Episode Summary

How do top SDRs succeed on LinkedIn? They don't sell.

Yes, you read that right.

Looking too salesy or going for an immediate pitch are two of the biggest mistakes you can make with social selling.

On this episode of B2B Power Hour, we talk to Mandy McEwen, the founder and CEO at Luminetics and Mod Girl Marketing. She helps SDRs, BDRs, AEs, and marketers around the world optimize their LinkedIn strategies.

Everything starts with your LinkedIn profile. You may know all of the best LinkedIn Sales Navigator tactics, but if your profile looks like a salesperson’s resume, you're not going to get out what you're putting in.

Treat your profile like a landing page focused on how you’ve helped buyers. What action do you want a buyer to take after visiting your profile? Visit your company website? Learn more? Check out a resource? Give them a clear call to action without pushing your solution too hard.

After perfecting your profile, it's time to start on the second most important thing: being an active LinkedIn member.

A highly underutilized but powerful strategy is to simply get into the comments section. Some of the best SDRs are crushing it just by making a name for themselves in small communities. If you start interacting with potential buyers in comment sections, sharing insights, or producing content they find valuable, they are much more likely to accept a future connection request.

From the makings of a perfect LinkedIn profile to what beginners can learn from top SDRs, this episode is full of actionable social selling tips.

Tune in to learn everything you need to do to optimize your LinkedIn sales process, from crafting the perfect profile headline to creating actionable content.

What she does: As the founder and CEO at Luminetics and Mod Girl Marketing, Mandy helps SDRs, BDRs, AEs, and marketers around the world optimize their LinkedIn strategies.

Key quote: "It's one of those quality over quantity things, right? So what do you want to do — make 1,000 cold calls and not get a single person to pick up? Or do you want to be really intentional about what you're doing on LinkedIn and get a couple of amazing opportunities because you slowed down?"  

Where to find her: LinkedIn

B2B Power Plays

Top takeaways from this week’s conversation

✖️Don't let your profile look salesy.

Your profile is the #1 most important thing. You don't want to look like an SDR or BDR, especially when 98% of salespeople on LinkedIn look like salespeople.

Here's how to optimize your LinkedIn profile:

  • Leave "SDR" out of your title. You don't need it.
  • Ensure your profile portrays the value you're bringing. What does your company do? Who do you help? How have you helped others in the past?
  • Fill out each section of your profile. It looks too salesy when you don't have anything besides your headline.
  • Think of your profile as a landing page. Make your "about" section your elevator pitch. Talk about what you've done in the past, some results you achieved, and add bullet points with customer data. Bonus points for weaving in a personal story!

⭐ Actively put out valuable content

The top SDRs actively post content and leave comments.

Plus, they aren't just sharing company content, they're making their own. You could make a two-minute demo video, host your own LinkedIn Live series, or collaborate with another top salesperson or executive in the industry.

❓Lead with a problem or question

When creating content, don't lead with your solutions, lead to your solutions. Put yourself in the prospect's shoes and come up with a clever way to portray how your solution can help them solve a frustrating problem.

Address common questions you get from prospects about your product and the biggest pain points they're facing to ensure whatever you put out is interesting and shareable.

Episode Highlights

Inflection points from the show

[1:28] Don't make this mistake: Don't try to pitch immediately; that's not how you win this game. Build relationships first and engage with people in a genuine way.

[3:29] The perfect profile: A perfect profile doesn't appear too salesy. Mandy breaks down exactly how every SDR can achieve this.

[7:37] Optimizing your headline: Your headline should balance letting people know what you do while adding some personality. You could use a full sentence or a string of keywords — whatever feels most authentic.

[15:23] Ask for feedback: If you're struggling to get people to respond to you, it could be your messaging or it could be your profile. Ask top sellers for their feedback and adjust your profile accordingly.

[17:59] Building genuine connections: If you want people to actually accept your invite, you have to engage with their content before you send a connection request.  

[26:04] Traits of a top SDR: Top SDRs are posting their own valuable content. Don't just reshare company posts — curate helpful videos and walkthroughs and collaborate with influential voices in your industry.

[31:27] Curating content: Start with a problem or solution when creating content. Instead of leading with your solution, lead buyers to your solution.

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