The Learn-It-All Podcast 72: Unlock LinkedIn’s Secret to Trust-Based Sales | Brynne Tillman
What if there was a way to leverage LinkedIn for real connections that build trust and open doors – without feeling salesy?
In this episode of The Learn-It-All Podcast, Damon Lembi sits down with Brynne Tillman, a LinkedIn and social selling expert, to uncover strategies for transforming LinkedIn connections into meaningful business relationships. Brynne shares insights on moving beyond the superficial “connect and pitch” approach to social selling and reveals how to use LinkedIn as a tool for authentic engagement, value creation, and strategic growth. She covers how to earn the right to ask for a conversation, ways to add value from your very first interaction, and the power of content that resonates with your audience at the right moment in their journey.
This Episode Covers
- How to approach LinkedIn networking to foster genuine, trust-based relationships
- The role of “social proximity” in identifying high-value connections within your network
- Tips on curating LinkedIn content that resonates and influences potential buyers before they even recognize the need
- Effective ways to use permission-based outreach to boost your success rates
- How to harness AI tools like ChatGPT to stay authentic and streamline content creation
- Real-life examples of successful LinkedIn engagement from Brynne's experience with clients
- The importance of understanding the Ask/Offer ratio in social selling
- Practical tips for leveraging your network’s connections for referrals
- How to create content that resonates with your audience without being self-promotional
Episode Highlights:
(00:00) Introduction to Brynne Tillman – Damon introduces Brynne Tillman, LinkedIn expert and social selling trainer, and they dive into how LinkedIn has transformed the modern sales process.
(01:32) The Evolution of Social Selling – Brynne discusses how social selling has evolved over the years and how LinkedIn plays a pivotal role in relationship-building for sales professionals today.
(05:30) How to Leverage Social Proximity – Brynne explains the concept of “social proximity” and how you can use your connections' networks to get warm introductions and referrals.
(09:00) Avoiding the ‘Connect and Pitch’ Trap – Brynne shares why the classic "connect and pitch" method fails and how salespeople can avoid this mistake by building genuine relationships first.
(12:33) The Ask/Offer Ratio – Brynne introduces the Ask/Offer ratio and how mastering this balance is critical for building trust with prospects and creating value in your outreach.
(17:00) Creating Value-Driven Content – Brynne talks about the importance of creating content that resonates with your audience and how to position yourself as a thought leader without being overly self-promotional.
(21:30) How to Use LinkedIn for Referrals – Brynne gives practical advice on how to use LinkedIn’s features to generate referrals and how to approach these requests in an authentic, effective way.
(33:18) AI Tools for LinkedIn Content Creation – Brynne discusses how salespeople can use AI tools like ChatGPT to create LinkedIn content efficiently while maintaining their authentic voice.
About Brynne:
Brynne Tillman is a LinkedIn and social selling expert, CEO of Social Sales Link, and co-host of the “Making Sales Social” podcast. Author of The LinkedIn Sales Playbook—A Tactical Guide to Social Selling, she’s a recognized LinkedIn and AI-driven sales strategist who has guided sales teams and leaders for over a decade in building authentic client relationships through modern social selling. Her practical, insightful approach to social selling has made her a trusted advisor to businesses and leaders across industries.
Resources Referenced:
- Brynne Tillman’s LinkedIn Profile
- Social Sales Link Website
- Making Sales Social Podcast
- The LinkedIn Sales Playbook: A Tactical Guide to Social Selling by Brynne Tillman
- The Challenger Sale by Matt Dixon and Brent Adamson
- Gap Selling by Jim Keenan
- Jeb Blount’s Time Blocking Techniques
- David Newman
Podcast Contact Information:
Website: www.learnit.com
Email: podcast@learnit.com
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