Linkedin client building hacks for aspiring entrepreneurs

by Startacus Admin

First considered as a simple tool for hiring, LinkedIn has become a very popular platform for generating leads and building clientele. Entrepreneurs have expanded their businesses by not just building their network but also generating leads to acquire a good amount of clients on LinkedIn. 

Considering the importance of social media for businesses, LinkedIn has come out as one of the most important platforms for generating organic interests and building client relationships. 

Company Page

Now, it’s no secret that LinkedIn profile optimization is used vehemently by the professionals to find jobs. However, its benefits can be reaped by businesses in equal parts. 

 Entrepreneurs should move a step forward and create a company profile page in addition to their profiles.

A company page is a way of introducing your company to professionals on LinkedIn. It can give an overview of the products & services you’re selling and help you garner interest in your business. 

Here are a few tricks that can help you optimize your company page:

• Profile Image & Banner: Use your company logo as a profile picture for your company page and optimize the banner with respect to the services you are selling. 

• Headline: Modify the headline in line with your expertise and important keywords in your industry. 

• About us: Keeping you restricted to a mere 2000 characters, a well-crafted ‘about us’ section could enhance your brand voice. Use it as an opportunity to describe your business, what you do, and what can you offer to prospective customers. 

• Industry: Updating the industry can your users determine your offerings at a glance. 

Engagement & Network Expansion

Engagement and networking are the bedrock of your brand development on LinkedIn. Incorporating the following best practices can help you immensely: 

• Existing Contacts: You can import the connections you may already know by allowing LinkedIn the privileges of your email list. 

• Right Connections: Instead of just reaching out to anyone who works at the company you are interested in. Reach out to professionals who are most likely to reply to your message. In most cases, it is generally sales/marketing professionals. 

• 4-1-1 Rule: You can inculcate the much talked about 4-1-1 rule in your business practice. This is a guideline for business on how to share content to spark engagement on social media. A way of posting & re-posting content, the 4-1-1 rule can help you share content that is in line with your interests.  

• Credibility: Use recommendations & endorsements as a way of enhancing your credibility for the expertise you possess. 

Groups

Joining groups and engaging in discussions can bring in a wide range of connections that are in-line with your interests. Research on the groups that are not spam ridden and request access to join their community. 

Here’s how you can make use of groups effectively: 

• Don’t rely too much on the algorithm. Search for the groups that are right for your business. 

• Pull out the list of the members and send a personalized request to credible members that can be constructive for your business. 

• Don’t break the best practices of the groups. Read up on their guidelines to post/engage. 

Messaging 

The messaging feature on LinkedIn is of great value for your business. Nobody enjoys receiving unwanted messages, but if your messages are essential and constructive, you have a chance of conveying your message to a potential client and getting a positive response in return. 

There are a few tips that you can include while sending out messages:

• Master of your domain: Mass emailing could get your account banned. Restrict yourself to the domain you are targeting. 

• InMail: InMail allows you to reach out to professionals on LinkedIn that you are not connected to. Formulate a strategy to list out the professionals/businesses you are targeting and reach out to them using this premium feature.  

• Proofread: The consequences of an ill-constructed email/message can have dire effects on your business. The connection you are hoping to have a fruitful discussion with, may end up ignoring your message or even block you. Proofread your message to iron out any grammatical/spelling errors. Keep it simple. Do not pitch in the first message. 

Things to avoid 

Most businesses end up doing too much with their  social media. While steady activity is good, too much activity can be counterproductive.

It is important to note that indulging in activities that are not really entertained by the people on professional platforms could put your business behind. 

Here are a few things you should avoid on LinkedIn and other social media platforms: 

• Spamming: Do not spam strangers. Instead of sending out the same message, use a follow-up strategy to connect with them again. 

• Follow-up: Sending out a lot follow-up messages can get you a spammer's stamp. Generally, 2-3 messages post your original message are enough.

• Cold-calling: Mistaking short-pitches in a message as a traditional cold-calling method can get your messages ignored. 

 Leveraging LinkedIn to build your clientele is very simple - be selective and grow your network systematically. Do this consistently and you will see your network and clientele grow.

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Published on: 27th May 2020