Best of LinkedIn: Social Selling CW 43/ 44

00:00:00: brought to you by Thomas Allgaier and Frennus.

00:00:02: This edition highlights key LinkedIn posts on social selling in weeks forty three and forty four.

00:00:08: Frennus supports enterprises with enablement and insights, providing data driven sales intelligence, flexible support, team augmentation and data quality improvements.

00:00:17: So social engagement turns into measurable pipeline.

00:00:20: Welcome back to the deep dive.

00:00:24: So today we're really digging into something crucial.

00:00:26: What's actually working now in B to B social selling.

00:00:28: If you're in this space, you know.

00:00:30: Well, you know the game's changed.

00:00:32: A lot.

00:00:33: It really has.

00:00:33: The sheer volume out there means just broadcasting isn't cutting it anymore.

00:00:37: It's noisy.

00:00:38: Exactly.

00:00:39: Precision is key.

00:00:40: That's right.

00:00:40: And looking at the LinkedIn activity from calendar weeks, forty-three and forty-four, we're seeing this clear pivot.

00:00:46: People B to B pros, they're shifting away from just, you know, posting a lot towards engagement that's much more intentional, more human.

00:00:54: And focused on results we can measure, right?

00:00:56: Like actual pipeline.

00:00:57: Precisely.

00:00:57: So we've boiled down the key insights into three main themes for you today.

00:01:01: Okay, what do we got?

00:01:02: First, the foundation, that personal brand piece, it's non-negotiable now.

00:01:07: Second, we'll look at the tactical shifts moving towards real conversations, not just

00:01:12: text.

00:01:13: Okay.

00:01:13: And third,

00:01:14: the big one, the algorithm reality check.

00:01:17: What's happening with reach and what metrics should you really be tracking?

00:01:20: Got it.

00:01:21: Sounds like a much needed dive.

00:01:23: Let's get into it.

00:01:23: All right, theme one.

00:01:27: The personal brand.

00:01:29: we have to start here because like before any tactics you need this base.

00:01:33: Alison Fisher pointed out something.

00:01:34: sharp prospects judge you fast

00:01:36: Instantly.

00:01:38: Yeah, if they search for you and find well nothing professional or authentic You might lose the deal before you even you know send a connection request.

00:01:44: Mm-hmm It's basic business infrastructure now not just vanity

00:01:47: and it goes beyond just immediate sales doesn't it?

00:01:50: Oh,

00:01:50: absolutely You've all passed off.

00:01:52: really emphasize this for founders and leaders your brand visibility.

00:01:56: It's critical infrastructure for whole business, attracting talent, investors, and yeah, customers too.

00:02:03: So what kind of content works best for that?

00:02:05: Not the glossy stuff, apparently.

00:02:06: It's more about authentic in the trenches documentation,

00:02:11: just being genuinely

00:02:12: helpful, building that trust way before you even think about a sale.

00:02:16: That sounds, well, maybe a bit intimidating if you're just starting out.

00:02:20: It can be, yeah.

00:02:21: Which is why I liked Mary Sheehan's point.

00:02:23: She basically said, look.

00:02:25: Perfection is the enemy.

00:02:26: Don't wait for the perfect brand image.

00:02:28: Just start.

00:02:28: Just

00:02:29: start.

00:02:29: Yeah.

00:02:29: Focus on your unique viewpoint, your lens, and solve your audience's problems.

00:02:34: Not your own need for likes,

00:02:35: you know.

00:02:36: Right.

00:02:36: And that ties into this whole volume versus intention thing.

00:02:39: There was this really powerful case study from Swahki Katagaru.

00:02:43: Oh, yeah.

00:02:44: Yeah, one of their clients.

00:02:45: Get this.

00:02:46: Only about five hundred followers.

00:02:47: Okay.

00:02:48: Manage a four thousand nine hundred percent reach increase.

00:02:52: in one week.

00:02:52: Wait, four thousand nine hundred percent with just five hundred followers?

00:02:56: Yeah.

00:02:56: And they only posted, what, two or three times?

00:02:58: Exactly.

00:02:59: It sounds crazy, but the secret was, whoa, simple, really.

00:03:03: They engaged first.

00:03:04: They spent their time commenting, replying, talking to people in their niche before they posted their own stuff.

