Olga Bondareva, the founder of ModumUp agency, recently addressed a closed event organized by an international club of businesses with a global expansion focus. The event drew a diverse group of service businesses, providing Olga with the opportunity to share her insights.

She highlighted key principles crucial for businesses venturing into new markets:

1️⃣ Get relatable: Narrow down your positioning and use the right terminology that resonates locally

2️⃣ Go local: Have a physical presence and truly understand the local landscape - people should be able to interact with you in person

3️⃣ Build trust: Make it low-risk to start working with you, with minimal losses if it doesn't work out (think flexible contracts they can exit, free trial periods, cheap intro rates, etc.)

4️⃣ Be aspirational: Share your expertise publicly and collaborate with big names even for free exposure. If you share valuable content and seem cutting-edge, people will gravitate toward you

Olga applies these principles in her own approach to entering the US market with her Social Selling and LinkedIn marketing agency.

We wish you great success entering new markets!

How can marketing and sales join forces using LinkedIn's tools and AI? At Social Selling Con 2024, Veronica Rivero, Account Executive at LinkedIn, will tell us all about it.

Veronica brings 15 years of global sales and marketing experience. Her career includes big names like NBC Universal, AOL/Verizon Media, NBA, and now she is part of the LinkedIn team. In parallel, Veronica is developing her business projects, serving as a career and life coach, and actively participating as a member of the Women in Sales Club.

At LinkedIn, Veronica helps clients boost their sales by using Sales Navigator as their go-to-market tool. She also taps into AI tools like Copilot and ChatGPT to empower sales and marketing pros. With technologies, Veronica helps businesses to find, target, and connect with the right contacts, driving big revenue growth.

Join Veronica’s presentation at 10 am - 10:30 am CDT

Have your questions ready and see you at Social Selling Con! https://www.linkedin.com/events/7208594375168184322/

What are the key components of Social Selling, and how can you approach them effectively?

At the upcoming Conference, Olga Bondareva, Founder of ModumUp Social Selling Agency, will unpack this topic with an in-depth presentation covering:

✅ How to position your personal brand on LinkedIn to attract the target audience
✅ What tools do you need to quickly find the right people on LinkedIn
✅ How to create content that generates high engagement
✅ How to increase the approval rate of connection requests
✅ How Initiate and maintain networking through personal messages
✅ How to convert contacts into leads for your services

Olga is the former Social Media Leader at Microsoft, a speaker, author of media publications on Social Selling, and the leader of a marketing agency. She and her team have successfully developed projects for Microsoft partners, AWS partners, Georgia State University, Logitech, NetApp, and many other companies. With her finger on the pulse of LinkedIn marketing trends, Olga tests every tool in practice to ensure top results.

Join us from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT on September 18th to watch the presentation in real time.

You can sign up for the Social Selling Con here: https://www.linkedin.com/events/7208594375168184322

At the core of every personal brand lies a unique personal story
 
One such story will be shared with us at Social Selling Con by Cynthia Barnes, а LinkedIn Top Voice, TEDx Speaker, and Host of the 'Unstoppable with Cynthia Barnes' podcast. Cynthia is also a coach and the creator of the signature program for women, "Own Your Awesome," which helps develop leadership skills and achieve successful sales by building strong self-belief. 

Cynthia will reveal how she became an influencer and what her personal brand means to her now. Join us from 9:30 to 10:00 AM CDT on September 18th to learn which specific approaches helped Cyntia build a loyal audience.

You can register for our free online Social Selling Con and view the full schedule here: https://lnkd.in/e53gh_ve

It was great to see so many of you at ModumUp’s 4th Social Selling Con 2024! 😊 This time, we gathered 2,295 B2B marketing and sales professionals and business founders from 79 countries across Europe, North America, and LATAM!

The conference was full of valuable discussions on personal branding, online networking, thought leadership, client outreach, and even neuroscience behind a personal brand. We discussed both practical and emotional aspects, including how content shapes perceptions or how to motivate employees to develop their social media profiles.

Thanks so much to all the speakers for sharing your expertise - your insights and actionable strategies were truly valuable!

We've recorded the entire conference! Here are the links to the keynotes and panel discussions:

Keynote by Olga Bondareva (ModumUp), "Social Selling for B2B: How It Works": https://youtu.be/3QXNkmqAG1I.

