LinkedIn has basically revolutionized the online presence for business networking for professionals.  LinkedIn (History of LinkedIn – LinkedIn – Our Story) began in 2003 in a slightly cumbersome fashion in its onset but has emerged a well- constructed online aid for professionals in all lines of work who are networking, career hunting, or even looking to increase their knowledge of prospecting targets.  As of 2013, there were over 300 million LinkedIn users worldwide. If you are searching for the next position it could turn out to be almost indispensible.

Your LinkedIn Profile – Your Chance to Tell Your Story!

Today we will focus on your LinkedIn profile as an important portrait of you with all of your relevant information.  The most important aspect of this is that you have an opportunity to properly construct your profile.  This is fitting as this is your story and “you are the expert on yourself.”  No one can tell your story like you can!  If you are a sales professional, you need to exploit this online tool.

This profile underpins your online persona, so you need to really think over how you are going to construct it.

Do You Have an Existing Profile?

If you have an existing profile, you may want to refine it.  I have some quick tips that can help you.

Before you start revising your profile, you will note a button on the right hand side of the on the profile screen which will allow you to “broadcast” changes to your profile to those you are connected with.  I suggest that you toggle this switch to “NO” – “Do not publish an update to my network about my profile changes”. The reasoning here is that you are probably going to do these refinements and changes to your profile over the course of a couple or even a few sessions.  This will allow you to avoid sending numerous notifications to your network about things that many of them already know, and gives you a chance to complete and even modify your work without notifying friends of every change you make.  When you finish, if it is your preference, you can elect to have your profile changes made known to your contacts in real time.

Take time to review and modify your profile and keep it up to date.  Here is why:

• You are searchable- Potential employers can access your LinkedIn profile at any time.
• Electronic application – Many organizations allow you to apply for positions utilizing your LinkedIn profile.
• Added benefits – You can get the equivalent of a “short-link” code allowing you to send a link to your LinkedIn profile that you can embed on your electronic resume.

Don’t Have A LinkedIn Profile?

Whether you are an optimistic college senior or an accomplished professional you should consider taking this first step.

In my discussion above regarding refining an existing profile I suggested, “turning off” the update button.  I would suggest the same action when it comes to constructing your profile, as you may be building it over several sessions.  I don’t think that you necessarily want potential contacts and employer to see your profile in every phase of construction.

The ability to use this profile for job inquiries and increased visibility are big benefits.  I think of it as the job hunt tool of a lifetime! Before you begin your LinkedIn profile, you will want to do make sure that you have a copy of your resume handy as the profile simulates, and essentially turns into an electronic resume foyou.

Remember that your resume is something that you can share when you have an interest.  Your LinkedIn profile is viewable by LinkedIn users without permission.

With that in mind, you will want the profile to be cogently thought-out and without the “chaff” of insignificant short-term jobs.

Suggestion! – When you complete an actual application it is important that you detail all of your positions and the correct dates. If you do not have an actual application it is your responsibility to advise your hiring manager or HR person of the total sum of your positions by having a separate, all position inclusive, resume copy that details all positions you have worked.  This one is not used to garner prospective employer interest, but use this one to detail what you have been in your career.  This item is a necessity only when you actually need it.

The electronic view of you that your LinkedIn profile represents should generate interest by showing the scope of your experiences and the depth of your positions.  It should be concise and mistake free.

LinkedIn – Short link (Public Profile URL)

When using electronic mail (email) you have the ability to include a LinkedIn link to your profile.  If you are corresponding with potential employers regarding job opportunities, or networking with other professionals for whatever reason, you can include your electronic resume in the form of your profile by attaching this link.

At the profile page under the profile section is “Your Public Profile URL” which will allow you to edit, copy, and use this URL or “short link”.  In this section you also have the ability to create an HTML public profile badge that you can use in any HTML based web site, email, or other publication.
The use of a public profile URL is up to you, but it can be useful.

Remember These Points

You might want to give these profile suggestions some consideration:

If you currently have a profile refine it and keep it up to date.

• If you are newly constructing a profile, congratulations.  Do it well and realize it makes you searchable on the Internet by those who are LinkedIn as well.
• Avoid numerous updates being sent out as you refine or construct by turning off the automatic updates at least temporarily.
• Consider using the Public Profile URL as a way to send your information to others who are LinkedIn.

I will have more coming to you about maximizing your LinkedIn usage.  If you have any comments, please feel free to direct them to me at Michael.Parker@BlackSalesJournal.com.

