LinkedIn: 5 Tips On Researching Prospective Clients – Part 2

This week we continue our look at LinkedIn as a lead generation tool, with some tips on how to research prospects more effectively.

There are different methods of researching prospective clients. Whatever method you choose when approaching prospects, always remember that you are striving to develop a rapport, and become a long-term asset. Being pushy, aggressive and sales-focused right from the beginning comes across as short-sighted and gains a negative reaction. Get the person’s attention, then take your time to get to know the person, add value by showing your expertise, exchange ideas and thoughts, and then start your sales conversation.

Here are five strategies that will help you to use LinkedIn as a research tool in a smart way, as you connect to others in the building materials industry: 

1 – Use InMail

Don’t ignore all those people who are checking out your profile. Use that interest as an opportunity to get in touch with them and try to find out if they are interested in a collaboration. If you are unable to find out their contact details online, you can use InMail to message them directly.

2 –    LinkedIn Groups

Joining groups in your niche will give you the benefit of getting in touch with people in the same field. It allows you to participate actively in discussions. Consider doing the following two things: 1) Ask questions that you think other group members would also want to know the answer to. 2) Answer other peoples’ questions by showing your expertise, knowledge and passion. Use the opportunity to become one of the top contributors. Look out for groups that are active, highly relevant and at least of medium size. But don’t just look for other groups, later on in the process, create your own group. By doing so you will gain recognition in your industry and take on a leadership role.

3 – Publish content

LinkedIn has a publishing platform which allows you easily to publish content. You can grab your prospective clients’ attention by creating thought-provoking content. If you feel you don’t have the time or skill to create your own content, consider outsourcing it. There are lots of micro-jobbing websites available that will help you to find the ideal candidate for this job. Don’t underestimate the importance of having a great, original headline. Remember that if the title sounds boring, nobody is going to read your content, no matter how good it is. Publishing content on LinkedIn is another great way to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise. The building materials space is ripe for content specific to the field, and sharing insights, experiences and relevant articles will stand out.

4 – Do an advanced people search

The more detailed your criteria are when you conduct your research, the more targeted prospects you will find. You can specify the location, current and past company, function, industry, school, interests, profile language, seniority level, etc.  The bigger your network is, the higher your chance of finding warm leads.

5 – Save your searches

Having a steady pipeline of sales can be achieved by saving your searches and doing this on a consistent basis. Bear in mind that not having an upgraded LinkedIn account allows you to save only 3 searches! Lastly, you can set up alerts which will send you notifications. As more people in the industry build out their profiles and connect to one another, the prospecting potential of LinkedIn within building materials will increase.

We will continue our look at LinkedIn next week, with tips on reaching out to prospects with the right tone. Happy Selling!