The best salespeople are always on the lookout for new ways to reach out to potential customers. But the most exciting platform for engaging new prospects is often underappreciated.
That platform is LinkedIn. The social network for professionals hosts more than half a billion registered accounts. According to some estimates, one in four U.S. adults has a LinkedIn profile.
LinkedIn offers a variety of features specifically aimed at salespeople. Yet many of them continue to overlook LinkedIn as a force for driving more sales.
Here are 7 ideas on how you can build a more robust sales pipeline via LinkedIn.
1) Advanced Search makes prospecting lightning fast
LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator gives you access to a feature called Advanced Search. It has more than 20 different filters and makes it a breeze to find new prospects.
Fill out the search according to your ideal customer profile. LinkedIn will generate a list of prospect uniquely suited to your sales pitch.
You can make prospecting nearly automatic by creating a saved search alert. It notifies you when the feature detects new prospects who suit your criteria.
2) Don’t hesitate to share your content on LinkedIn
Content marketing is one of the most important sources of lead generation. But it doesn’t work unless you make sure that the right people see your content.
There are two ways to bring more eyeballs to your content with LinkedIn. You can build a network and share your content directly with potential customers. Or you can join LinkedIn groups.
Both are valid options, but the second one can get you more immediate returns. LinkedIn group attract people engaged in your industry, with lots of relevant connections. Breaking in with useful content can make a difference for your sales figure.
3) Use LinkedIn to find referral opportunities
The most direct route to closing a sale? Secure a referral from somebody your lead knows.
Sales Navigator helps you find related profiles, mutual connections, and similar accounts. The feature can help you find a prospect who knows somebody you already know.
Most sales reps don’t ask for referrals. LinkedIn makes it so much easier to secure one. It is great not to go into pitching completely cold.
4) InMails are a great way to reach out to potential customers
If you buy LinkedIn Premium, you get a limited amount of InMails. These are messages you can send to people outside of your network.
In most cases, refocusing your sales strategy on InMails doesn’t make sense. But the feature makes it possible to reach people you can’t get in touch with by email. Which means that you can cover prospects you wouldn’t have been able to reach any other way.
5) Use LinkedIn to build email lists
LinkedIn can be a great source of business email addresses. Sales reps who spend most of their time on cold outreach, listen up.
The social network doesn’t show email addresses for its users by default. But tools like LeadGibbon combine email verification with Sales Navigator lead searches. You can simultaneously prospect and build out your personal email list!
LeadGibbon also exports the addresses it finds to a spreadsheet on Google Drive. By the end of your prospecting session on LinkedIn, you can jump straight to cold emailing your new leads. Which means that you can cover even more prospects — in less time.
6) Build better relationships with active prospects
Filter out prospects who have posted on LinkedIn in the past month. Focus on engaging with their content. This way you’re warming up active leads with up-to-date profiles (aka your ideal buyers).
You can also use their posts to personalize your cold emails. Mention the content they shared in the opening sentence. Compliment their writing skills. You’ll have a better chance of capturing their attention than a sales rep with a generic pitch.
7) Don’t forget about ads
Ads on LinkedIn can work great. They are targeted at people who suit your buyer’s persona: active prospects in your niche.
LinkedIn has been adding new tools to its sponsored content mix. You can start by experimenting with Lead Gen Forms. It helped some companies increase their leads by 400%, so it’s definitely something to think about.
Conclusions
LinkedIn can be one of the most important tools in a sales rep’s inventory. It can drive your sales figures, help you connect with potential customers on a personal level and bring your product closer to its ideal customers.
Hopefully, some of the tips we outlined above will get you started on the right track!
For more info on the best lead generation software available on the market, check this guide by SalesRipe.