If you’re a marketing or sales expert, or someone who is actively practicing sales prospecting and LinkedIn social selling, you’ve probably also dabbled in LinkedIn prospecting.
After all, LinkedIn is one of the best social media platforms to find B2B prospects. On LinkedIn, you can track your leads, communicate with them, see what they are posting, and evaluate their interests. Research shows that 65% of sales professionals rely on social prospecting activities to fill their pipeline.
However, if you’ve only been using the search bar, you’re not efficiently LinkedIn prospecting. You’re literally shooting in the dark. Not only this but you are also missing out on excellent opportunities to stock up your sales prospects database.
Here’s how to do LinkedIn prospecting the right way.
Track the “Who Has Viewed Your Profile” Section
You can find relevant prospects on LinkedIn by regularly checking the “Who Has Viewed Your Profile” section. Many LinkedIn users fail to explore this feature’s untapped potential.
The "Who Has Viewed Your Profile" feature alerts you when another LinkedIn user checks your profile. It also provides you with some information, such as the designation and location of the person who viewed your profile.
Using this feature, you can make a list of people who may be interested in connecting with you. You can also get more insights about them with a paid profile.
Check the “People Also Viewed” Section
The “People Also Viewed” section is another useful tool for LinkedIn prospecting. For instance, if you open an person's LinkedIn profile, on the right side of the profile, you’ll find a section named People Also Viewed.
This section will display a list of other similar prospects based on LinkedIn’s algorithm. You can click “Show More” if you wish to get the full list.
Assess and Evaluate Your Competitors’ Networks
Another interesting way to go about LinkedIn prospecting is by tracking your competitors’ networks. By monitoring their networks, you can not only find prospects but also see how they are advertising and marketing their products and services.
However, before going through your competitors’ profiles, we recommend taking the following actions:
- Turn the private mode on for your profile
- Study your competitors’ news feed first to get some content ideas
Then, visit your competitors’ LinkedIn profiles and determine how many connections they have by checking the space below their profile picture. Click the number to open the full list of connections. Now, use advanced filters to find prospects for your B2B company.
However, if you do not want your competitors to check your connections, you can open your “Visibility Settings,” followed by “Who Can See Your Connection,” and select “Only You.”
Create a List of Users Who Are Commenting on Your Posts
You never know where certain prospects will come from. You may end up finding prospects among LinkedIn users who are commenting on your posts. Any of these users can be good prospects since they are active in the community and are interested in what you are posting.
Before LinkedIn Prospecting, Join LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn Groups are goldmines of prospects. Browse through the recent activity of the prospects you’re tracking and join LinkedIn groups they are a part of. When initiating a conversation with them, ensure you talk about these groups to establish a sense of camaraderie.
Also, do not just sit back and relax after joining the groups. Make yourself visible. Like, share, and comment on your prospects’ posts regularly. Publish posts at least three times a week to be seen. And make certain that your posts contribute to the interests of others in the group—that's the best way to stand out.
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