In my last blog I got us started on a few thoughts on why you might want to look at LinkedIn as a powerful ally in your efforts to drive business for your company. Now let’s get down tfo brass tacks! Here’s my process for using this platform as a lead generation tool:

• Maximize your profile. Make sure you have a friendly, but professional, photo on your profile and that you fill in all fields, i.e. previous work experience, education, skills and capabilities
• Connect with the people you have met, for example at a conference or a business networking event, and send them a short note within the connection invitation itself. I often will say a few brief words about how I can assist them and invite them to contact me if they feel I can be of assistance.
• Send people inmails. When someone connects with you, if they are in your target market, send them a nice note asking if they would like to schedule a conversation about how you can help them meet their goals – perhaps you can help them save money, develop efficiencies or enrich an experience.
• Leverage your brand. Establish and join a group page for your company, and comment on and like information that is posted there.
• Comment on people’s updates. As your prospects’ information shows up in your news stream, comment on it, like it and send them a message about it.
• Find out what groups your prospects belong to and join them, then monitor them for opportunities to comment. When someone makes a comment you like, or you see an area where your company can help them, you can answer them in the group or direct message them – you can’t inmail anyone you aren’t connected to unless you upgrade from the free Linked In account but you CAN message anyone who is a part of any group you belong to. You can join up to 500 groups.
• Connect with prospects you locate in your group monitoring activities – you don’t need the email addresses of anyone who belongs to the same group to which you belong. By contrast, you cannot connect with someone whose email address you do not already have.
• Ask for introductions to the people with whom you would like to start a sales-oriented conversation.
• Ask people you know well to give you recommendations.

Implications of all of this activity:

The goal of being active on LinkedIn is to cultivate relationships with people you might not otherwise get to meet. So, for example, if your prospects don’t turn up at the networking events or conferences you attend, you might be able to find a way to “meet” them on LinkedIn.

LinkedIn works best when you have a strategy, and when you consistently work at maximizing the opportunity.

Could you use a little extra help with your LinkedIn activities? I invite you to book a conversation with me about how my team and I might be able to support you. Contact me at susan@crossmancommunications.com and I’ll be glad to set up a time to chat.