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    What Every Sales Rep Needs To KN

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    Kush Shah
    The document discusses social selling approaches in three major European markets - the United Kingdom, France, and Italy - based on interviews with LinkedIn account managers in those regions. In the United Kingdom, developing trust takes time and it is important to be introduced by someone respected rather than cold calling. In France, personal networks and introductions are important and formal language should be used. In Italy, LinkedIn is still seen as more of a social network and unsolicited emails and cold calls are common, but relationships and introductions are also important.

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    What Every Sales Rep Needs To KN

    Uploaded by

    Kush Shah
    36 views3 pages
    The document discusses social selling approaches in three major European markets - the United Kingdom, France, and Italy - based on interviews with LinkedIn account managers in those regions. In the United Kingdom, developing trust takes time and it is important to be introduced by someone respected rather than cold calling. In France, personal networks and introductions are important and formal language should be used. In Italy, LinkedIn is still seen as more of a social network and unsolicited emails and cold calls are common, but relationships and introductions are also important.

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    What every sales rep. need to know

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    What Every Sales Rep Needs to Kn

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    The document discusses social selling approaches in three major European markets - the United Kingdom, France, and Italy - based on interviews with LinkedIn account managers in those regions. In the United Kingdom, developing trust takes time and it is important to be introduced by someone respected rather than cold calling. In France, personal networks and introductions are important and formal language should be used. In Italy, LinkedIn is still seen as more of a social network and unsolicited emails and cold calls are common, but relationships and introductions are also important.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    36 views3 pages

    What Every Sales Rep Needs To KN

    Uploaded by

    Kush Shah
    The document discusses social selling approaches in three major European markets - the United Kingdom, France, and Italy - based on interviews with LinkedIn account managers in those regions. In the United Kingdom, developing trust takes time and it is important to be introduced by someone respected rather than cold calling. In France, personal networks and introductions are important and formal language should be used. In Italy, LinkedIn is still seen as more of a social network and unsolicited emails and cold calls are common, but relationships and introductions are also important.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 3

    What Every Sales Rep Needs to Know about

    Social Selling in Europe


    Anita Windisman April 29, 2015
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    Let me start by saying that I am a Canadian, working for a U.S. company, living in London for the
    past year. After working with the sales teams with our largest global clients some based in the
    U.S. and others located in Europe I have come to realize that social selling on LinkedIn is
    somewhat different in Europe than it is in North America. These differences primarily relate to
    market readiness, cultural differences, and the general economic climate.
    If you are a sales rep in North America and need to prospect into the European market, there are a
    few things you should know about the nuances of social selling in various countries in order to be
    as effective as possible.

    Page 1 of 3

    29-04-2015

    First of all, why use LinkedIn? With over 330 million members globally, over 80 million of those
    members are now in Europe. In Q3 2014, 75% of new members from outside of the US. In other
    words, your European prospects are ready and waiting for you on our platform.
    To come up with these insights, I interviewed LinkedIn account managers and relationship
    managers working in these markets, since they know these regions best. What I gleaned from
    these discussions was a high-level overview of social selling approaches in the three European
    countries with the highest numbers of LinkedIn members: the U.K., France and Italy.

    The United Kingdom 17 + Million Members


    Any sales rep who does business with the Brits has to recognize the importance of developing
    trust with them and that will take some time. Unlike the more open and quick-to-make-friends
    culture found in the U.S., British people tend to be more guarded. A typical Brits inner circle of
    relationships starts with family, followed by close friends, then less close friends and
    acquaintances. Business relationships fall outside of that core group and are typically held at
    arms length. Sales reps arent necessarily trusted, and even when armed with the right statistics
    and details, they are treated with some skepticism.
    In the U.K. business world, there is structure and hierarchy. As such,one must respect the fact that
    its not necessarily appropriate to approach the most senior decision maker directly by by-passing
    subordinates who may still be helpful. Thats why cold calling is not necessarily a successful sales
    tactic. You need to be introduced to a prospect by someone they respect. Thats why the art of
    the introduction is so important.
    When you do reach out to a British businessperson for the first time, reference a neutral topic (like
    the weather) or something business-related, because leading with something personal is
    considered to be too intrusive. Also be mindful of the fact that there is a very strong old boys
    network in the U.K. especially for those who went to private schools. Leverage an alumni
    connection where you can.

    France 8+ Million Members


    Like the British, it will take time to develop a business relationship with French prospects..
    French employees dont necessarily connect with their bosses, especially not at the CEO level. As
    in the U.K., hierarchy is important there, so try to reach out to someone who is at the same level as
    you, or leverage someone in your network for a warm introduction. The French respect
    professional hierarchies, and the influence of a manager is very strong, so when you are told to
    prospect a little further down in the organization and the directive comes from someone higher up,
    you can still make progress.
    In France, the term mise en relation literally put in relation is the notion of the warm
    introduction. Personal networks are important in France, and so is how you work them. Much
    business is done via personal introduction.
    In terms of outreach, there is a big difference between written and spoken French. So when you do
    reach out to a prospect via an InMail, make sure to err on the side of caution by being more formal
    than casual. When engaging with someone at a more senior level, its imperative to use a more
    formal tone and language.

    Page 2 of 3

    29-04-2015

    Italy 7 + Million Members


    The Italian market still thinks of LinkedIn as a social network, which is why sales reps and
    business leaders arent always using it, nor is it necessarily used to find a job. Those who do view
    LinkedIn as a professional network, see it as a place to create a profile and nothing more. Its still
    seen as a nice-to-have and not a must-have for business.
    Unsolicited email and cold calling are still business norms in Italy, even though Italian business
    people generally understand that its not especially effective. Business there is hierarchical, and
    relationships are important both for business and to find a job. Therefore, its important to
    leverage your network to secure introductions or referrals from people trusted in your network.
    InMail can also be effective in the Italian market, depending on the content. It is considered
    appropriate to reference a personal connection or a business insight as long as both are relevant.
    Whatever the case, be sure to use the proper business language and tone.
    That covers my social selling tips for for the U.K., France and Italy. In my next post, Ill address
    social selling best practices in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany.

    Page 3 of 3

    29-04-2015

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