Keynote by Cynthia Barnes (LinkedIn Top Voice, TEDx Speaker), "My Influencer Journey": https://youtu.be/Idge8B-gF6c.

Keynote by Veronica Rivero (LinkedIn), "Bridging Marketing and Sales with LinkedIn and AI": https://youtu.be/aTcndBmu6yk.

Panel discussion "Personal Branding on Social Media" with David Joosten (Vodafone Business), Joe Morris (Capgemini), and Todd Swank (Oracle): https://youtu.be/1jRkNkbSCB0.

Panel discussion "Psychological Aspects of Personal Branding" with Sarah Mittal (Ipsos) and Marco Baldocchi (MBG): https://youtu.be/DZM3ASMspF0.

Here’s the link to all the recordings: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGc_Ath6mBNn8fcsuYpagwqa6zj4sHoXQ

Enjoy and share with your colleagues and friends! 😊

We're excited to share a case study on how ModumUp - Social Selling for B2B helped Membrace expand its network in Latin America through LinkedIn!
 
In just 4 months, we built a strong network in the personal profile of a company representative, increased content engagement, and helped to attract many leads and close the first deal.
 
Key achievements:
 
✅ We helped build a network of 1,170 new target contacts in the personal profile, working exclusively with top positions
✅ We changed the content approach and tripled audience engagement
✅ The client received 120 positive responses from target audience representatives, keeping the conversation going
✅ Membrace closed a large deal
 
We described the full journey here: https://lnkd.in/gU_8zkDt

What to post on your LinkedIn profile?

In a recent post, Olga Bondareva, the founder of ModumUp agency, shared insights on how we assist clients in managing their personal LinkedIn profiles. When developing a strategy, we evaluate which roles individuals should emphasize in their profiles, tailoring these recommendations based on each person’s unique circumstances and business objectives.

Here are the most common roles:

1️⃣ Entrepreneur/CEO/Top Manager/Department Head - This depends on the person's position in the company. We might break this role into different areas, like working with employees, clients, or business growth.

2️⃣ Expert or Visionary - For instance, in cloud technology, fintech, e-commerce, or other fields. Sometimes we split this role into business expert and technical expert to cover the topic from different angles (though LinkedIn audiences often respond better to the business side). We share experiences, case studies, trends, educational content, and more.

3️⃣ Personal Roles - This could be one general personal role or several specific ones, like a family person, extreme sports enthusiast, traveler, etc. LinkedIn is a professional network, so you can also post content that mixes personal and professional aspects, like work-life balance, business trips, or self-development and its impact on work/business.

Once we’ve identified these roles, we prioritize them. The more important a role is for achieving business goals, the more content will be dedicated to it. We measure this in percentages and number of posts.

In addition to roles, a person might have a mission or big idea they’re passionate about, like advocating for neurodiversity, AI and data-driven approach, or being a techno-optimist. This is optional, but having a unique angle helps you stand out in the feed. This could be something provocative, an interesting personal story, a visual style (specific photos, videos, emojis), or a unique way of engaging with your audience.

For content formats, our clients see the best engagement with:
- Storytelling
- Achievement announcements
- Posts about the team
- Case studies
- Trend research and reviews
- Posts from business events with photos

Overall, the key is to start, maintain regular content, and gradually tweak it based on what resonates best with your audience.

Happy posting and generating leads! 😊

How can B2B companies enter the global market using LinkedIn?

The key: there’s no single “global market.” Each region has its unique characteristics, and all these nuances play a major role when creating content and communicating with your target audiences on LinkedIn.

On November 20th, join Olga Bondareva, Founder of ModumUp Social Selling Agency, for a livestream where Olga will share ModumUp’s experience in helping companies expand into various markets through LinkedIn.

The session will cover:

✅ Why the idea of a single "global market" is a myth and how regional differences impact your go-to-market strategy
✅ How to identify and highlight your competitive advantages when entering local markets
✅ Real examples from B2B companies that have successfully entered new regions
✅ Specific insights into LinkedIn strategies for the US, LATAM, MENA, and Western Europe

You can register here: https://www.linkedin.com/events/howtoentertheglobalmarketvialin7252450943424765952/.

Join us on November 20th and invite your colleagues and friends!

Social Selling Index: The Real Value Behind Your Score

Our colleague and team expert, Ekaterina Altbregina, recently shared insights on LinkedIn about the Social Selling Index (SSI) and its real purpose for LinkedIn users. Here’s a quick rundown of her points:

When someone says, "My Social Selling Index is 80, what’s yours?" it’s tempting to ask, "What exactly does a high SSI give you?"

