LinkedIn is the #1 social platform that is used in the Channel. So how can Channel Partners use LinkedIn sales prospecting to increase sales? Here are a few ways that you can leverage the platform to assist you with your prospecting efforts.
Hone in on targets:
With LinkedIn, you can run advanced searches to be able to hone in on your ideal buyer or decision maker. You can search for CIOs at manufacturing companies, for example. Make sure to click the 2nd and 3rd connection filters when searching so that it does not show you people that you are already connected to. There is no ‘company size’ filter, so if that is important to you then it will require some additional research on your end as you go through the search results.
A good way to determine company size while going through the search results is by opening a separate LinkedIn window, and entering the company name into the search bar. Once you click on the company profile it will tell you how many employees at the company are on LinkedIn, which will give you a good idea of the company’s size.
Reaching Out:
Reaching out to people via LinkedIn can be a delicate process. People get bombarded enough with sales-y emails, they do not appreciate having the same thing happen to their LinkedIn inbox. The other limitation with LinkedIn is that unless you are paying for Premium, you will only be able to send a handful of InMail messages to prospects per day.
With LinkedIn, it is important to do your research and send a thoughtful InMail. Try to avoid being sales-y right off the bat, and offer something relevant and of use. For example, maybe your company has a free beginner’s guide to SD-WAN. An example InMail might then read:
‘Hi , I noticed on LinkedIn that we share some similar connections. A lot of the clients we work with have found this beginner’s guide to SD-WAN to be helpful, here is the link. Hope to talk soon, in the meantime let’s connect.’
Once connected to someone, and they are warmed up a bit, then it makes more sense to reach back out to set a time to talk.
Asking for Introductions:
Another good way to get in contact with your ideal targets is via your existing connections. When you are viewing the profile of a prospect it will tell you which connections you have in common. If you can see you share a common connection you have a good relationship with, it is worth a shot to InMail that person and ask for an introduction.
Being introduced will increase your chances of setting a time to talk with the prospect rather than if you reach out cold on your own.
Sending Congratulatory Messages:
Make it a habit of checking your news feed in the morning to see if there is any news that would be a reason to send a congratulatory message to your prospects. People appreciate being recognized for their accomplishments and it is a good way to start a conversation.
Building an email list:
This is not the fastest way to obtain an email list, but it is a good way to get highly targeted with your list. As with any email list, keep in mind that these people have likely never heard from you before, so be tactful, thoughtful, and relevant to avoid ending up in the spam folder.
I go into more detail about how you can build an email list using LinkedIn in combination with other online tools in this blog.
I hope this is helpful insight as to how you can leverage LinkedIn sales prospecting. Need help managing your company or personal LinkedIn? Contact us today to find out more about LinkedIn-as-a-service.
