If you’re using LinkedIn as a prospecting tool then you are likely to face the question, how can I persuade people to say yes? Often, it’s getting a prospect to say yes to a phone call, scheduling an appointment or a referral to a someone else you want to do business with.
Before you can answer the question above, I think you should understand what it takes to earn the right to ask. This is called social selling vs. traditional selling. Social selling is a modern sales approach that gets better results in today’s digital sales landscape.
One of my favorite authors whose work aligns with my core values, is Robert Cialdini, Author of “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion”
Cialdini is known for his Six Principles of Persuasion because it gives us a roadmap of how to persuade people to say yes.
If you want to land more prospects, this will set you apart from those who haven’t earned the right to jump right to pitch their product or service.
LinkedIn marketing is a long-game and these 6 steps will actually get you there faster and with more authority.
- The first of Cialdini’s 6 Principles of Persuasion is reciprocity.
In the world of work it’s possible to use this principle of reciprocity by doing favors for others, helping people, publicly praising others and generally working in such a way as to build up a bank of social obligations owed to you.
TIP: Repost someone’s post with your comment, write an unsolicited recommendation or write a post highlighting a client or someone else. - The second of Cialdini’s 6 Principles of Persuasion is scarcity.
The less of something there is, the more people tend to want it. This holds true for experiences as well as for material products.
TIP: Only offer 2 days a week for scheduling calls or a quarterly special workshop limited to a small group. - The third of Cialdini’s 6 Principles of Persuasion is authority.
Individuals who are authoritative, credible and knowledgeable experts in their fields are more influential and persuasive than those who are not. This is where you build trust. People follow and do business with those they trust.
TIP: If you are on-brand and known for that ‘One’ thing, you become an authority. - The fourth of Cialdini’s 6 Principles of Persuasion is commitment and Consistency.
In the context of work, it may be possible to use this principle to influence and persuade others. To do this, you need to find small things to persuade people to do, then move on to larger things from there.
TIP: Invite connections to subscribe to your newsletter where you consistently offer your expertise. - The fifth of Cialdini’s 6 Principles of Persuasion is liking.
To use this principle in the world of work, you simply need to become liked by those around you and those you are looking to persuade or influence.
TIP: If you spam people messages on LinkedIn, they don’t respond because they don’t know you or like you! - The last of Cialdini’s 6 Principles of Persuasion is consensus, or social proof.
Humans are social by nature and generally feel that it’s important to conform to the norms of a social group. This means that when it comes to decision making, we often look around us to see what others are doing, before making our minds up.
TIP: Update your LinkedIn recommendations yearly demonstrating social proof.
Lastly, learning to ask better questions will be a skill that evolves into conversations which lead to opportunities.
- If you are commenting on a post, ask another question relating to the post topic.
If someone comments on your post, how can you give them even more value regarding the post’s topic? Send a link to a blog post? - If you want to understand more about XYZ DM me and I’ll be happy to send you more information.
Want to learn more about a LinkedIn marketing strategy? Leave a comment below or I invite you to email me your questions at [email protected]
I can help develop a marketing plan that turns conversations into opportunities!
