How to Nail LinkedIn Social Selling and Reach More Buyers with Mandy McEwen

In a recent episode of Mixology, our VP of Revenue, Heath Barnett, got the chance to chat with Mandy McEwen, Founder of Mod Girl Marketing, to dive into the exciting (and ever-changing) world of social selling. 

Mandy, a LinkedIn powerhouse, shared her expert insights on why social selling is no longer optional—it's a must—and how sales teams can step up their game in this new landscape. 

If you want to learn how to connect with buyers and stand out from the noise, this conversation is for you.

The evolution of sales: From cold calls to social relationships

Social selling isn’t a buzzword—it’s the reality of modern sales. As Mandy explained, “Cold calls, cold emails...everyone’s getting burnt out.” 

The traditional methods of outreach are no longer enough. Buyers are inundated with impersonal messages that feel more like spam than genuine engagement. 

The solution? 

LinkedIn selling, where sales professionals can build real relationships and offer personalized value.

As Mandy put it, “You can build real relationships and start meaningful conversations with people...and build your personal brand.” This shift is especially important in B2B selling, where the decision-making process often involves multiple stakeholders. 

Social selling allows sales teams to engage with prospects across various levels of an organization, humanizing the process in a way that is difficult to do with cold outreach.

Multi-channel approach: Evolving with buyer expectations

A key takeaway from Mandy & Heath’s insights is that no single channel is a silver bullet. “Social selling is not dead. Cold calling is not dead. It’s about evolving,” said Heath. 

Successful sales strategies rely on a multi-channel, multi-threaded approach. B2B social selling complements other methods, creating a balanced, human-centric strategy.

This is where a tool like Mixmax becomes invaluable. By leveraging Mixmax’s multi-channel sequences, sales teams can combine LinkedIn outreach with emails, phone calls, and SMS to create personalized journeys for each prospect. The flexibility to engage buyers on their preferred channels increases the chances of meaningful connections.

Today’s buyers expect more than ever. Mandy highlighted the shift post-COVID: “Buyers are tough these days. They expect more.” 

Generic outreach won’t cut it anymore. To succeed, you need hyper-personalized engagement and a deeper understanding of your prospects' challenges.

How to set up social-heavy multichannel sequences with Mixmax

LinkedIn selling: Building your personal brand

One of the most critical aspects of LinkedIn selling is building a personal brand. Mandy emphasized that every sales professional, from SDRs to AEs, should have an optimized LinkedIn profile. 

“Your LinkedIn profile needs to speak to your target audience...you have a personal brand, whether you like it or not,” she said.

For sales teams using Mixmax, integrating LinkedIn into a broader multi-channel sequence is key. With Mixmax, you can easily add LinkedIn stages—like sending a connection request or a DM—or create tasks to comment on a prospect’s post, directly into your workflow. 

This makes it seamless to blend social selling with other outreach efforts.

For sales teams to excel in social selling, they need to focus on presenting themselves as experts in their field. “You don’t have to be an influencer to have a personal brand on LinkedIn,” Mandy reassured. Whether you're engaging with potential leads or decision-makers, your profile should act as a mini-sales page that helps establish credibility and trust.

Quick tips for optimizing your LinkedIn profile:

• Focus on your headline: It should be compelling and highlight how you help your target audience.
• Engage with relevant content: Don’t just click “reshare” on company posts—add your own unique perspective to them.
• Leverage Sales Navigator: Use tools to build relationships, identify new prospects, and track engagement.

Actionable steps for b2b social selling

To implement a winning social selling strategy, Mandy shared some concrete steps sales teams should take:

1. Start with lower-level contacts: Instead of going straight for decision-makers, connect with lower-level contacts like managers or even individual contributors. This builds familiarity and increases your chances when you approach higher-ups.
2. Engage before you connect: Use what Mandy calls the “friendly leader method.” Engage with a prospect’s comments or posts before sending a connection request. This ensures they recognize you and makes them more likely to accept.
3. Leverage your existing network: Before reaching out to new prospects, look at who’s already in your company’s or your personal network. Use those mutual connections to warm up introductions.
4. Be patient with your outreach: Wait a few days after engaging with someone’s content before reaching out directly. When you do, reference your earlier interaction to make your message stand out.
5. Personalize your outreach: If you’ve spoken with lower-level contacts at a company, reference those conversations when you reach out to higher-ups. For example, “I spoke with your social media manager about challenges with TikTok trends, and I’d love to discuss how we can help.”
6. Use multiple channels: Don’t limit yourself to LinkedIn. Combine social outreach with phone, email, and other methods. “It’s about stacking the different channels to meet your buyers where they are,” said Heath.
7. Optimize your profile: Make sure your LinkedIn profile looks professional and speaks directly to your target audience. This is your chance to stand out in a crowded space.
8. Create meaningful content: Share your experiences, challenges, or industry trends—anything that offers value to your audience. You don’t need to post every day, but consistency is key. “Start small,” Mandy suggested. Even once a week makes a difference.

Relationship-building: The heart of b2b social selling

Social selling is more than just posting content on LinkedIn. It's about building genuine relationships with your prospects. 

Mandy introduced the “friendly leader method,” which focuses on engaging with prospects’ content before sending connection requests. “Start small. Build relationships,” she advised. 

By connecting with lower-level contacts in a company first, you can increase your chances of success when approaching decision-makers.

Heath chimed in on this approach, noting, “The first question a buyer wants to understand is, ‘Who are you, and why do I actually want to talk to you?’” By engaging with content and building rapport, you warm up the conversation, making it more likely that your outreach will stand out amidst the noise.

Actionable steps for teams to embrace social selling

For sales leaders looking to implement LinkedIn selling as part of their strategy, the shift starts from the top down. Mandy believes it’s critical for leadership to embrace this approach.

 “Leadership needs to believe in this. This is the future of selling, and it’s not going away anytime soon.”

Here’s a step-by-step approach for teams to get started with LinkedIn social selling:

1. Optimize profiles: Ensure every team member’s LinkedIn profile is set up for success.
2. Engage consistently: Allocate time for reps to engage with prospects’ content and post regularly.
3. Leverage your network: Use tools like Sales Navigator to maximize existing connections and uncover new opportunities.
4. Hold the team accountable: Track LinkedIn activity, like connection growth and engagement, as part of regular performance metrics.

Final thoughts: Social selling is here to stay

The days of relying solely on cold calls and emails are over. LinkedIn social selling is now a critical component of any successful go-to-market strategy. 

As Mandy put it, “You have to evolve or get left behind.” 

By building personal brands, engaging authentically on LinkedIn, and taking a multi-channel approach, sales teams can rise above the noise and connect with buyers in a meaningful way.