00:03:10: So when they did post, the algorithm kind of already saw them as relevant in those specific conversations.

00:03:16: Okay, so engagement before posting conditions the algorithm.

00:03:20: Yeah.

00:03:20: That's

00:03:22: That's huge.

00:03:22: It really is.

00:03:23: It proves connection beats frequency, posting with intention.

00:03:26: And

00:03:26: that reinforces the consistency piece too, which just Sarah Rove talked about.

00:03:30: She mentioned this paradox.

00:03:32: Right.

00:03:32: The idea that posting daily might initially lower individual post reach.

00:03:38: Yeah, because you're kind of competing with yourself.

00:03:40: Yeah.

00:03:40: But the long-term payoff is building that trust, that authority.

00:03:43: You stay top of mind.

00:03:45: Which is the real goal, isn't it?

00:03:46: Staying relevant over time.

00:03:48: Definitely.

00:03:48: And when you do post, The writing itself needs focus.

00:03:51: Bomeron had some good advice here.

00:03:53: About

00:03:53: cutting the fluff.

00:03:54: Exactly.

00:03:55: He said over explaining actually weakens your authority.

00:03:58: Clarity shows confidence.

00:04:00: Makes sense.

00:04:00: So for B to B, lead with the headline, cut the filler.

00:04:04: Use real examples, not just long essays trying to sound smart.

00:04:07: Yeah, keep it sharp, keep it relevant.

00:04:09: Okay, so if the brand is the foundation, the next layer is the active social selling part, the outreach.

00:04:16: Mark Kressman was clear, social selling isn't about Posting quotes.

00:04:20: Right.

00:04:20: It's about being human.

00:04:22: Yes.

00:04:22: Using the platform to build some familiarity before you ask for anything.

00:04:27: Patrick May put it really well, I thought.

00:04:29: He said, LinkedIn's main job in sales now, it's to warm up cold outreach.

00:04:33: Take it from freezing to lukewarm.

00:04:35: Pretty much.

00:04:36: Change the temperature of that first contact.

00:04:38: And this is where we see the difference between average sellers and the top folks based on the tactics they use.

00:04:44: Daniel Disney pointed out a major gap.

00:04:47: What's that?

00:04:47: He said, like, ninety-nine percent of salespeople.

00:04:51: Still stuck just sending basic text DMs.

00:04:53: Ah, yeah.

00:04:54: Endless text messages.

00:04:55: But

00:04:55: the top one percent.

00:04:56: The ones closing deals are using voice notes, video messages.

00:05:00: He

00:05:00: called it a game changer.

00:05:01: And it makes sense, right?

00:05:02: It does.

00:05:03: Why do you think it works so well?

00:05:05: Well, two things.

00:05:05: One, it just cuts through all the text noise we're all drowning in.

00:05:09: And two, a voice or a face.

00:05:11: It builds trust almost instantly.

00:05:13: It's much harder to ignore than text.

00:05:15: Plus, it shows more effort.

00:05:17: Filters out the low effort spam.

00:05:18: Exactly.

00:05:19: It signals you're serious.

00:05:21: And speaking of serious, smart sellers are also getting really focused on who they reach out to.

00:05:25: Prioritizing their time, you mean?

00:05:27: Yeah.

00:05:27: Both Daniel Disney and Morgan J. Ingram stress this.

00:05:31: Focus on the active people.

00:05:33: The ones viewing your profile, reacting, commenting.

00:05:36: The engagement signals.

00:05:37: Morgan J. Ingram even has a saved search for profile viewers.

00:05:41: Calls them people who are creeping.

00:05:43: That's brilliant.

00:05:44: But it makes sense.

00:05:45: Target the people already showing interest.

00:05:47: It speeds up the pipeline.

00:05:49: Okay, so that's targeting interested people.

00:05:51: What about generating interest without sending cold DMs?

00:05:55: Jasmine Ollich had a wild claim.

00:05:57: Oh, yeah.

00:05:57: What was that?

00:05:58: Said they never sent a single cold DM, but got thousands of warm DMs.

00:06:02: How?

00:06:03: By leaving.

00:06:04: Wait for it.

00:06:05: Over two hundred and fifty thousand comments and replies.

