7 LinkedIn Tips for Sales Professionals

Sales professionals can use LinkedIn to increase their network, learn about prospects, do research for sales opportunities, and communicate with decision makers. Here are 7 tips for sales professionals to optimize LinkedIn:

  • If your profile isn’t complete, your potential connections might not trust who you are when you reach out to them. Flesh it out with relevant information that helps potential connections learn about you, and maybe even trust you too. Here is a list of ten overused buzzwords you should avoid in your profile.

 

  • Grow your network audaciously. If you want to use LinkedIn for sales purposes, it’s well advised to have a very large network. I’m not talking hundreds of first-degree contacts; I’m talking thousands, if not more.

 

  • Ask for introductions from your connections. When you do searches, make sure you don’t forget your first-degree contacts as you reach out to prospective contacts. As you do this, you’ll put your brand and messaging top-of-mind with your first-degree contacts. Make sure to foster individual relationships so you don’t just take-take-take in the affiliation. Remember: Relationships are two-way streets.

 

  • Join Groups where your audience is, or where their contacts are. Contribute to Group Discussions, but more importantly, browse through the members to look for contacts that you can convert. Send Group Members Inmail messages with clear, concise messaging—focus on the relationship, but let them know why you want to connect and how they can benefit from your relationship. The last thing you should do is send a template message like so:

LinkedIn invitation

 

 

  • Consider advertising on LinkedIn. Their new advertising features afford you with the ability to choose certain types of LinkedIn users. It’s comparatively expensive, but the ads go in front of a demographic that is supposedly above average in regard to income, professional status, and decision-making power.

 

  • Become a LinkedIn writer. All LinkedIn users with connections are able to publish articles on LinkedIn Pulse. If enough people read, share and like the articles, LinkedIn will give them wider distribution – just like the content its Influencers are publishing.

 

  • Make yourself searchable. Many sales professionals forget to share their profiles with major search engines and hide their profiles from internal searches. Wrong move if you are in sales. Be sure to also include your email and work number as well as ensure that whatever is visible online is up-to-date.

To be successful in sales, you need access to a powerful tool that will enable you to measure and maintain your sales pipeline management. You need a tool that will allow you to quickly calculate such things as Number of Leads, The Average Cost Per Conversion and Drop Off/Win Rate. That’s InfoFlo! Click here to learn more about InfoFlo CRM.

DiggThis

How Old Do You Look?

We came across How-Old.net on Twitter via the hashtag #HowOldRobot this morning. The site is an insult-triggering website that was recently built by Microsoft to guess people’s age and gender based on an uploaded image and is definitely begging for trouble.

Microsoft never thought that this website would be so popular as it is today. In fact, it was planning on having only 50 visitors to test it. Instead, the website has garnered interests of over 35,000 people and is one of the most trending topics on Twitter today. It appears that if you publish a game or an Internet parlor trick like this, there is no end to the information people will give out for free.

Pranksters and people with a sense of humour, who are in search of a lunch break distraction, have been uploading photos of themselves, their dolls, celebrities and other images to the platform to see how uproariously funny it is if the tool is out by a year or two.

The tool is not always accurate. In fact, it suggested that Pamela Wallin was 87 when she is actually 62. It was almost on the dot with Toronto Mayor John Tory who they suggested was 56 when he is 60. And as for President Barack Obama, well the Microsoft reader predicted that he was 58, when he’s only 54.

It’s an oddity, but it demonstrates how Microsoft is forward thinking about data, facial recognition, and all kinds of other out-of-this-world technologies. It’s a little taste of things to come in the future.

It’s coincidentally #FridayFunday on social media and on the World Wide Web. This is a great way to end off a long, tiresome week with a few laughs and awes.

I wonder if Microsoft will integrate this app with Windows 10 when it goes live in a few months.

Have a similar idea that you would like to market to your customers? Try InfoFlo CRM Software for free for 30 days.

DiggThis

Mobilegeddon: How Mobile Friendly Is Your Site?

This week, Google unveiled the Mobilegeddon update which is expected to change the way the search engine will recommend websites on smartphones and tablets. This shift is a;sp expected to sway millions of people and how they shop, eat and find information.

Websites that don’t fit the criteria will be deranked from Google’s search results, while those meeting the criteria will be more likely to appear at the first pages of Google- a goal that can translate into more conversions and sales.

Aaron Brindle, a spokesperson for Google, stated that they are making available a number of tools to help small businesses know if they’re mobile friendly or not, and how to make the switch. Brindle also stated that if a page with high quality content is not mobile friendly, it could still rank high if it strongly relates to the search query. You can find such tools on Google Webmaster Tools.

The statistics support the change. In a study done in 2014 by Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers called Internet Trends Report, the mobile market is growing exponentially and is over taking the number of desktop computers inside homes. Internet advertising has risen from $62 billion to $116 billion from 2008 to 2014. At least 30 per cent of Internet visits are from mobile phones. Industry experts also argue that by 2016 mobile phones will account for more than half of all Internet traffic.

