The Marketing Umbrella Podcast

103: Prequalify Your Leads in DMs with Chelsea Olsen

Jan 17, 2025

40:16

Struggling to Connect with Modern Buyers? Here’s How to Close More Deals

In this episode of The Marketing Umbrella Podcast, Chelsea Olsen, sales expert and founder of Clohz, shares how modern sales techniques can help you connect with today’s buyers more effectively. With over 20 years of experience—15 of those mastering B2B sales on LinkedIn—Chelsea reveals strategies for building trust, standing out, and closing deals in the digital age.

Through the Clohz community, Chelsea is helping sales professionals navigate social selling in a way that aligns with how modern buyers think and make decisions. Since most buyers are already 70% through their decision-making process before ever speaking with a seller, her approach focuses on creating strong LinkedIn profiles, delivering clear messaging, and fostering relationships that resonate with potential clients.

Chelsea breaks down practical strategies for using LinkedIn beyond simple networking—turning it into a high-impact tool for building pipelines and maintaining client relationships. From optimizing your profile to crafting engaging content, her methods prioritize authentic engagement over automated outreach. Whether you're struggling with lead qualification or looking to strengthen your personal brand, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you succeed in modern sales.

Here are the key takeaways from the conversation:

Buyers vet salespeople before booking calls, consuming 13 pieces of content on average before engaging.
Sales reps must optimize their LinkedIn presence to convert passive viewers into prospects.
The Three Pillars of Selling on LinkedIn

Clear Messaging – Explain what you do in simple terms (5th-grade level).
Right Targeting – Identify your ideal customer profile (ICP) by analyzing current clients.
Effective Outreach – LinkedIn is just a distribution channel—use direct messages, content, email, and calls together for maximum impact.

Don’t “pitch slap” or immediately ask for a meeting. Instead, start a conversation.
Pre-qualify leads via direct messages instead of jumping straight to calls.
Slow & organic growth is better. Prioritize genuine engagement over vanity metrics.
Clearly explain what you do. Stop using jargon or vague marketing. “It’s not a riddle.”

As a closing thought, "Embrace the power of genuine interactions, and let your professional persona reflect the true essence of who you are. Success lies in being real, not automated."

Listen to the full conversation here: