Dmytro Suslov of Addlium Reveals Secrets of Social Selling for B2B

Who Is Dmytro Suslov

Dmytro Suslov is a B2B marketing and sales expert known for developing online business images and effective strategies. As the founder of Addlium, he specializes in social selling processes, C-Level personal brand packaging, B2B lead generation, and impactful LinkedIn content production. 

Social selling has become a game-changer in today's business landscape, offering B2B sales a "potent strategy" to generate leads and drive success.  

By harnessing the power of social media platforms, businesses can cultivate relationships, establish thought leadership, and engage with prospects on a personalized level. 

Dmytro Suslov, the founder of Addlium, a marketing agency for B2B companies, shares insights into social selling success, finding qualified leads, effective communication, and Addlium's remarkable journey. The founder also delves into the common mistakes companies make on LinkedIn, adapting to challenges, and the future of social selling. 

Spotlight: Social selling strategy is often used for B2B purposes. What do you think makes this a successful approach for businesses? 

Dmytro: Social selling can be a successful approach for B2B sales because it allows C-level executives and sales professionals to build relationships, increase visibility, provide valuable insights, position themselves as thought leaders, and communicate in a personalized way. 

What are some of the key changes that have occurred in the process of finding qualified leads over the years? How do businesses deliver qualified leads to clients in an effective manner today?

We have entered the age of high personalization. Simply inserting a name into a standard sales email or LinkedIn script is no longer sufficient. The days of generic pitches that work for everyone are long gone.

To successfully generate leads, you need to first conduct thorough research on your potential clients, such as understanding their needs, pain points, and areas of expertise. This enables you to tailor your messages and demonstrate your understanding of their business and how you can assist in solving their needs.

Delivering brand values is a key part of social selling. What are the ways that a company's communication strategy can showcase its values to potential leads?

A company's communication strategy should showcase its values to potential leads by sharing relevant content, highlighting corporate social responsibility initiatives, using language that reflects company values, engaging in conversations on social media, and showcasing customer success stories.

By communicating the company's values effectively, potential leads can gain a deeper understanding of the company's mission and vision, which can help build trust and credibility.

Let's talk about the beginning of Addlium. Your company was founded in 2020 as a digital marketing agency and quickly developed into a lead generation agency. What led to this transformation?

I wouldn't say it was quick. As a current team we had been providing digital marketing services for two years. At the beginning of last year, we launched a new service package, which included Personal Profile Development and Lead Generation on LinkedIn, which framework we have successfully tested on ourselves.

However, when the Russian invasion interrupted our work, we faced a crisis. After we quickly recovered from shock, we had some time for research and reflection. We analyzed the demand and decided to focus on what we do best. That's how a new company Addlium was created.

How do you help clients approach their KPIs faster and more effectively?

Clear values are the backbone of our services, and our core team members share the same vision, which helps us to deliver these values in our work. We help companies to reach and improve their KPIs by connecting the right people between businesses and by implementing proper communication strategy that reflects brand's values and expertise.

Our processes are built based on a "client-first" approach. We have established standards for content management, lead generation, accounting, and other areas, which serve as our internal rules and instructions, defining the requirements of service delivery. Each of us adheres to these standards.

What are the most common mistakes that companies make when it comes to their LinkedIn pages?

The first mistake is not being present on LinkedIn at all or having a blank page. A company page can become a robust communication channel where you can convey a brand's values and attract great deals. That is why it is essential to have a properly filled page for your company on LinkedIn.

Another situation is that you create engaging and informative posts, share success secrets, showcase your expertise, but all this still goes unnoticed.

How to fix it? It's pretty simple - add branding.

Accompany your posts with exclusive branded media, revise your content strategy, use the right keywords and hashtags. Remember that every post aims to reach your potential customers, and the more "touches" they have with your brand, the better for you.

All of this also applies to your personal LinkedIn page. Your personal brand is even more important, especially if you're a C-Level employee because your profile is the source for your company page.

Addlium is based in Ukraine. You have managed to accelerate your growth efforts despite the challenging environment. What did you do to adapt and sustain your business?

Leading a company through difficult times, such as during war or economic crises, can be a challenging but rewarding experience.

As a leader, I've learned that adaptability is a key factor in success during such periods. When circumstances rapidly and unpredictably change, it's crucial to simplify complex solutions and focus on what you do best. Being agile, flexible, and open to new ideas and approaches can help your company stay ahead of the curve.

Effective communication is also essential during tough times. To keep your team engaged and informed, transparency, honesty, and empathy are crucial. Encouraging feedback and input can build trust, foster collaboration, and help you navigate challenges more effectively.

Additionally, resilience is a vital trait for leading a company through challenging times. It's important to cultivate a positive and growth-oriented mindset, practice self-care, and seek support from others when needed. By staying motivated and focused, even during stressful and draining periods, you can lead your company to success.

With social media developing quickly, which channels do you recognize with potential for social selling in the future?

Speaking about B2B social selling, I do not see any other social media for that than LinkedIn, though I often see ads of different new apps, offering similar model business communities. I doubt that they can compete with LinkedIn, at least for now.

Finally, how do you see Addlium helping sales departments and continuing to evolve in the future?

At our company, our top priority is to provide valuable and useful services to our customers and the market as a whole. While size and revenue are important factors, they are a byproduct of creating value. Our team is made up of highly skilled specialists who are dedicated to creating value for our customers. We all share a common goal and vision of putting our customers first. Our strong team and shared vision are the key to creating value.

We believe that the clarity of value is what matters most, and when that is evident, the price becomes less important. Conversely, when the value is not clear, price becomes irrelevant as well.

Thank you for your time, Dmytro. Best of luck to you and Addlium!
Keep up with Addlium on LinkedIn and read about other successful businesses here.