Here's how you can stay updated and enhance your skills in social selling as a freelance consultant.

To stay ahead in social selling, commit to learning every day. Follow industry leaders on social media, subscribe to relevant podcasts, and read the latest articles on sales and marketing techniques. This constant flow of information will inspire new ideas and empower you to adapt to the ever-evolving demands of the digital marketplace.

Staying updated and enhancing your skills in any industry really requires daily learning. Dedicate time each day to read industry news, attend webinars, and follow thought leaders. Engage in online courses and certifications to keep your skills sharp. Practice new techniques and analyze their effectiveness. I find Youtube an invaluable and inexpensive tool that I can always depend on. By committing to continuous learning, you stay ahead of trends, refine your strategy, and deliver exceptional value to your clients.

Keeping abreast of latest trends, tools and techniques is all very well but will lead to overwhelm, imposter syndrome and minimal revenue. Regularly niching down to become and stay a specialist in a sub-niche is the way forward. Being the Go-To, especially if you have a methodology that produces results, is a much stronger business model than being me-too.

It's not just about the content you put out but the quality of conversations you're having behind the scenes and the relationships you're building OFF the platform. That all starts with engaging. And that doesn't mean it has to be in the DM's - it can be comments on other people posts. Start conversations there! And then take it off the platform!

The idea behind engagement is more so thought leadership. If you can engage with your audience and show your expertise, you build your presence as a thought leader. No need to try to sell yourself or your product but focus on being the person with knowledge. This way when consumers think of a particular service or product that they need your name is the first that comes to mind. It’s a human behavior to want to interact with others that are happy. Show your audience not only are you knowledgeable but that you enjoy the line of work you are in. AND to take that a step further show your audience you enjoy helping others.

Pay attention to key metrics related to your social selling efforts. Every LinkedIn post or article has metrics but I believe that the number of comments is the most critical measurement for content. When you get comments, it means you are creating great new conversations. The other metric for social sellers is the LinkedIn SSI score (Social Selling Index) which compares you to others in your industry. SSI uses a 100-point graph with four 25-point elements. These include personal branding, engaging with insights, finding the right people and building the right relationships. It is NOT the perfect scorecard but at the moment it's the one that is available. You can use it to try to improve your presence and social selling expertise.

Today's buyers are not readily engaging without a referral; common connection; or personalized approach. It is MUCH tougher than several years ago. The good news is that now you can leverage information online to become more personal. Show interest in your prospects with this information and that will make a huge difference.

Knowledge is nice. Results speak volumes. So - rapidly innovate, experiment, apply, implement, test and measure. Clients buy results. Are you confident you can deliver?

A common misunderstanding of social selling is the "post and pray" approach, hoping leads will come. Social selling is about distributing content that engages the reader with a clear purpose. If the content engages the reader, that's not the end of the work. Engaging content provides an opportunity to start meaningful conversations, first in the online space and then in the real world. This does not happen by itself. Our job is to encourage real conversations. A comment is not a real dialogue; it is rather a signal : "We should talk."

Social Media platforms love User Generated Content - and suck us in. Social Selling needs far more focused and intentional messaging. Create content that helps buyers buy. Content that helps them to be: 1. Problem Aware - engage with their pain, twist the knife, make it a burning platform. 2. Options Aware - be a 'Trusted Advisor' with a quick summary of options, pros & cons etc. But set the agenda in favour of your solution. 3. Aware of Your Approach/Creds - set up the Discovery Call with self-qualified prospects. Then invite people in your target audience to read the content pieces. It's all about the Buyer Journey.