CONVERSATION
STARTERS
Ideas for finding and converting strangers to extraordinary clients and partners
Conversations Starters is written and edited for B2B consultants and coaches who want to build more and better business relationships, achieve visible thought leadership roles and serve more of the clients you deserve.
There are no hacks or gaming of the system here.. If you want sound ideas and advice about how to look good, sound good and fill your sales pipeline, you’ve come to the right place. Welcome!
How to Effectively Use Hashtags on LinkedIn
LinkedIn wants you to start using hashtags. And, I think it’s about time. For platforms, like Twitter and Instagram, hashtags are an essential ingredient to the social posting recipe.
How To Get Better Results from your LinkedIn Groups
Jeff Simmons joins us to discuss the do’s and don’ts for salespeople and marketers who want to use LinkedIn Groups effectively. He’s a master when it comes to building sales funnels, and his B2B Sales Funnel Library is a valuable resource for any B2B marketer intent on generating leads.
What Bacon Sandwiches Have to Do with Social Media
I’m visiting a friend in Seattle, helping her recover from surgery – the 3rd since she broke five foot bones in what must have been a spectacularly inelegant leap from a boat to the dock.
9 Ways CEOs Can Use LinkedIn to Build Brand Awareness
9 steps CEOs (and Partners, marketers, subject matter experts and others) can take to expand and promote a brand. I’ve divide them into two groups.
B2B Sales and Marketing Highlights from the 2016 LinkedIn User Survey
Wayne was a skeptic before he became an outspoken proponent of LinkedIn and is passionate about helping business professionals use LinkedIn more effectively to build their businesses and personal brands.
Why You Need to Expand Your Networking Strategy Now
I recently witnessed two very different views on network building offered by high ranking partners in well-known accounting firms.
Are Sales and Marketing People Ruining LinkedIn?
Not too long ago, LinkedIn was a haven from spam. Messages came only from people you knew or who had taken the time to learn something about you. The times are changing — and the news is not good.
Why some people should not be part of your LinkedIn program
Individuals in the first group – those who are uncomfortable because it’s new – can often become LinkedIn power users with a little time and experience.
How to Use Social Media to Charge More for Your Services
I don’t think it’s much of a stretch to say that most professional services execs have noticed it’s easier to get premium rates for your services from some clients than others.
LinkedIn Plus Twitter: Supercharge Growth With This Power Duo
Building relationships with most everyone you meet is a sure-footed way to steadily build and earn business. The reason this works so well is because trust is the soul of sales.
LinkedIn Paralysis: The Hidden Heartache of Social Selling
No wonder close to 50% of salespeople aren’t achieving their quota objectives. 7 ways you set yourself up for success.
10 Ways to Generate Leads and Build Influence on LinkedIn
Without some of us even noticing, LinkedIn developed into a useful publishing platform and tool to generate leads for marketers and salespeople looking to build relationships with prospects.
How to Build – or Screw Up - Trust with the Help of LinkedIn
How simple marketing mistakes can erode trust
LinkedIn Profiles: 4 Things to Watch Out for When Building Yours
I rarely write about the more tactical aspects of LinkedIn, especially now that there are at least a gazillion other people writing about it, but there are a few “gotcha’s” in the LinkedIn profile wizard I don’t see covered elsewhere.
6 LinkedIn Myths that Make Me Groan
If everything LinkedIn itself and uncountable LinkedIn pundits wanted you to believe about using LinkedIn were true, my life would be so much easier.
Why Your LinkedIn Network Requires a Strategy
Have you ever really stopped to think about who you are – or should be – connected to on LinkedIn and why?
LinkedIn Squashes Group Postings from 3rd Party Apps – and What to Do About It
I won’t say I told you so, but apparently I’m not the only one annoyed by marketers misusing LinkedIn groups as a newsfeed for their blog articles and self-serving announcements.
The True Value of LinkedIn Company Pages
For our first three years of running lead generation programs for B2B companies on LinkedIn (we started in 2011), I advised clients - and anyone else who asked - to think of company pages as a defensive play.
Why B2B Companies Must Pay More Attention to LinkedIn
B2B sales and marketing is going social. No shock there. But there is an interesting conflict. Multiple studies (Forrester, ComScore, etc) have shown us IT buyers prefer LinkedIn 2X more than any other major social network when it comes to reading content
CMOs: Why You Should Be Leading the Charge on LinkedIn and How to Do It
With all manner of statistics and survey results pointing directly to LinkedIn as the hottest B2B marketing channel since the last one, you’d think CMOs would be taking advantage of it. At least I did. But a surprising number seem to be missing the boat.