The fear of being “dethroned” by the Mobilegeddon encouraged thousands of webmasters to take action and make their sites mobile accessible. Upon the unveiling of Mobilegeddon on Tuesday, Google reported an uptick of 4.7% of sites that are now mobile friendly compared to two months ago. I was a bit shocked to learn that the number was only 4.7%, but I guess Google’s index of web pages is pretty large. There is also probably a huge number of web pages that are not being maintained, but currently are in the process of being resolved.

InfoFlo, a leader in the CRM Software industry, has embraced the changes Google unveiled this week is in full compliance. In the Fall of 2014, it redesigned it’s website and ensured that it is accessible to mobile browsers and mobile audiences. To download a free trial of Customer Relationship Management software click here. If you would like to learn more information about Mobilegeddon, do not hesitate to contact us.

 

 

 

DiggThis

InfoFlo Ranked Among the Top 40 CRM Software Vendors of 2015

Business-Software.com just released its report of the Top 40 CRM Software Vendors of 2015. We are pleased to announce that our flagship product, InfoFlo, made the list.

Business-Software.com strives to be the most comprehensive and trusted online resource for buyers and vendors of business technology. The goal of its ranking reports is to simplify buyers’ research and help connect them with the correct software that suits their business needs. The independent research team is not related to any of the companies they rank and their advice is created based on countless hours of analyzing industry trends and market research.

This is the second time in  6 months that we’ve been recognized by a major online resource for our abilities as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software vendor. In September, 2014, G2Crowd nominated InfoFlo as one the top 13 Top Performers in the industry.

Our team of professionals are honored to receive this special recognition. We remain  committed to bringing you the best solutions available on the market. We’re always updating and improving our software with new features for the best functionality. We invite you to check our Upgrades page on a regular basis to see if any new features and upgrades apply to you.

Please click the following link to view the 2015 report: Top 40 CRM.

Interested in learn more about our central management system? We are currently offering interested parties a free, no-obligation 30-day trial. Fill out the form to receive download and installation instructions by email right away.

 

DiggThis

Facebook Reportedly Working On Website For Office Use

Facebook is coming out with an office version of its social media platform for employee-to-employee communication at work. The pilot project is still in the test stages of development and will not be out for another few months. By taking on this project, it is taking on entrenched rivals, such as Microsoft, Google, Skype and a number of other smaller companies aiming their sights at the ever-evolving landscape.

It’s referred to as “Facebook at Work,” and the look and feel will be just like the current social media website. The only differences are that it’s meant for communicating with colleagues and management and collaborating on office projects.

This would not be the first idea or change Facebook proposed or made this year.  In April of this year it officially launched Business Manager, a tool that lets marketers and agencies manage multiple campaigns via one interface. Just three weeks ago it also made changes to its privacy policy and shortened it by 75%.

Social Media scholars regard this as a wise move. Given that Facebook already has 1.35 billion users who access the social media network on a monthly basis, it’s well poised to bring it into an office environment as well. Facebook employees and their managers are already using the social network to collaborate internally, but nothing officially.

Facebook at Work

What does this mean for business professionals?

If Facebook can get companies to adopt their idea, it could open up new and exciting opportunities. For instance, it will allow employees to make their professional profiles “public,” which would turn Facebook into a professional social network that could compete against LinkedIn directly.

Facebook has declined to make a statement about this new development. The news was reported by Financial Times on November 16, 2014. Carmel Vision will update you as soon as more information becomes available.

 

DiggThis

How Safe Is Your Personal Information on Social Media?

Have you ever been approached on the street by some random stranger who knew your name along with some other personal information about you?

Stalker, right? If you geo-target your Twitter Tweets, Instagram pics, or public Facebook posts, that could very well happen to you.

Comedian Jack Vale decided to search through Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms for posts tagged near his location. He stalked the posters’ feeds, called them out in the street, and started conversations around the information that he had learned about them on social media.

Check out the video:

Cnet also reported that whenever you click a Facebook ‘like’ button, your preference is not just shared with your friends and followers, but data about your interests is sent back to Facebook’s servers – ready to be sold to third party advertisers. What’s more, personal data is exchanged when you use apps via Facebook. It has even been reported that signing up for these apps will give those companies who created the apps access to your personal data – even details you specifically told Facebook to keep a secret.

Rule of Thumb: Don’t share any private, confidential information on your social media channels. The less people know about your whereabouts and likings, the better.

DiggThis

Should You Trade in Your Old Phone for the New iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus?

If you are thinking of purchasing the new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, consider trading in your old iPhones or Android phones first. There are several options for trading in old devices that can significantly cut down on the cost of purchasing the most anticipated phone of 2014, and most of the trade-in options are very easy to obtain and good bargains.

Verizon, for example, is giving its customers a $200 trade-in gift card for their iPhone 4, 4s, 5, or 5c and a $300 gift card for their iPhone 5s. Consumers must be willing to purchase a new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus on a new Verizon Edge two year contract.

Retailers like Target and Best Buy are also offering trade-in opportunities for consumers and Apple enthusiasts. Best Buy currently offers $310 for a 32GB iPhone 5s in good working condition, while Target offers $247.50 for the same device.

