LinkedIn is a popular platform to connect with potential business leads. Especially today, with the premium tools that allow you to identify, segment and directly connect with specific people in almost every industry. But making a sale or building your network on LinkedIn is not as easy as sending a mass message out to thousands of contacts. To do it successfully, it’s crucial to understand how to build meaningful relationships, and not just offer irrelevant services. It’s vital to know you are talking to the right person about the right offering. But what’s even more important than ensuring what you’re offering is valuable, is ensuring that it’s meaningful to the person you’re connecting with.
That’s where the seventh level framework comes in. The Seventh Level Engagement Framework teaches you about seven distinct levels of engagement that can help you identify a path to a "sale," which we define at CatalystCreativ as a meaningful transaction between two human beings.
Create meaning and offer value to a person, and they will naturally want to purchase from you.
Every member of our team receives sales messages via contacts on LinkedIn. On one hand, it can be very helpful when it’s done well. On the other, it can drive you crazy when you’re getting 100 completely irrelevant or redundant offerings.
Here’s how to think about the pathway to a sale on LinkedIn, from the perspective of your potential customers.
If you don’t know what each level is, it may be helpful to refer to the definitions on this page as you walk through our examples below.
Level 1: Disengagement
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“Do not send me a message offering me something with spelling errors, the wrong name, or a completely irrelevant service - or I will be idle or avoiding your message”
Level 2: Unsystematic Engagement
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“Do not use jargon, clearly communicate what you mean (so an 8-year-old can understand it) and I’m not confused by your messaging”
Level 3: Frustrated Engagement
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“Do not add tons of links that distract me from what you are actually saying”
Level 4: Structure-Dependent Engagement
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“Make sure you have a clear concise ask that I can say yes to”
Level 5: Self-Regulated Interest
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“Make sure you are offering something that excites me”
Level 6: Critical Engagement
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“Share your own personal story and goals briefly to inspire me to think differently about my goals and life”
Level 7 (The Seventh Level): Literate Thinking
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“Make sure your personal values and beliefs align with mine/make sure you are providing something meaningful to me”
What are some tactics that you use to meaningfully connect with your LinkedIn contacts? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
Our team also offers private and group Seventh Level Workshops and Trainings to teach you how to increase authentic engagement with your customers and ultimately, increase sales. Click here to connect with us and learn more about scheduling a workshop.
What is the Seventh Level Engagement Framework?
At CatalystCreativ, we believe that engagement is the invisible force that guides our experiences and our decision making. Understanding and harnessing it allows you to build connections with human beings that drive belief and action -- whether you are in marketing, sales, human resources or just trying to improve interpersonal relationships.
Adapted from the renowned work of education researchers Bangert-Drowns and Pyke, the Seventh Level Engagement framework empowers every individual with a language to define, understand and improve engagement. Click here to learn more.
