Last edited on July 18, 2021 by Digitiz
With its 433 million members, Linkedin is today the largest professional social network in the world according to the latest figures. At the national level, the platform brings together more than 11 million users, 2.1 of whom are decision-makers. Leave Viadeo aside, Linkedin is essential for generating contacts and prospecting. To guide you, here are some strategies to adopt.
Linkedin for prospecting?
Let’s be clear, cold calling is less and less fruitful, file rentals for emailing are ineffective. No more old-fashioned prospecting! Today, everything goes digital, particularly with social selling methods.
We must keep in mind that 75% of BtoB buyers use social networks to obtain information before making a purchasing decision. However, prospecting does not mean sticking to old habits by spamming. No, it’s really about reaching potential customers by publishing content adapted to their needs and at the right time.
Prepare the ground
Before throwing yourself body and soul into searching for new prospects, it is necessary to create an attractive profile. Avoid having a profile that resembles an online CV and adopt a more commercial tone. Complete it by highlighting your background as well as your skills without forgetting a convincing hook. Ask your colleagues or former clients to include recommendations to inspire confidence in the eyes of your future contacts. Finally, don’t hesitate to enrich your profile with content such as publications, slideshares or presentation videos.
Use your network
The strength of Linkedin is the network. You can take advantage of the powerful search functionalities in your network of 1st and 2nd level relationships as a starting point for your contacts. Likewise, you can easily be put in touch with decision-makers by people who know you and who trust you. A personalized recommendation will greatly increase the chances of getting in touch.
Use the suggestions
Take advantage of every opportunity to add new people to your network. As soon as you connect with a new contact, Linkedin offers a feed of people you may know. Don’t hesitate to expand your network using this feature. Among all these people with whom you have contacts in common, some will necessarily interest you (influencers, partners, prospects, etc.)
Look for the right people
Linkedin allows you to perform advanced searches to find new contacts. You can find people based on their position, their company, their sector of activity, their geographic location, etc. Unfortunately, you can no longer do searches after a certain number of searches until the following month and Linkedin encourages you to upgrade to the paid plan.
However, a paid account may be interesting if you want to deepen your research and have additional features such as receiving a weekly report alerting you to new profiles matching your criteria. Finally, prioritize connections with people in your first network to have a better chance of being accepted.
Use groups
Most LinkedIn users are part of discussion groups. These are places of exchange where members often seek to find answers to their questions and therefore constitute interesting opportunities for generating contacts. Stand out as an active contributor to groups that are likely to interest your targets. By interacting regularly and sharing useful content, you will answer questions that decision-makers are asking and you will be considered an expert in your field.
Maintain your relationships
By knowing purchasing cycles, business needs and job changes over time, you will be able to maintain customer relationships and build loyalty. Before choosing what content or relevant information you can send to your contact, clearly identify the context in which it is located.
On your home page, you will find an insert at the top right that suggests you send congratulatory messages to your contacts when they celebrate their birthday or change positions. A great way to maintain contact!
Get in touch directly with InMail
Linkedin offers an interesting feature, but only via a Premium account: InMail. It allows you to communicate directly with a person without having their email address, which is very useful when you know that decision-makers are difficult to contact directly with traditional channels. An InMail is 30 times more likely to attract a response than a spontaneous canvassing according to Linkedin. An argument that will surely make you want to try it for yourself.
LinkedIn is a great lead generation platform. It’s clear that it takes some time and practice, but the ROI results can be huge, especially if you implement an inbound marketing strategy alongside it.
Similar articles