I know what you are thinking, "What does math problems and sales have to do with each other?" How many times have you all heard the "Sales is a numbers game" cliche? 

By incorporating simple sales math, copier sales reps can integrate LinkedIn to invigorate their sales funnels. 

No need for a calculator to help solve my social business development math problems.

Allow me to ask a serious question to help set the stage. This may open up a "can of worms" with a vast majority of dealerships and their tenured copier sales reps.

How many net new business appointments versus current client appointments are your tenured sales reps going on per week?

Scoreboard says:

NET NEW: 0-2                                                               CURRENT CLIENT: 5-8

Allow LinkedIn to Help Solve The First Math Problem

 

 

A copier sales rep manages 125 current accounts. Copier rep has 500 plus LinkedIn connections. Upon further inspection the tenured rep is only connected to 50 current people inside all of their current accounts. 

If the tenured copier rep connects to 6 people inside their current accounts (decision maker & influencers) how many potential current clients can help them expand their net new business opportunities? Starting to visualize the potential impact?

125 current accounts x 6 people inside each account = 750

Hello there! These are 750 people who know, like and trust you my friends! 

How many lost business relationships has the tenured copier rep missed out on?

Allow me to share... 750 people - the 50 they are already connected to yields the tenured copier rep a net loss of 700 relationships they could have cultivated to help grow their sales funnel.

Hello there people, time to remove the sales blinders and start socially connecting with your current clients. Hands downs, the single best source you have to help grow your business. 

The right activity + enhancing the skill set + daily habits = Sales Success

Allow LinkedIn to Help Solve The Second Math Problem

Upon inspection, a tenured copier sales rep goes on 0-2 net new appointments per week along with 5-8 current client appointments per week but claims they have no time for anything else. 

Further inspection has them delivering toner to clients who have run out, grabbing meter reads for billing, handling billing issues with the accounting department and pleading with the service department as to why their clients service issue is the most important.

Stop the madness, stop the excuses! Get your priorities in alignment! It is time to grow your business, it's your responsibility!

In my last post, 3 Ways Copier Reps are Nailing Net-New Quotas Using LinkedIn I spoke to how successful copier reps communicate. Successful copier reps can increase their exposure by cultivating, teaching and tailoring to their audience by engaging on the LinkedIn platform. On a daily basis they share, comment and like other people's status updates; a 365 day a year 7 day a week social business development party.

Here is an extra credit, socially advanced addition equation:

Capture + Converse + Collaborate + Connect + Convert = Sales Revenue

Let's say the tenured sales rep gets engaged in 5 new conversations per week via LinkedIn. This is one social conversation daily.  There are 4 weeks in a month equating to 20 new conversations. Taking this over a year and this is 240 new conversations! Using a 10% conversion ratio to appointments and this means 24 new opportunities added to the sales funnel. 

Relationships to revenue my friends. Just imagine the impact to your sales funnel with 24 new sales opportunities being funneled into the sales cycle. 

The right activity + enhancing the skill set + daily habits = Sales Success

Allow LinkedIn to Help Solve The Third Math Problem

Follow me with this last one. This will blow your mind. This same tenured copier rep who handles 125 current accounts and connects to 6 people inside of their accounts has created 750 prospecting opportunities all around people who know, like and trust them.

Conservatively, let's say they isolate the key decision maker within 3 current accounts per week and mine their LinkedIn connections looking for 5 people they can be introduced to.

Taking this one step farther, the tenured copier rep sets up an account review where they can personally ask for the help. 

1 single current account contact x 3 = 3 current client connections to mine

3 connections x 5 new people per connection = 15 new introductions per week

15 new introductions per week x 4 weeks in a month = 60 new prospects

60 new prospects per month x 12 months = 720 new prospects to build a relationship with based on a common connection.

At a miniscule 5% conversion ratio this equates to 36 new sales opportunities added to your sales funnel.

Attention to all copier sales reps... By asking for introductions from people who know, like and trust you; what could you do with 36 new sales opportunities?

Copier sales reps must focus on their unique value and target prospects which will have the greatest impact on their business and their quota!  The answer lies right in front of them, their clients.

The best sales reps inside your dealership are your current clients. Start asking them to help grow your business.

Instead of playing the old school numbers game, identify where to focus your efforts to maximize your sales potential.  

"Change your focus, Change your results"

Actually, there’s a new numbers game, it is called the LinkedIn Sales Growth Game; the smarter you work, the more strategic you work, the harder you work, the more money you make!  Now this is a game I love to play! Let me introduce you to the ultimate sales game changer...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By integrating basic math skills along with leveraging their client base, tenured copier sales reps and managers can help solve their sales funnel dilemmas. 

In conclusion, I encourage you all too socially connect with your current accounts. Isn't this a fantastic way to stay top of mind and relevant? If not, I am sure your competition will!

If you enjoyed please share your comments. Look forward to connecting and starting a conversation.

Check out more at the Social Sales Academy blog site.

Please enjoy my other posts on LinkedIn Publisher and on SlideShare

I appreciate getting the opportunity to share my LinkedIn stories. Integrating the use of LinkedIn was my “game-changer” in the highly competitive copier world. With great pride I transform and coach copier sales professionals to grow net new business by helping them tell their story and communicate on LinkedIn. My commitment is to help independent office technology dealers thrive in a changing marketplace. You can follow me on LinkedIn, Twitter, as well as at the Social Sales Academy