When I started my business after a 20+ year sales career, I very quickly had to eat humble pie and recognise the power of marketing for business growth. In my mind, it had always been the work of the superstar salesperson, me, who was wholly responsible for any sales success.
As I’ve learned and shared many of these lessons I learned in THE LINKEDIN™️ BRANDING BOOK by #MichelleSquared. Today, I’ll flip the script and share with B2B Marketers three key lessons from my experience in sales that will help them generate more results from their marketing efforts on LinkedIn.
This article is inspired by the recent episode of the Social Media for B2B Growth Podcast hosted by Michelle J Raymond, which goes into much more detail.
Thanks to our podcast sponsor Metricool. Make sure to register for a FREE Metricool account today. Use Code MICHELLE30 to try any Premium Plan FREE for 30 days. https://i.mtr.cool/NEDXVZ
Why B2B Marketers Need to Be More Salesy
One of the first points I always make is that B2B marketers shouldn’t shy away from being more sales-oriented. Marketers often say, “We don’t want to be too salesy,” but I think they really mean that they don’t want to come across as pushy or impersonal.
The key here is understanding that social selling isn’t about spamming people with pitches. It’s about building relationships, solving problems, and adding value.
When done right, social selling on LinkedIn can help B2B marketers increase engagement, reach, and opportunities. Whether you’re managing a company page or helping your team develop personal brands, this approach will make a difference.
What is Social Selling?
A definition I love and use frequently when coaching my clients comes from Hootsuite:
“Social selling is the art of using social media to find, connect with, understand, and nurture sales prospects. It’s the modern way to develop meaningful relationships with potential customers, so you’re the first person they think of when they’re ready to buy.”
This definition highlights several key points:
- Finding the right people
- Connecting with them
- Nurturing those relationships
These principles apply across the board—whether you’re a marketer managing a LinkedIn company page or an employee building your personal brand. Remember, LinkedIn is a team sport. Success comes from collaboration.
Lesson 1 – Know Thy Customer
Knowing your customer is essential to succeeding in social selling. And by customer, I don’t just mean a “persona.” The biggest mistake I see B2B marketers make is focusing only on the buyer persona without considering the broader decision-making team.
When I worked in sales, I built relationships with people at all levels. This approach gave me deeper insights into the business and its real problems. On LinkedIn, this means connecting with more than just the head of purchasing.
Engage with people within your target business, as you never know who holds valuable information or influence.
Lesson 2 – Reframe Your Content Strategy
Too often, B2B marketers focus solely on lead generation, which can come across as cold and transactional. What will bring better results is aiming to generate conversation and community.
Lead generation is important, but it’s not the only goal.
Creating content that sparks conversations provides richer insights into your audience. It helps you understand your community’s pain points, language, and priorities.
When you generate meaningful conversations, the leads will follow naturally.
Lesson 3 – Perfectionism is Killing Your Engagement
Finally, marketers need to let go of perfectionism for the brand on LinkedIn. I’ve seen many Company Pages struggle because they are too focused on adhering to strict brand guidelines.
While consistency is important, LinkedIn is about humanising your brand. If your content feels too polished or templated, it will come off as an ad, and people will not engage.
Social selling thrives on authenticity. Sometimes, this means breaking away from rigid brand templates and allowing your team to be themselves. This human touch resonates with people on LinkedIn.
Bringing Sales and Marketing Together
The key to social selling success on LinkedIn is blending the strengths of both sales and marketing. The best results come when these two teams work together, learning from each other and aligning their efforts.
Marketers should get out there—speak to their sales team, listen to customer service calls, and visit clients. Use these insights to create content that sparks conversations, builds relationships, and leads to real business results.
B2B marketers, it’s time to embrace social selling on LinkedIn. Focus on understanding your customers, creating engaging content, and being authentic.
With these lessons in mind, you’ll be well on your way to better results on LinkedIn.
Follow B2B GROWTH CO – Get Your Business Active on LinkedIn™️ for Growth for more LinkedIn tips and strategies.
Cheers
Michelle J Raymond is the Founder of B2B Growth Co and has made her mark as the world’s leading authority on LinkedIn Company Pages, offering comprehensive strategies and training to brands eager to harness LinkedIn for business growth through thought leadership, content marketing or social selling techniques.
With 20+ years’ experience in B2B sales, and almost a decade of social selling on LinkedIn, Michelle stands out for her significant LinkedIn contributions as the co-author of two globally acclaimed books: “Business Gold,” the first book exclusively dedicated to LinkedIn Company Pages, and “The LinkedIn Branding Book,” and her insightful podcast Social Media for B2B Growth. Follow her YouTube channel @MichelleJRaymond for helpful how to’s.
