Chances are, you and your customers are on LinkedIn. People say it’s a game-changer for businesses. This guide breaks down how to make it work for you. We’ll cover the perks, pitfalls, and the tools you can use. Dive in to get the full scoop on LinkedIn tools for business. Let’s get you up to speed! 😁
What you need to know about LinkidIn automation?
With LinkedIn automation, you can easily:
- Visit profiles,
- Profile follow-ups,
- Send connection requests,
- And shoot messages.
All great for your business!
How to use LinkedIn for business: The differences between these types of actions
LinkedIn is all about being social. When you visit profiles, it shows you’re interested. Think of it like other social media: when you peek at someone’s page, they get a notification.👀 Just a heads up, if too many folks visit a profile, you might need a LinkedIn premium to see who’s been checking you out.
Following a LinkedIn profile is a bit like visiting one. But here’s the twist: when you follow someone, they always know it’s you, premium subscription or not. Plus, you get their updates in your feed. So, if you’re trying to connect with someone or get their attention, visiting and following can help. It even boosts your chances of them accepting a connection request!
How to use LinkedIn for business: Main LinkedIn network features
On LinkedIn, it’s all about finding the right people and then messaging them. If you’re looking to grow your business, start by sending a connection request. Only after they accept can you shoot them a message.
On LinkedIn, you can only send connection requests to folks who are kinda close to you, like your 2nd and 3rd-degree connections.
Growing your network for your business
Growing your LinkedIn network means you can reach more people. The more folks you can connect with, the more chances to pitch your stuff. When you ask to connect, you can add a short “note” to say hi and why you want to chat. Wondering if those notes help? We’ll cover that here! 😁
Next up, messaging. You can only message people you’re connected with. It’s a key move to show off what you’re offering. You’ve got a long space to write, so make it good.
So, how do automation tools fit in? They make these steps easier by doing them for you. There are different tools out there, each with its own pros and cons.
The most efficient channel for B2B prospecting
Right now, if you want more customers, there aren’t many good options. Cold calling? Expensive, annoying for most folks, and not very effective. Smart businesses are focusing on two better ways: email marketing and LinkedIn outreach.
Emailing for your business: a prospecting solution less and less efficient
Emailing’s cheap and can reach many people. But here’s the catch:
- You need a big email list. Either buy one (expensive) or spend time scraping. Both have downsides.
- Everyone uses email. It’s hard to stand out. Most folks open less than 20% of promotional emails, and even fewer click on them.
- Email targeting? Not the most precise. So, getting solid results? Harder than it looks.
Using LinkedIn for business? Automation makes prospecting a breeze
Want to grow your business? LinkedIn’s the answer. With over 600 million profiles packed with details, you can pinpoint the right people. Using tools like Sales Navigator, you can target even better. Plus, LinkedIn messages almost always get opened, with response rates soaring above 20%. It beats email, hands down. So why wait? Dive into LinkedIn and watch your business thrive.
Why does LinkedIn win for prospecting?
On LinkedIn, messages feel personal, unlike mass emails. So, people are more likely to respond. Compared to emails, LinkedIn just delivers better results.
Want to save time with LinkedIn for business? Use automation! First, clearly picture your ideal client. Think about their job, location, and interests. Once you know who they are, search for them on LinkedIn using filters. For instance, if you’re looking for French-speaking marketers in Lyon, you’ll quickly get a list of around 2000 people.
Imagine reaching out to 2000 people on LinkedIn one by one? That’d take forever, right? Just like emailing each person individually. That’s why we use LinkedIn automation. Set it up, and it does the work for you. With GetSales, you can even grab all the profiles from a search in one click.
After adding the profiles to the tool, just set up your campaign and start it. The tool handles the heavy lifting, and you just respond to the messages. What used to take hours now only takes a few minutes with automation.
Want to target your competitors’ users on LinkedIn? Here’s how:
Target Facebook or Slack Groups:
- If your competitor has a Facebook or Slack group, you can use tools to collect data from those groups.
- First, find your competitor’s group, like Dux-Soup’s Facebook group for example.
- Use a tool like phantombuster to get profile info.
- Add this data to automation tools, like GetSales.
- This process is quick and targets the exact audience you want: those using your competitor. We’ve got a detailed guide if you need step-by-step help.
Target Fans of a LinkedIn Company Page:
- Sometimes, competitors don’t have Facebook or Slack groups. No worries!
- Use a trick to target fans of a LinkedIn company page. But, you’ll need Sales Navigator.
- Make your LinkedIn profile look like you work at the company you want to target.
- Use Sales Navigator to search for the company’s followers.
- Go to “These prospects follow your page”.
- Export these people using tools like GetSales.
It’s a savvy way to get your competitor’s audience interested in what you offer!
The process is quick and gives great results. Now that you’ve seen what LinkedIn automation can do, let’s look at how to make it even better for your business.
Tips for using LinkedIn for your business
When using LinkedIn for prospecting, there are some best practices to follow. The difference between a great LinkedIn campaign and a poor one often comes down to these details.
