When used properly, LinkedIn can be a valuable tool for businesses. It also has massive networking potential. There are about 830 million users on the platform for professionals—but obviously, you can't reach them all, nor do you want to. You can spend a lot of time building your network and performing cold outreach with lackluster results if your approach is not focussed. However, there are effective ways to use LinkedIn for lead generation. For example, by using your top contacts to find new potential customers to posting content in groups that will be most engaged, you can focus on your target audience.
Here are some specific ways you can generate leads through LinkedIn.
1. Leverage potential customers through existing LinkedIn contacts
You likely have some repeat customers that have become unofficial ambassadors for your brand. These types of clients are highly desirable, because they buy your products and services while also spreading positive word of mouth to generate even more business for you.
The same concept can be used for lead generation on social media. Search your LinkedIn network for companies with the biggest reach and those who engage often. The next step is to leverage their customer base through the trust your existing contacts have already established with them. It's similar to being introduced to a potential customer by a reputable businessperson at a networking event.
Identifying companies with the best potential for business does not have to be a time-consuming process. You can also use LinkedIn automation tools to seek out potential clients within certain parameters, including industries and locations.
Wrk Actions can extract leads from a variety of sources including competitor sites and then generate LinkedIn inMail messages to initiate a conversation.
2. Perform active LinkedIn outreach through LinkedIn DMs
You've identified and added influential companies to your network on LinkedIn as part of your lead generation strategy. Great! But now what?
Without engaging with these contacts, there won't be any mutual benefits. Simply connecting with them won't guarantee more sales. Lead generation on social media is an active process, in this case using direct messages for LinkedIn outreach.
However, the messages need to be relevant to the recipient to be effective. Considering that personalized emails have the best click-through rates—139% more than static emails—it makes sense to craft custom LinkedIn DMs to potential customers.
But you don't have to use up resources crafting highly unique messages to each contact. In fact, LinkedIn automation tools can simplify the process—especially if you're targeting many potential customers—while still adding a personal touch.
For example, our Wrk Actions can generate a DM based on the recipient's role, as well as their recent activity. You can also filter your audience through job seniority, ensuring you reach decision-makers.
3. Post updates and valuable content potential customers can actually use
Instead of actively reaching out to potential clients on LinkedIn, you can have them come to you. Rather than going out of your way to engage a person through LinkedIn Dms, you can create reasons for them to want to reach out to you and ask about your company and products.
One way to capitalize on passive selling is by creating quality content that your audience can use. For example, you can post how-to articles and market insights on your page to create lead generation on social media.
Once your audience recognizes you as a leader in your industry, they're more likely to come to you first for inquiries. But it's more than just about posting content that resonates—it's also about frequency. Posting regularly will help ensure you stay in your contacts' news feeds, which is important for brand recognition.
LinkedIn itself claims that 50% of traffic to commercial websites originates from the platform. While that may be true, there are ways to enhance posts on LinkedIn for better lead generation. For example, write about your industry in a voice that's not difficult to decipher, use images and diagrams to break up lengthy text, mention some of your big contacts/customers (for potential shares), and be sure to write a compelling headline!
4. Join groups and interact directly with your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
LinkedIn is a great place to make one-to-one business connections. However, one of the greatest strengths of the platform is its groups. Not only can you interact with top minds from your industry, LinkedIn will also help extend the reach of your posts.
There are roughly 2 million active LinkedIn groups to peruse. But what's more is that those who engage with group discussions get 4x more profile views than users who don't.
Joining groups related to your industry or target audience will help ensure you're not just crossing your fingers when you share your insights. This way you can offer value to your contacts while also learning more about your potential customer behaviour and demands.
Be sure to search LinkedIn groups for audiences where your content will resonate most, without paying to target readers. Some LinkedIn groups may take time to accept your request in order to interact—but it's an easy and free way to create more lead generation on social media.
5. Boost your posts
You can take using LinkedIn for lead generation a step further by sponsoring a post. Native ads can greatly extend the impact of your content, whether you're targeting potential buyers through LinkedIn InMail, or in their news feeds.
You can customize ads to cater to your target audience. Knowing how to reach the right people with your ads by curating LinkedIn ad recipients can improve your success rate.
Use LinkedIn for lead generation today!
Wrk Actions can help boost your success on LinkedIn in a number of ways, from Linkedin for lead generation through direct messages to Lead Enrichment which pulls relevant data points from the social media platform.
You can also turn to automated lead generation, which will make the process more efficient. Lead Generation Wrkflows can cut down time spent on organizing and qualifying leads by identifying leads from multiple sources (including your website), while eliminating manual data entry and greatly reducing the margin of error.
Wrk’s Hybrid Automation Platform speeds up redundant processes while allowing the capability to customize communication with potential clients.
Curious to know which applications our Delivery Platform supports? Check out our various Wrk Actions. You can also sign up for early access to our upcoming Self-Serve Platform to start dragging and dropping Wrk Actions to create your own unique Wrkflows!
