Remote working has presented lots of new challenges for everyone. For me, working in a heavily sales-based profession it has proved particularly difficult. Gone are the days when you could pick up the phone, call a new business and be certain someone would answer the call. I never thought I’d see the day when I was glad to get through to the gate keeper (at least that’s someone human!). More so than ever, people are turning to LinkedIn to contact clients to try and get results. With that said I wanted to put together my top tips for sales prospecting through LinkedIn…
- Connect with people that matter! – There is no point sending hundreds of connection requests to every employee within a company. Find the people you need, the people who will genuinely be able to help you and focus on building a relationship with them.
- Pick your time wisely! – I don’t think anyone particularly enjoys being approached on LinkedIn in the dead of night or 3pm on a Saturday afternoon. Think about when people are most likely to be working and when they are most likely to respond!
- Build a strong brand! – Having a strong LinkedIn profile, that clearly demonstrates what you do is invaluable. Even the small details like having a LinkedIn picture means that your profile is 11 times more likely to be viewed. Think about what your prospects see once they click on you, would you buy from you?
- Have a human approach! – I think everyone knows when they’ve been sent a message that has also gone to 20 other people that very same day. Make your approach personal and bespoke to each person. Try to reference relevant insight from their market or company, keep it relevant with up-to-date business news or activity and make your message more credible.
- Use your mutual connections! – People are far more likely to engage with you if you are introduced through a mutual connection. Make sure you use your network and take advantage of those 2nd and 3rd You’ve connected with that person for a reason, why not see if they can help you?
I’d be keen to hear other people’s thoughts on being approached on LinkedIn. What do you think works? What things annoy you? Like me, do people miss cold-calling?