In my previous blog, I wrote about obtaining LinkedIn referrals. In the digital age of selling, LinkedIn referrals are like gold. But in order to find the gold, you need to know where (and how) to look. That’s where this blog comes in.
Social debt is one of the most powerful tools to obtaining new referrals. In this blog, I will cover 5 different ways that you can create social debt. Follow these tips and you’ll be swimming in referrals for 2014.
LinkedIn referrals are also dependent on a few more things. First, you need to have a strong LinkedIn Profile. Secondly, you need to spend time on your network to create extensive LinkedIn Reach. The two articles I wrote on these subjects (linked earlier in this paragraph) can help get you there.
The 5 Most Effective Ways to Create Social Debt
1) Provide a warm introduction to a dream prospect. Everyone you know is working towards a professional goal. This goal may be a revenue quota, or something else entirely. In the majority of these cases, these people have dream prospects. There’s someone out there who they would love to sell to. In some cases they may have been trying to secure a meeting for years. Can you connect them to this prospect? If so, you’re looking golden for referrals down the line.
2) Help with a professional job search. Individuals in your accounts are naturally going to move around. Just like you, they are seeking the next career opportunity. They want to experience upward mobility and professional success. If you help get them closer to their dream job, you’ve successfully created social debt. Scour your connections and see how you can help. It could pay off for both parties in the long run.
Succeed with the Social Debt Tracker
SBI’s 7th Annual Research Tour is underway. One core area of focus is social selling. This article is exploring one more way to get your sales team engaged in social selling. To learn more, sign up for the on-site session for your leadership team.
How to Make Your Number in 2014: A Sales Strategy you can execute.
You will also be able to download the Social Debt Tracker. This tracker will help you take stock of the social debt you currently have. You will export your tagged connections from LinkedIn by Persona. After this, the Tracker will help you understand the debt you have with each Persona. This will indicate where you’re succeeding and where opportunities are still available.
Evolve with the industry to make your number. Now back to creating social debt…
3) Introduce a qualified candidate for an open position. Any good manager will tell you that they’re only as good as their team. But rarely will they tell you that their team is flawless. They’re often seeking to fill an open position, or replace a weak link. You’re likely connected to a few executives on LinkedIn. Do you know of anyone who could contribute on their team? If you can fill a need for them, they’ll do their best to fill one for you. Social debt and referrals are on the horizon.
4) Generate professional visibility. As I just mentioned, everyone is looking to take another professional step. They’re working hard and probably achieving great things. However, these achievements might not always be noticed. In that case, their great accomplishments is not garnering the proper attention. What can you do for them? Can they speak on your next webinar? Can you feature them in a blog post? Anything along these lines will create social debt.
5) Connect somebody to a professional peer. C-Level positions can often be very challenging and lonely endeavors. Since there are very few (often just 1) of these positions per company, C-Level execs have no one to discuss difficulties with. Do you know another C-Level exec who is having similar difficulties? If so, you could connect them. All of a sudden, both C-Level execs are indebted to you. You’ve swooped up two new referral sources in one stroke.
Social debt is really about helping others to succeed. If you help them, they are likely to help you. Staying dedicated to these methods of creating social debt will pay off. Concentrating on social debt now paves the way for a strong, successful 2014.
Download the Social Debt Tracker today to get started. It’s never too early (or too late) to find new ways to make your number!
