v1.3.0 to v1.3.0

---

name: social-selling

description: >-

Build a LinkedIn social selling strategy — Sales Navigator, DM sequences,

content-to-conversation, profile optimization, and SSI scoring. Use when the

user wants to sell on LinkedIn, build a LinkedIn presence, use Sales Navigator,

or generate pipeline from social. Triggers on: "LinkedIn selling", "social

selling", "Sales Navigator", "LinkedIn outreach", "LinkedIn DMs", "profile

optimization", "SSI", "LinkedIn strategy", or any request about LinkedIn for sales.

license: MIT

compatibility: Claude Code, Jesse, Codex, Hermes, Windsurf, OpenCode, Gemini CLI, Copilot, Zed, VS Code, Goose

metadata:

version: "1.3.0"

author: LeadMagic

category: inbound

tags: [linkedin, social-selling, sales-navigator, outreach]

related_skills: [sales-navigator-prospecting, multi-channel-outreach, cold-email-strategy, founder-brand, linkedin-algorithm, linkedin-live-strategy]

frameworks:

- "LinkedIn SSI Methodology"

- "Morgan J. Ingram (AMP Social) — Sales Navigator filter-specific prospecting"

- "Richard van der Blom (Just Connecting) — LinkedIn Algorithm Insights Report"

- "Jessie Lizak (Reveting) — LinkedIn Live & livestream content engine"

- "HubSpot Academy — Inbound Methodology"

- "Marcus Sheridan — They Ask You Answer"

- "Randy Seidl (Sales Community) — Relationship selling, Three Plays, trust-building"

- "Varun Anand (Clay) — Community infiltration & creator flywheel"

- "Aneesh Lal (Wishly Group) — LinkedIn B2B creator partnerships & executive visibility"

---

# Social Selling

## Overview

LinkedIn isn't a broadcasting platform — it's a research and relationship

tool. The best social sellers use it to understand prospects before reaching

out, build context that makes outreach feel personal, and create a professional

presence that prospects check before responding.

This skill covers LinkedIn Sales Navigator workflows, DM sequencing, profile

optimization for trust-building, and the Social Selling Index (SSI) as a

measurement framework.

## When to Use

- "Set up my LinkedIn for sales"

- "Build a LinkedIn DM sequence"

- "How do I use Sales Navigator for prospecting?"

- "Optimize my LinkedIn profile for prospect trust"

- "What should I post on LinkedIn?"

- "Build a social selling routine"

## Authoritative Foundations

LinkedIn's own Social Selling Index (SSI) measures four dimensions: professional

brand, finding the right people, engaging with insights, and building relationships.

LinkedIn data shows that SSI leaders create 45% more opportunities and are 51%

more likely to hit quota.

**Morgan J. Ingram (AMP Social) — Sales Navigator prospecting.** For the

**tactical Sales Nav layer** (saved searches, filter-specific messages, insight +

question executive engagement, 15-minute daily alert workflow), load

`sales-navigator-prospecting` →

`skills/inbound/sales-navigator-prospecting/references/morgan-ingram-sales-navigator.md`.

This skill covers profile, SSI, and general DM sequencing; Ingram covers intent

filters and message-variant systems.

**Varun Anand (Clay) — Community infiltration.** Social selling extends beyond

LinkedIn DMs: join Slack, WhatsApp, and practitioner communities where buyers

already discuss problems (Modern Sales Pros, niche agency groups). Respond to

keyword-triggered threads with value-first help — not pitches. Clay's motion

seeded LinkedIn creator flywheels from agency owners posting workflows. Full

playbook → `customer-marketing` → `community-selling-varun.md`.

**Randy Seidl** (Sales Community) — for **enterprise** social selling, go beyond

SSI metrics to **relationship capital**. His **Three Plays** (self, company/product,

customer outcome) and **relationship map** discipline apply when LinkedIn builds

trust for $100K+ deals — not volume DMs. Load `sales-coaching` →

`skills/management-leadership/sales-coaching/references/randy-seidl-relationship-selling.md`. Pair with **Chris Walker**

(demand creation / dark social) for pre-meeting awareness.

**Aneesh Lal (Wishly Group) — B2B creator GTM.** When the motion is **paid

creator partnerships** (not rep DMs), load `references/aneesh-wishly-b2b-influencer.md`.

Key distinctions: ICP-aligned creator selection over vanity followers; Awareness →

Education → Conversion bundles; post-engagement nurture (commenters → SDR). Executive

visibility for founders overlaps `founder-brand` — creators accelerate **awareness**

lifecycle stage (`references/gtm-lifecycle-stages.md`). Measurement →

`references/b2b-influencer-measurement.md` (dark social + UTM limits).

## Prerequisites

- LinkedIn profile (personal, not company page)

- Sales Navigator subscription (strongly recommended for B2B outbound)

- Content strategy (at minimum: what topics you post about)

## Step-by-Step Process

### Phase 1: Profile Optimization

Your profile is your prospect's first stop after receiving your outreach.

