Business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals around the world are prospecting on LinkedIn to meet their sales quota. Although many people are utilizing LinkedIn to find and reach out to potential clients, most of them don’t have a strategy.
And you already know… A strategy is needed for everything you do! Without one, you’re setting yourself up for failure before you even start.
With the number of people on LinkedIn, it’s essential you are utilizing the platform to it’s fullest potential to find and reach out to your ideal clients.
So, what should you do on LinkedIn to succeed with prospecting?
We have the answers! Keep reading to learn the dos and don’ts of prospecting on LinkedIn!
Do: Inform and Engage
When prospecting on LinkedIn, regularly posting and engaging with content will build your overall presence while increasing your authority and brand awareness.
With this sort of credibility, your prospects are more likely to trust you and be willing to have a conversation. But, posting random content that doesn’t speak to your audience won’t do you any good.
This is why it’s important to first understand your prospects so you can create posts and articles that will speak to their needs.
Don’t: Expect People To Come To You
Just because you’re on LinkedIn and connecting with ideal prospects doesn’t mean the business is going to come to you. You have to work for it!
Neglecting to inform your audience about your business will result in a pretty dry inbox, no matter how many messages you send. Prospects don’t know how great you are or how much value you provide.
You have to let them know! And the best way to do that is through consistent posting and engagement.
Do: Personalize Connection Requests
If you’re still sending out non-personalized messages despite having all of the LinkedIn prospecting tools at your disposal, you’re doing it wrong. A well-crafted LinkedIn message, second only to a fully optimized profile, is your most valuable asset.
A generic message with a name personalization won’t work anymore. Add specifics about your prospect and let them know why you are reaching out/wanting to connect.
Don’t: Forget To Follow Up
Sending a simple follow-up message can make a difference when closing a deal. No offense, but your prospect will probably completely forget about your conversation, so it’s up to you to ensure you are staying top of mind.
If they told you to reach out in 3-6 months, set up a calendar notification to remind you to follow up.
Following up while prospecting on LinkedIn opens the doors to kickstarting a conversation that may have fizzled out, giving you an opportunity to close the deal.
Do: Optimize Your Profile
When prospecting on LinkedIn it’s crucial to update your profile so it reflects your professional experience.
This includes a professional headshot, a banner image, a headline, an about section, and an updated history of employment.
Also! Don’t forget to ask your peers and colleagues for recommendations to build your authority. This is extremely important when it comes to your prospect deciding to work with you or not.
If they see that others have good things to say, they may be more likely to respond to your connection message.
Don’t: Sell Right Away
How many times have you received a connection request from a random person immediately selling to you?
How many times have you accepted that request or responded to their messages?
Probably not a lot, right?
Building a relationship with your prospects is extremely important when prospecting on LinkedIn. Traditional selling tactics and techniques won’t work anymore. You want to build a relationship, nurture your prospect, and gradually push them through your funnel until they make a purchase decision.
Prospecting on LinkedIn is a valuable tool for business owners, entrepreneurs, and sales professionals to generate more leads and referrals for their businesses. Remember to inform and engage your prospects, optimize your profile, and send personalized messages.
If you follow these simple steps, prospecting on LinkedIn will be a breeze!
Want to learn how to prospect like a sales pro? Evyrgreen can help! Learn more about Evyrgreen Prospecting here: https://www.evyrgreen.com/prospecting/
If you want to learn more about our other courses and coaching programs, set up a strategy session here: www.evyrgreen.com/talktous. We would love to help you get more out of LinkedIn!
If you want more tips on how to leverage LinkedIn for your business, check out our 30 Linkedin tips booklet you can get here! For more helpful articles, check out the rest of our blog.
P.S. Our CEO, Joe Apfelbaum, is always sharing valuable tips and tricks on LinkedIn. Send him a connection request and tell him the Evyrgreen blog sent you! Joelinkedin.com sss