For many, it’s simply a number to compare. But there’s a more thoughtful approach to understanding SSI - it’s a useful indicator, but the value comes from understanding what each part measures.

It’s composed of four key factors:

✅ Establish your professional brand - Tailor your profile to match your audience. Aim for thought leadership by sharing insightful posts.

✅ Find the right people - Use LinkedIn’s search tools to identify and connect with promising leads.

✅ Engage with insights - Discover and share valuable updates to build connections.

✅ Build relationships - Grow your network by connecting with business decision-makers.

By understanding your score in each area, you can see what might be missing in your approach to LinkedIn for career or business development.

For instance, Ekaterina’s SSI is 70%, with her “Engage with insights” score being relatively low. This shows that her posts could benefit from more interactions and discussions, which LinkedIn values more than simple likes.


Additionally, her “Find the right people” score suggests she could expand her search methods, such as using LinkedIn groups, events, and LinkedIn Sales Navigator filters to find relevant connections.

Takeaways:

- A high SSI won’t necessarily lead to more leads.
- SSI is an indicator that highlights areas you can improve to make your Social Selling approach more strategic.

Activity ≠ Effectiveness
Quantity ≠ Quality

Wishing everyone success with their LinkedIn Social Selling efforts!

An SSI graphic from Steve Carroll’s presentation, Senior Account Executive at LinkedIn, was featured at our Social Selling Con 2023. You can watch it here.

The presentation explains the activities that contribute to each component of the Social Selling Index (SSI).

Check your own SSI here: www.linkedin.com/sales/ssi

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, November 20, at the livestream "How to Enter the Global Market via LinkedIn"!

Olga Bondareva, Founder of ModumUp, will share the agency's expertise in helping companies expand into various markets using LinkedIn.

Here’s what’s on the agenda:
- Why the idea of a single "global market" is a myth, and how regional differences impact your go-to-market strategy
- How to identify and highlight your competitive advantages when entering local markets
- Real examples of B2B companies that successfully entered new regions
- Specific insights into LinkedIn strategies for the US, LATAM, MENA, and Western Europe

Join us through this link: https://www.linkedin.com/events/howtoentertheglobalmarketvialin7252450943424765952/

Can Social Media Marketing for B2B Actually Bring Clients?

In a recent post, Olga Bondareva, founder of ModumUp, shared her insights on using social media for client engagement in B2B. Personal profiles remain central to B2B social media communication. At the same time, an integrated approach that includes both personal and company pages can drive real results

Here’s how it works:

⭐ Account-Based Marketing (ABM) Foundation
Social media marketing in B2B relies on an ABM approach, which treats each target company as a unique market, creating personalized activities for each. This targeted strategy is especially effective for engaging enterprise-level clients.

⭐ Personal Profiles as Primary Channels
Personal profiles are central to B2B social media. Building relationships through the personal profiles of founders, managers, and other key employees allows for trust-based connections.

⭐ Social Selling: A Comprehensive Process
For Social Selling, LinkedIn is ModumUp’s primary platform, proving effective across different markets. This approach involves several steps:

0️⃣ Goal Setting - Define clear goals and objectives for the project
1️⃣ Target Audience Identification - Use LinkedIn to find and connect with relevant prospects
2️⃣ Content Creation - Publish case studies, experiences, and personal stories regularly to engage the audience
3️⃣ Networking Interactions - Strengthen connections through comments, likes, and skill endorsements
4️⃣ Personal Messaging - Personalized messages are essential for moving conversations forward and arranging next steps

⭐ LinkedIn Live: Building Warm Interactions
LinkedIn Live enables businesses to host broadcasts and webinars directly on LinkedIn, fostering warm, interactive communication

⭐ LinkedIn Ads: Brand Awareness, Not Lead Generation
LinkedIn ads, while highly targeted, serve a unique role in B2B marketing. Within the ABM framework, ads support brand awareness rather than lead generation, keeping the brand visible to the target audience and enhancing the effectiveness of future personal outreach.

⭐ Measuring the Effectiveness of Social Media Marketing
In the ABM approach, Account Engagement is a key metric, indicating the level of interaction with target clients. Separate metrics are also essential for assessing the impact of Social Selling, LinkedIn livestreams, ads, and other tactics used in the strategy.

