. They don’t want to hear about the fact that you need to fill the position by Friday or that by filling this position you will meet or exceed your monthly goal.

Candidates want to tell you their story.  They want you to ask questions about what they are looking for, what makes them tick, and what they have to bring to the table.

At the end of the day, if it’s a fit then it’s a fit.  Don’t force it for the sake of numbers, but take the time to get to know what they are looking for, and you’ll know sooner rather than later if it’s a potential fit.

2.  You Aren’t Following Up With Your Candidates – At All

I know recruiting life can be busy.  We juggle multiple candidates for various positions, and it’s sometimes hard to make time for following up – especially when it isn’t getting you one step closer to the money, one step closer to meeting a quota or goal, or one step closer to filling that position.

However, a simple pass is better than zero feedback at all.  

Just like you don’t like being left in the dark wondering what happened, your candidates don’t like to feel that way either.

Don’t be afraid to give what you perceive to be negative feedback.  I guarantee that most candidates will appreciate a follow-up from a recruiter even if it isn’t the news they wanted to hear.

I speak from experience on this as I have made several calls to candidates to let them know they weren’t selected for a position or weren’t moving along in the process.  And, I usually get a response like this, “Wow, I appreciate you letting me know.  Usually I just don’t hear anything at all, and I figure it out on my own.”

To me, leaving your candidates in the dark is like watching almost all of an awesome movie, and then turning it off without seeing the ending.

Just don’t do it.

3.  You Aren’t Taking the Time to Understand Your Candidate

Unfortunately, it’s very easy to talk about what we need in a candidate, but not enough recruiters are taking the time to truly understand what their candidates need when it comes to making a move in their career.

If you take the time to understand your candidates, it is much easier to build an authentic talent pipeline to tap into even if the position you are working on now isn’t an ideal fit for them.

Also, taking the time to get to know your candidates will not only build a solid relationship, but it will also build trust.  Those candidates will want to work with you again in the future, even if the position in the here and now doesn’t pan out after all.

4.  You Don’t Take the Time to Personalize

I get it.

I hear all the excuses as to why personalization of messages takes too long…

I don’t get a response half the time anyway.
It’s easier to kill more birds with one stone.
But, I can reach more candidates about the position.
But, but, but, it’s quicker to send a mass message, and it’s more efficient.

Although some of the excuses above are realistic responses, I guarantee that you will get a better return rate of responses if you take the time to personalize and/or customize your messages to your candidates (whether via social media, email, or phone).

And, if it’s a really hard-to-fill position, keep in mind that your message really should stand out from the rest of the messages some of this high-need candidates are receiving on a daily basis.

Get creative, personalized, customized, and real.

5.  You Just Aren’t With the Times 

If you have ever asked yourself the following, you need to think deeper.

Why is it that a potential candidate isn’t returning my call after leaving a voice message for the second time?  Why is it that they aren’t responding to my emails?  This opportunity would be fantastic for them!

Getting with the times means embracing the fact that the traditional means of getting your candidate’s attention aren’t always going to work. 

With an increasing millennial workforce, there are modern methods of getting in touch with candidates in need.  That includes the fact that you should embrace social media (i.e. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.).  Use those platforms to communicate with your potential candidates.

I’m not a fan of texting as an initial means of reaching a candidate, but this could be a great way to keep in touch or keep a candidate updated on the process (especially if they are currently working and unable to take a call or check a personal email as easily).

Take the time to think outside of the box when it comes to communicating with your potential candidates.

6.  You Are Focusing On Your Schedule, Not the Candidate’s

Lastly, if a candidate is currently working full-time, you need to be able to offer flexibility in the interviewing options, or at least understand that a candidate is not trying to burn a professional bridge in order to make it to an interview that may or may not pan out.

Too often, I see recruiters and hiring managers giving a one size fits all approach to interviewing, and it can really limit candidates when the process is too cumbersome or difficult.

Understand the fact that candidates may have a preference to interview first thing in the morning, on their lunch breaks, or at the end of their current work day.

If it’s a candidate that you truly want to pursue for the position, try video interviewing them after hours.  Or, just take the time to come to a healthy compromise on when to interview so it’s not interfering with the candidate’s existing work schedule.

And don’t even get me started on having a 3 or 4 in-person interview process…

When in doubt, think of how you would want to be treated during the recruiting process – from beginning to end.

Have anything to add to the conversation?  Please comment below.