4 LINKEDIN TIPS FOR PROSPECTING NEW BUSINESSES

Are you considering LinkedIn to find new business?

Do you want to learn how LinkedIn can actually connect you with new businesses

And how LinkedIn helps in lead generation?

Without any doubt LinkedIn is the #1 professional network to get B2B leads. In fact, LinkedIn has proven to be one of the leading tools to find and contact qualified prospects.

There is also an underlying importance of using LinkedIn for finding clients online. However, a company also needs to incorporate prospecting techniques and advanced tools to win new clients on LinkedIn.

In this blog post, you will discover four tips for prospecting new businesses.

1) Formulate a LinkedIn Strategy

If you are using LinkedIn as a prospecting tool you need to have a smart LinkedIn strategy. A number of average users don’t put emphasis on creating strategic plans. If you’ve decided to use LinkedIn to find new business leads, you should have a clear direction on who to follow, how to communicate, and when to strike a deal.

It is imperative to formulate a strategy that ideally works. Here are some of the key points to help you design a LinkedIn strategy to prospect new business.

◇ Define your goals ◇ Create an audience persona (what they want, what problems they are having) ◇ Complete your LinkedIn Profile ◇ Participate in active groups ◇ Know your targeted prospects ◇ Determine what type of lead generation campaign you will run ◇ Make your own content strategy - when to post, what to post, etc ◇ Build authority

Having a strategy in hand will guide you exactly what to do next. To bring ease, you should set lead generation as the main goal. Then, you’ll have to determine your targeted prospects and find them on LinkedIn.

2) Build A Strong Professional Brand

A strong professional brand on LinkedIn represents you as an active participant in your field of industry. It also shows that you are an expert and have a strong understanding about the business.

A strong personal brand story on LinkedIn is a proven source for successful B2B and B2C lead generation. (LinkedInforbusiness.com)

Now, you might be wondering how to build a strong professional brand on LinkedIn. Your LinkedIn profile should include:

◇ A full complete profile ◇ Excellent company overview

◇ Products and services details ◇ Design logo and other artwork for branding purposes ◇ Have a professional tone and voice

Keep your main focus on developing a professional attitude on LinkedIn. Also, try to mention the key members of your business as thoughtful leaders. Your business profile should also reflect all of your abilities and experiences.

All the challenging actions for prospecting new clients become effortless when you have a professional brand presence online. Moreover, the chance of connecting with new businesses will also be increasing. People will recognize you as an active brand and they will have no doubts in connecting and accepting your offers.

3) Get Recommendations

Let’s be honest.

It’s common that we all make decisions on someone else’s experience when it’s about buying something, hiring an employee, trying a new restaurant, investing in a property, etc. We do look for recommendations from experienced people.

A research shows that “83% of consumers trust recommendations from their peers over advertising.” (Nielsen)

That means try to gain recommendations for your LinkedIn profile. You can also showcase recommendations you have received from your past clients. Maybe someone recommends you for the competitive skills in your business. Or, maybe a client is impressed with your services. Make sure you go a step ahead and ask for a written testimonial for any service or product you provided. This one step will put more weight in your recommendations.

Once you start gaining recommendations you will have increased your chances of working with new businesses.

4) Prospect Smarter, Not Harder

Now that you have chosen LinkedIn to prospect new businesses and generate leads, the ability to concentrate on the right companies and individuals is exactly what you need to understand.

Getting more businesses doesn’t mean you have to aimlessly find clients and propose your services without knowing their intentions. You’ll have to prospect smarter.

Below, I’ve discussed four main things about prospecting new businesses and clients:

a) Use the excellent Advanced LinkedIn Search to find the right people that may need your services.

b) Maintaining your existing relationships and keep track of them.

c) Always prioritize your prospecting activities. Find the right companies, build relationships and gain trust.

d) Make your connection request naturally. Craft a strong message that should leave them with a willingness to communicate and talk further.

Have you found these LinkedIn tips effective?

Maybe you have some tips that have worked for your business. Share with us.

Leave your comments below so we can discuss it further.