It must build trust in under 10 seconds:

- **Headline**: Not your job title. Your value prop. "Helping [ICP] solve [problem]"

- **About**: Problem → Solution → Proof → CTA. Write in first person.

- **Featured**: Pin your best case study, article, or free tool

- **Activity**: 2-3 posts/week minimum. Prospects check this before responding

- **Recommendations**: 5+ from clients or colleagues. Social proof wins

### Phase 2: Sales Navigator Workflows

For filter stacks, saved-search alerts, and filter-specific message libraries,

load `sales-navigator-prospecting` (Morgan J. Ingram / AMP). Minimum high-intent

filters: Posted last 30 days, Following your company, Viewed your profile, tenure

< 1 year and 6–12 months.

1. **Lead search**: Filter by title, company size, industry, geography, and

recent activity (posted in last 30 days = active user = more likely to respond)

2. **Account research**: Before reaching out to anyone, check their LinkedIn

activity. What did they post about? What did they comment on? What articles

did they share? This is your personalization material.

3. **Saved leads**: Create lead lists by segment. Monitor for job changes,

new posts, and company updates.

### Phase 3: DM Sequencing

1. **Connection request** (no pitch): "Saw your post on [topic] — really

resonated with the point about [specific thing]. Would love to connect."

2. **After acceptance** — wait 2-3 days

3. **DM 1** — Value drop: share an insight, article, or observation. No ask.

4. **DM 2** — Soft CTA: "We help [similar companies] with [problem]. Worth a

quick exploration?"

5. **Voice note** (optional, high-intent only): 30-60 second personal message

Rules: No pitching in the first message. No links in connection requests.

No "I'd love to tell you about my company." Give before you ask.

### Phase 4: Content-to-Conversation

Posting isn't about going viral. It's about creating conversation starters

with your ICP. For reach mechanics — format rankings, dwell time, link

penalties, golden hour — load `linkedin-algorithm` (Richard van der Blom's

Algorithm Insights Report). For weekly **LinkedIn Live** as the content engine

(WinsDay / Reveting model) — load `linkedin-live-strategy` (Jessie Lizak).

Post about:

- Problems your ICP faces (not your product)

- Data and insights from your work

- Customer stories (anonymized, with permission)

- Industry observations that show you understand their world

When someone engages with your post, that's a warm opening for a DM.

## Output Format

Social selling playbook with profile optimization checklist, DM sequences

(3-5 touches), Sales Navigator saved-search templates, content calendar

(2-3 posts/week themes), and SSI tracking dashboard.

## Quality Check

- [ ] Profile optimized (headline, about, featured, activity)

- [ ] DM sequences written and tested (not pitch-first)

- [ ] Sales Navigator search templates configured

- [ ] SSI baseline score recorded

- [ ] Content calendar established

## Common Pitfalls

1. **Pitching in the first DM.** LinkedIn is a relationship platform. Pitching

before giving value gets you ignored or blocked.

2. **Empty profile.** A prospect receives your cold email, checks your LinkedIn,

and finds 12 connections and a blank about section. Trust destroyed.

3. **Posting company content only.** Prospects follow people, not companies.

Post your perspective, your insights, your experience.

4. **No Sales Navigator.** Free LinkedIn is a research tool. Sales Navigator

is a prospecting engine. The $99/month pays for itself in one meeting.

5. **Inconsistent activity.** Posting once a month looks like you're not

serious. 2-3 posts/week minimum to maintain visibility.

## Execution Artifacts

- `references/framework-notes.md` — Named frameworks and reference tables

- `references/aneesh-wishly-b2b-influencer.md` — B2B LinkedIn creator partnerships (Wishly / Aneesh Lal)

- `references/b2b-influencer-strategy.md` — Program design, ICP creator selection

- `references/b2b-influencer-measurement.md` — Dark social, influencer ROI, UTM limits

- `skills/growth/customer-marketing/templates/influencer-partnership-scorecard.md` — Creator evaluation

- `skills/management-leadership/sales-coaching/references/randy-seidl-relationship-selling.md` — Enterprise relationship map, Three Plays, trust scorecard (canonical)

## Related Skills

- **sales-navigator-prospecting**: Sales Nav filters, saved searches, filter-specific messages (Morgan Ingram)

- **multi-channel-outreach**: Coordinate LinkedIn with email and calls

- **linkedin-algorithm**: Organic reach mechanics (van der Blom report data)

- **linkedin-live-strategy**: Weekly LinkedIn Live shows and repurposing (Jessie Lizak / Reveting)

- **founder-brand**: For founders building personal brand on LinkedIn (Adam Robinson playbook)

- **cold-email-strategy**: The email side of the outreach motion

- **customer-marketing**: Community selling playbook (`community-selling-varun.md`)