Rogers Communications in Canada has launched their Trade-Up program as well and permits customers to bring in an old smartphone or tablet and get credit towards the purchase of the new iPhone. The program is powered by Clover Wireless, so Rogers is really receiving the device on behalf of another company; a third party. All you have to do is bring your old smartphone or tablet to your local participating Rogers store. The device must be able to power up and have a working touchscreen with no cracks. iPhone 6

About InfoFlo

Couple your new iPhone purchase with a new CRM software for your office team.

InfoFlo is a powerful small to mid-sized business CRM software. The CRM software offers more than 40 integrated features including automatic linking of all emails to contacts, document management, collaboration, social media integration, email marketing and much more. By providing users with 360 degree visibility into all activities linked to specific contacts and shared projects, users can easily improve the efficiency of their customer facing processes, while decreasing their software costs through InfoFlo’s revolutionary pricing model.

You’re just 30 Seconds away from your free 30 Day Trial of InfoFlo! Download your free trial here.

DiggThis

The Power of Bluetooth 4.0

Wireless technologies have been revolutionizing our domestic life since the invention of home radios. Since then every new kind of wireless technology and every new application has brought us more innovative changes to the home than their predecessor.

Television used to receive its signal wirelessly, which enabled it to be adopted in the 1950s at a speedy rate. As the use of cable TV became widespread, transforming a wireless signal into a non-wireless one, wireless remote controls added to the comfort and luxury.

Cordless phones also added convenience to the way we communicated over the phone. Wireless garage door openers and other special-purpose wireless devices enhanced our living standards subtly. You probably have a Wi-Fi network in your home and around the office, which you use to connect computers, laptops, smartphones and possibly your Smart TV to the Internet.

In addition, you probably heard of the wireless tool – Bluetooth. If you use a wireless headset to speak on the phone when driving, or a wireless keyboard or mouse with your laptop, you’re most likely using Bluetooth.

bluetooth-4

Now a brand new technology, nothing like what we’ve seen before, is changing the way we live, the way we work, and the we interact with each other. It’s the Bluetooth 4.0. It is also not something that you can buy in-store.

How will Bluetooth 4.0 be different from its predecessors? The real benefit of Bluetooth 4.0 is energy efficiency. Designed primarily for devices that collect information frequently, either as much as five times a second or just once every hour, the standard is optimized for long battery life. In fact, users may see longevity increase by 5 to 10 times depending on the purpose of your usage. Experts argue that traditional wireless mouse and keyboard using the new technology could last between five and seven years before needing a change in battery–likely outlasting the life of the product itself.

With performance like this,  Bluetooth 4.0 will be making a big impact in the personal fitness and health market. Already there are bushels of gadgets designed to track users’ daily activity, whether it is on a treadmill, hike, or in the office. The Fitbit Wireless Trainer, Nike’s new Fuelband , Motorola MOTACTV to name a few.

DiggThis

Apple & IBM Form Historic Partnership

IBM and Sun Microsystems in the 90s each avoided the idea of purchasing Apple, are now contemplating a partnership, according to reports in the Wall Street Journal and MacNews.com.

The idea of the two companies partnering is particularly interesting given their histories of partnerships and the acquisition plans both drew up on more than one occasion during Apple’s lowest points in the 1990s.

 

apple ibm

 

The Similarities

Like Steve Jobs once did with Apple, Sam Palmisano, former CEO of IBM, restructured IBM to eradicate its complexity to better match his skills and experiences. The result has been a company that may not have always been the best brand on market but often has the optimal profitability. In a world of too many generic offerings, both companies were able to differentiate themselves using their own secret formula.

As well, both companies are distinctively trying to fight the trend to focus almost exclusively on price competition and are hoping to increase value so that they can justify higher margins and enhance customer service.

Both companies have a long track record for customer and employee loyalty and are relatively unconventional in their ability to get buyers to publicly praise them and their products. While the Apple fan base is well known, what isn’t well known is how hard it is to get IT buyers to praise them for their service. At IBM, there are several businesses — such as Visa and HyGen Pharmaceuticals — that are consistently advocating for what IBM does.

 

The Differences

Apple is well-known for embedding their marketing initiatives deeply into the company’s vision and making choices based not on what engineers feel is the right thing to do but are based on what customers are hoping to buy. This marketing focus is not something that IBM has implemented just yet– although it should be — because many of its market-leading products aren’t of interest to their customers.

IBM, on the other hand, is known for quality, and in its market has to drive to achieve success. Apple has good quality, but it is generally differentiated by perception. Apple should bring its quality up to IBM’s levels to better match its image with the expectations of its buyers.

While we appreciate both companies’ need to keep future products secret, IBM appears to be more transparent when it comes to making people aware of problems and correcting them. Granted, this is a requirement of the segment that IBM occupies, but critics remain pessimistic that consumer electronics companies’ common method of stonewalling about problems puts consumers too much at risk.

It will be interesting to see how this partnership will play out in the near future. How will this effect each company’s customer service and sales records? Read more about the merger here.

DiggThis