Make your profile stand out to attract more clients. Think of your LinkedIn profile as your personal storefront. It’s what grabs users’ attention and keeps potential clients interested.
Treat it like your own website or landing page. Every detail matters. Make sure to polish your profile
before diving into LinkedIn prospecting.
Use a professional-looking profile photo to build trust
We can’t stress enough how important it is to have a high-quality, professionally taken profile picture. We often see low-quality or unprofessional photos. Don’t forget to smile; it adds a personal touch to your professional LinkedIn.
Use LinkedIn's banner feature to grab attention
It’s like a cover photo for your profile. Make sure it clearly represents your business and what you offer. It should give people a quick idea of what you’re all about.
Use the 'Summary' section on LinkedIn to share your story
It’s a chance to introduce yourself, your skills, and what you bring to the table. Tell it well, keep it professional, and make it memorable for anyone who reads it.
When setting up your LinkedIn, be genuine about your experiences
Just like a resume, it’s best to be honest about what you’ve done and where you’ve worked. Detail your roles, achievements, and results – good or bad. Authenticity goes a long way.
For successful LinkedIn business use, it's all about targeting the right B2B prospects
Remember, pinpointing the right audience is key to a successful campaign. Start by clearly identifying your ideal customer or ‘persona’. We often stress on our blog how vital this is. Think of it as painting a picture of your dream client.
To really harness LinkedIn’s power, Sales Navigator is a must. The basic search just doesn’t cut it. And for those on a budget, we’ve found a way to use Sales Navigator without the cost.
Using Sales Navigator for LinkedIn Business Searches: Tips & Tricks
Avoid the General Search Bar: You might think the main keyword search bar is your go-to, but it’s not. Using it means LinkedIn searches the whole profile for your keyword, leading to potentially unrelated results.
Job Title is Key: Instead of a broad keyword, focus on specific job titles using the job title filter. It’s the foundation of your search, and other filters like location or language just help narrow things down.
Use Quotation Marks: When you need exact matches, quotation marks are your friends. Searching “Business Developer” without quotes might land you unrelated profiles, such as “Software Developer”.
Master Boolean Operators: These are powerful tools. Use them to mix and match search terms. For example:
- Exclude terms with “NOT”, like “Consultant NOT freelance”.
- Search multiple terms with “OR”, like “Google OR Facebook” in the company filter.
Aim for Decision-Makers: If you’re selling something, you want to talk to the decision-makers. Sales Navigator lets you target based on seniority level, so use it.
Stay Below 2,500 Results:
Two reasons:
- Sales Navigator caps results at 2,500 (100 pages with 25 profiles each).
- Narrow campaigns lead to better personalization. Target your search, categorize your campaigns, and then personalize each one for better results.
With these tips, you’re set to optimize your LinkedIn prospecting with Sales Navigator!
Customize your LinkedIn messages to get better results
Make your campaigns stand out with personal touches.
Automation doesn’t mean you can’t add a personal touch. With GetSales, you can easily add names into your messages using {{firstname}} and {{lastname}} tags.
Still, you might want more than just names. Let’s dive deeper.
Here are three top ways to make your LinkedIn outreach feel more personal with GetSales:
Reach Out to Commenters on LinkedIn Posts: With GetSales , you can target users who’ve commented on specific LinkedIn posts. Imagine seeing a post where people discuss a topic you’re passionate about. You can directly engage with those who commented. For instance: “Hi {{firstname}}, I noticed your comment on XXX’s post about YYY. I’m in the ZZZ industry too and thought we could share insights. Let’s connect!”
Just find the right posts, possibly by searching for specific hashtags.
Keep it personal and relevant, and you’ll likely see better engagement.
Conclusion: Mastering LinkedIn for Business Success
LinkedIn automation revolves around four main actions: visiting profiles, following up, sending connection requests, and messaging. There are two primary tools at your disposal: Chrome extensions and Cloud-based applications.
For the average user, Chrome extensions, being user-friendly and safer, might be the go-to. However, for those juggling multiple LinkedIn accounts, Cloud applications are the preferred choice.
Why is LinkedIn emerging as a frontrunner among all mass marketing channels? Two simple reasons:
- An Abundant Resource: LinkedIn provides an almost endless pool of qualified professionals, readily accessible.
- Impressive Conversion Rates: LinkedIn boasts transformation rates that far outshine traditional emailing.
Through automation, users can reclaim hours, sidestepping tedious manual tasks. More so, with the right techniques, it’s possible to blend automation with precise targeting – imagine zooming into your competitors’ audiences.
Guidelines we discussed, from optimizing your LinkedIn profile to finetuning search filters and customizing campaigns, are essential to elevate your prospecting game.
Lastly, the spotlight on GetSales revealed its unmatched potential for LinkedIn prospecting, offering top-notch safety and unique features like scenario execution and auto-import.
In essence, LinkedIn, when used right, is not just a networking platform but a goldmine for businesses. Armed with the right tools and techniques, the sky’s the limit for your business outreach.