A systematic, intentional approach to social media marketing in B2B is essential to driving results.

Best of luck with your B2B social media marketing!

How to set up your LinkedIn profile for successful Social Selling

In a recent post, Olga Bondareva, founder of ModumUp, shared practical tips on how to set up a LinkedIn profile for successful Social Selling.

Here’s a summary of her advice, based on the agency’s extensive experience:

1️⃣ Goals and Positioning

Before setting up your profile, be clear about your goals. Your profile should clearly show who you are and how you can help your target audience. First impression matters - people quickly skim profiles to decide if they want to connect with you.

2️⃣ Profile Photo

Use a clear, high-quality photo that shows your face. Avoid closed-off poses (like crossed arms) or overly formal pictures. It’s important to look friendly and approachable. A bright background can help you stand out in the feed.

3️⃣ Background Photo

Since LinkedIn is a professional network, your background photo can feature your company’s banner, your services, your slogan, logo, or a brief piece of information. You can also use a neutral background photo that reflects your personality, interests, or hobbies through personal photos or images.

Make sure your profile photo and background photo complement each other - check how they look on both the desktop and mobile versions.

4️⃣ Headline

This is a key part of your profile. It quickly tells people who you are and what you do. Your headline needs to be concise and specific: Position + Company + Keywords/Achievements. Avoid vague terms; clearly state your role and what you offer.

5️⃣ Featured Section

This is a great but often overlooked area. Use it to showcase what you do by adding articles, videos, or posts that highlight your work or business. The idea is to make a statement in your headline and then back it up with materials in the Featured section.

6️⃣ About Section

Avoid writing this section like a resume. Instead, briefly introduce yourself and focus on how you can help potential clients or partners. Use storytelling or humor to make your profile engaging. End with your contact details.

7️⃣ Other Sections

While less critical, sections like Experience and Recommendations can still be useful. Include notable companies in your Experience section (if you have them) and aim to have a few recent recommendations from clients or partners.

Good luck with your LinkedIn profile!

Join us for a livestream on LinkedIn Trends for 2025!

The ModumUp team invites B2B professionals to explore personal branding on LinkedIn and discuss how you can stay ahead of the curve in 2025. 

Olga Bondareva, Founder of ModumUp, will share the latest trends in Social Selling and how they can help you connect with partners, clients, and potential employees on LinkedIn.

During this session, we’ll cover the following trends:

✔ Tackling spam, cold outreach, and bots: What lead generation strategies can B2B companies use to attract clients and partners effectively?
✔ Account-based marketing approach on social media
✔ The rise of video content
✔ The shift from corporations to individuals: How to leverage more humanized, personal B2B marketing
✔ AI integration in personal branding and B2B marketing
✔ Content transformation: Which content formats and strategies will be in demand in 2025?
And more!

Join us on January 29 at 10 am CT and feel free to invite your colleagues and friends!

You can sign up for the livestream here: https://www.linkedin.com/events/linkedintrends20257275608966347329536/theater/

What is Social Selling?

Social Selling is about developing personal social media profiles to achieve business goals.

1️⃣ Profile positioning:

- Define who you are and your business goals.
- Your profile should reflect both your professional and personal roles to build trust.

2️⃣ Content creation:

- Post regularly (1-3 times a week) to build engagement and trust.
- Share your experiences, tell stories, showcase your team, and post expert videos.

3️⃣ Growing your target audience:

- Connect not just with potential clients, but also with colleagues, partners, and event organizers.
- Use LinkedIn filters and LinkedIn Sales Navigator to find your target audience.

4️⃣ Networking and engagement:

- Comment, like posts, congratulate achievements, and endorse skills.
- Engagement is often more crucial than posting, as it can start important conversations.

5️⃣ Lead generation and follow-ups:

- Key lead generation methods include private messaging and exclusive content.
- LinkedIn Live events can also help collect emails, build trust, and attract an audience.
- Polls help qualify your audience and adapt further communication based on the results.

6️⃣ Analyzing results:

- Social Selling Index measures LinkedIn activity. Maintaining a high SSI helps with profile and post ranking, though it’s not a business metric.
- Business metrics: Connection Rate, Reply Rate, Conversion Rate, and other metrics.

➡️ Social Selling is a long-term, systematic effort. It means regularly engaging with your audience and creating high-quality content. It works well on many social media platforms, but LinkedIn is the most effective.