Welcome to the third instalment of our SMWW23 Conference Series where Ruby shares key insights from Judi Fox‘s talk, ‘Creating a Winning LinkedIn Sales Funnel’.

In case you missed it, here is Part 1 and 2.

Social media platforms like LinkedIn can create robust content and sales funnel for business growth – probably doing a better job at it than a conventional website!

LinkedIn is a unique platform that operates differently from TikTok and Instagram. This is not where you’ll go viral overnight. Here, focus on making your content more discoverable and searchable with the right strategy, hashtags and keywords.

Carousels for Enhanced Engagement

Start by creating compelling content that encourages engagement. Your content should be informative, engaging and visually appealing. 

Think of carousels as a stretch-out version of your written word. Break down a complex topic into smaller, digestible chunks. This can help your audience to grasp your content more easily, especially when it deals with hard numbers or long processes. 

Just as a good story has a beginning, middle and end, narrate your message slide by slide to introduce a problem or curiosity, and close with a resolution. 

One Branded Hashtag to Rule Them All 

A well-thought branded company hashtag can get you more visibility within a niche community. Think of it as your signature unique to your business and offerings.

Why? Because: 

• You’re creating a conversation around your brand. This signals to the algorithm that your content is worth promoting to those who share an interest.
• Those who use the hashtag will bring more eyeballs to their posts.

One neat trick to start with, as recommended by Judi Fox, is to go through old posts and adding in your branded hashtag. This way, you’re not starting from scratch (which can be intimidating!).

CTAs: Your Traffic Controller

Imagine your Call-to-Action (CTA) as your traffic controller. They help to leave the guesswork and provide clear instructions to your content. For example, you can prompt your audience by tagging yourself in posts. 

Use CTAs to request your followers to “ring the notification auto-bell” and receive alerts whenever your company post anything new. This keeps them informed and engaged as they won’t miss any updates, further solidifying your connection with them.

The Cross-Pollination Effect

Interact with your audience by responding to comments. Each time someone comments on your post, it appears in their connections’ feeds. This creates a “cross-pollination” effect like an endorsement from the commenter, as they are essentially recommending your content to their network.

LinkedIn favors content with high engagement to encourage audiences to spend more time on the platform. To make the most of this effect, aim to interact with at least 15 comments within 3 days.

After the 3-day period, continue to respond as the comments come in. Don’t let the conversation die down by keeping it coming with momentum and visibility. 

Build your Community with Newsletters

Newsletters was first introduced on LinkedIn to individual profiles within creator mode. Today, companies can also leverage this tool to establish themselves as a thought leader in their respective sector. 

Visibility is key. Place newsletters at the top of your company or personal profile, a prime real estate that ensures your newsletters are one of the first things visitors see when they land on your page. You are also making it easy for first-time viewers who may be unfamiliar with your brand or what you have to offer. 

Judi Fox recommends giving your audience a choice between two of your strongest featured pieces of content. Not all visitors have the same needs or interests, so providing options ensures that you’re addressing a broader spectrum of your audience.

LinkedIn is more than just a social network. It’s a versatile tool with the capacity to unlock surprising new opportunities for business expansion. So, why limit your focus solely to a website when you can harness the dynamic potential of LinkedIn to boost your brand and sales? By authentically engaging on the platform with a killer strategy, you can tap into its vast network and turn connections into leads, and leads into sales.