Many years ago (not that I am sensitive about my age) when I was playing college basketball, I was exposed to a coach named Gene Smithson.  At that time he was the assistant coach at Illinois State University.  He then went on to coach Wichita State University.

His mantra was  “MTXE” or “Mental Toughness Extra Effort”.  What the heck was he trying to do with this term “MTXE?”  It was his effort to bring resolve and a take-no-prisoners attitude to his players at both schools.  It is amazing how something sticks with you, but this one stuck with me. Mental toughness is not just important in athletics, it is extremely important in sales.

You should recognize that attitude could make the difference between winning and losing, or even walking away from an  occupations.

A Definition of Mental Toughness

According to a qualitative study by three individuals from Australia, Jones, Hanton, and Connaughton (2002) entitled Discovering Mental Toughness: A Qualitative Study of Mental Toughness in Elite Athletes, mental toughness is:

“…having the natural or developed psychological edge that enables you to:  1.) Generally, cope better than your opponents with many demands (competition, training, lifestyle) that sports places on a performer; and 2.) Specifically, be more consistent and better than your opponents in remaining determined, focused, confident, and in control under pressure.”

They went on to publish what they identified as attributes of mental toughness.  I will include a few here:

• Self-belief
• An Unshakeable focus
• High Levels of Desire and Determination
• An Overall Consistency of Effort and Technique

There is no doubt that these translate to the sales arena as well.Meta

Mental Toughness in Sales

Whether it is B2B or B2P, there is much to break you down in the world of sales.  Competition is tough, pricing is difficult, and the economy affects how people and companies spend their money.  Now, throw into the mix that the 3Ps (Perceptions, Preference, and Perceptions) sometimes play a role.

Facing adversity and winning is what all good sales professionals seek.  As a matter of fact, many do it all of the time.  Those who have strong self-belief, unshakeable focus, and consistency of effort while maintaining professional technique and high levels of desire and determination are who we interpret as winners. Sales professionals who win consistently are usually examples of mental toughness.

When you are mentally tough, nothing stops you from doing your routine; nothing stops you from your 10 or 20 calls per day.  It is what you do, and if they all result in a “no” answer, you realize that there will be more yes answers tomorrow.

Mental toughness in sales is attainable, and when coupled with Extra Effort it creates a significance force.  When coupled with a good sales plan and solid preparation you have a star.

Extra Effort

What is Extra Effort is in the avocation of professional sales and how does this apply to you?  It is essentially doing over and above what is necessary so that success is assured, and doing it better than most other sales professionals.

In prospecting it is making the additional five prospecting calls per day, with the recognition that the next call could be the “pay dirt” that moves the day from the normal success of scoring on 1 for 10 calls to the very successful 2-3 appointments. There is no area that extra effort will have the more impact than the process of sourcing prospects.

In customer service, it is the extra effort of treating each customer as if they are the only customer.  Giving this level of customer service is more time consuming and requires consistent awareness and forethought.

In prospecting it is treating each relationship as your focal point.  This can be a game changer in the long run.  It builds confidence and relationships.  There is no doubt that it takes extra effort to make this happen.

In your sales career it is getting the credentials that will make you a product or industry expert, giving you some degree of preference over other professionals that populate your industry.

Are You Mentally Tough?

Mental toughness is exemplified by many of the attributes that were illustrated in the beginning of this post.   As we apply it to what you do everyday, if you do not have these attributes, you can get them.  There is nothing magical about these attributes, they are what happens when you are mentally prepared, and realistic.

If sales is an occupation for you, you probably are outgoing, and probably not fragile.  You have personality and you are willing to have some income at risk.  You can accept coaching and have an ability to form strong relationships.  You need to be able to accept the rejection and disappointment that comes with the turf.

Now you need to build your mental toughness.  If you can recognize that much of the ‘rejection’ that comes during the sales process is not personal.  It just may seem hard to believe this when it is happening to you.  Mental toughness will get you there.  Frankly, you know you are good at what you do, and you know that you, and your company, have something to offer.  Be undeterred and keep calling more and more potential customers.  They do not know you or your qualifications.  They are not aware of your ability to provide solutions and solid customer service.

Your toughness focuses on the fact that you will have many rejections during prospecting, and some customers will leave you because of pricing, economics, and other varied reasons.  If you are calling potential customers as frequently as you can, you will not feel the pain of a few calls going bad.  It is a numbers game as was discussed in Black Sales Journal 2/28, How Many Prospects Do You Really Need?

We will talk more about mental toughness and extra effort in a future post.  Realize that you probably have it but do not recognize it.  Be the professional!

We welcome your comments. Reach me at Michael.Parker@BlackSalesJournal.com.