00:06:08: Whoa.

00:06:08: Two hundred and fifty thousand.

00:06:09: That's that's a lot of commenting.

00:06:11: Insane volume, right?

00:06:12: But the strategy.

00:06:14: What's the logic there?

00:06:16: Jasmine argues that commenting gives you more reach in relevant circles and builds authority faster than your own posts sometimes can.

00:06:23: You're jumping into existing high visibility conversations.

00:06:26: OK, I see.

00:06:26: Inserting yourself strategically.

00:06:28: And

00:06:28: Verena Bender added some detail on what makes a good comment.

00:06:31: It can't just be great post.

00:06:33: Right.

00:06:33: It needs substance.

00:06:34: Yeah,

00:06:34: she said.

00:06:35: Be concrete.

00:06:37: Think further than the original post.

00:06:39: Show personality.

00:06:40: Invite more dialogue.

00:06:41: And crucially, no self-promotion.

00:06:44: So it's about genuinely adding value to the conversation.

00:06:47: An underrated way to build relationships and visibility.

00:06:50: Definitely.

00:06:51: And this visibility shouldn't just be for founders or dedicated marketers.

00:06:55: Employee advocacy came up too.

00:06:56: Yvonne Bo-Tang's point.

00:06:57: Yeah.

00:06:58: People connect with people, not logos.

00:07:00: Companies need to empower their employees to share their own stories.

00:07:03: How do they do that effectively?

00:07:05: Well, she suggested simple things like asking employees, what made you proud after finishing that project?

00:07:10: Get those real stories out.

00:07:12: And leaders need to model it, share their own experiences, be a bit vulnerable.

00:07:15: Leading from the front, that makes sense.

00:07:17: It also helps with the pressure sales reps feel about creating content, right?

00:07:21: Totally.

00:07:22: Morgan J. Ingram had a great take on this.

00:07:24: He said, reps don't need to be influencers.

00:07:26: They need to be.

00:07:27: Curators.

00:07:28: Okay, so leverage existing content.

00:07:30: Exactly.

00:07:31: Find good industry stuff, add your perspective, maybe use AI to help summarize or find key points, and boom, your an expert voice without the grind of creating everything from scratch daily.

00:07:42: That's a much more manageable approach for busy reps.

00:07:45: Smart.

00:07:46: Okay, let's talk about the elephant in the room, the algorithm, and the anxiety around reach.

00:07:52: Yeah, it's a big topic right now.

00:07:53: Inga Marlin H shared some... pretty sobering numbers for weeks, forty three and forty four, organic reach and engagement down by up to forty seven percent since January.

00:08:02: Forty

00:08:03: seven percent.

00:08:04: Wow.

00:08:04: That's significant.

00:08:05: Yeah.

00:08:05: Mostly just platform saturation, but it feels like your effort isn't paying off like it used to, you know,

00:08:10: it does feel that way for many.

00:08:12: But Dennis Jedlicka offered a really important B to B counterpoint.

00:08:16: He basically said impressions, often the worst metric for success.

00:08:21: Really?

00:08:22: Worse than nothing.

00:08:23: Well,

00:08:23: his point was impact matters more.

00:08:25: He's seen posts with just eight hundred impressions generate five figure sales.

00:08:29: I like

00:08:30: how it changes

00:08:30: things.

00:08:30: Right.

00:08:31: The algorithm isn't punishing effort necessarily.

00:08:34: It's filtering harder for relevance.

00:08:37: It rewards quality over just noise.

00:08:40: If those eight hundred impressions are the right eight hundred people, that's a win.

00:08:44: That totally reframes the goal then.

00:08:46: It's not about mass views.

00:08:47: It's about relevant views.

00:08:48: Precisely.

00:08:49: So if impressions are out, what is the algorithm rewarding now?

00:08:52: What signals relevance?

00:08:54: Linda Alice noted it favors content with real depth.

00:08:57: specifically posts that get saved and forwarded.

00:09:00: And that save function is apparently huge.

00:09:03: Inga Marlin Age also reported that getting a post saved can boost its visibility by up to sixty percent.

00:09:08: Sixty

00:09:09: percent just from saves.

00:09:10: Yeah.

00:09:11: It tells the platform the content has utility, right?

00:09:13: Yeah.

00:09:13: Someone wants to come back to it.

00:09:15: It's not just a quick like.

00:09:16: Which explains why documents and articles are doing better lately.

00:09:18: They have that built in utility.

00:09:20: Exactly.

00:09:20: More depth, more reason to save.

00:09:22: Okay.

00:09:22: This focus on deeper engagement.

00:09:24: Yeah.

00:09:24: It brings us back to the social selling index, the SSI score.

00:09:28: Ah,

00:09:28: yes, the SSI debate.

00:09:29: It's back.

00:09:30: Angelus Prolekis and Alex Murphy mentioned it's resurfacing as this kind of secret score, and there is data supporting it.

00:09:38: Vito Vishnipolsky cited figures suggesting higher SSI correlates with more opportunities, hitting quota.

00:09:44: Yeah,

00:09:45: like, forty-five percent more opportunities, fifty-one percent more likely to hit quota.

00:09:49: Those numbers are pretty compelling.

00:09:51: It sounds like a strong predictor.

00:09:52: It does, but... Then you have the big counterarguments, Richard VanderBloom, who's a major voice here.

00:09:59: What's his take?

00:10:00: He basically called SSI a participation trophy.

00:10:04: Said it's completely disconnected from actual social selling success now.

00:10:07: Ouch, why does he think that?

00:10:08: He argues it's too easy to game with low value actions, like just spamming in-mails.

00:10:14: He even pointed out his own SSI score dropped.

00:10:17: But his business from LinkedIn is way up.

00:10:19: Okay, so we have data showing a correlation, but experts saying it's not causation and it's potentially meaningless now.

00:10:26: Exactly.

00:10:27: So for you listening, what's the takeaway?

00:10:29: How do you resolve this?

00:10:31: Well, I think Richard Vanderblom nailed the resolution.

00:10:34: It comes down to what you decide to track.

00:10:36: Forget the vanity scores.

00:10:37: Pretty much.

00:10:38: The SSI might correlate just because it measures activity and, yeah, active people tend to do better, but it doesn't necessarily measure effective activity.

00:10:45: So track business outcomes instead.

00:10:47: Exactly.

00:10:48: Focus on things like your DM'd meeting ratio, how many conversations turn into actual meetings, or pipeline velocity from LinkedIn, how quickly are deals sourced from LinkedIn moving through your pipeline?

00:11:00: Metrics that tied directly to revenue.

00:11:02: That's it.

00:11:02: Those are the true success metrics, not some score.

00:11:05: or the platform gives you.

00:11:07: Which makes perfect sense, especially if organic reach is tougher.

00:11:10: Every action needs to count and needs to be measured against real results.

00:11:14: Couldn't agree more.

00:11:15: Hashtag tag outro.

00:11:17: Okay, so wrapping up our deep dive into weeks.

00:11:19: forty-three and forty-four on social selling.

00:11:22: The big picture seems clear.

00:11:24: Success now really hinges on aligning three things.

00:11:28: An authentic, consistent personal brand.

00:11:31: That's your foundation.

00:11:32: Then, really intentional outreach, especially moving beyond just text to DMs, voice notes.

00:11:37: Getting more personal,

00:11:38: yeah.

00:11:39: And finally, a commitment to creating high utility content.

00:11:42: The kind people actually save and forward, not just glance at.

00:11:45: I think the core lesson, especially with reach declining almost fifty percent, according to some reports, is you have to shift, move from worrying about content quantity to focusing intensely on relationship quality.

00:11:56: Quality over quantity.

00:11:57: Absolutely.

00:11:57: So, the final thought for you listening this fortnight is this.

00:12:01: What's one strategic process you can systematize starting this week to make sure you're consistent?

00:12:05: How do you avoid that burnout cycle of posting like crazy and then just disappearing?

00:12:09: That's a great question to ponder.

00:12:12: If you enjoyed this deep

00:12:13: dive,

00:12:13: new additions drop every two weeks.

00:12:16: Also, check out our other additions on account-based marketing, field marketing, channel marketing, MarTech, GoToMarket,

00:12:21: and AI

00:12:22: in B to B marketing.

00:12:24: Thanks so much for joining us for this essential update on social selling.

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