Can You Really Get Results from LinkedIn? The Warm Prospect Process

What’s the point of LinkedIn?

I often get asked this question. Lots of people are told to join LinkedIn because everyone says it will help their business. But once they have created their profile, nobody tells them what to do next.

So here’s the strategy that I use.

I use LinkedIn to create warm prospects

My activity is based around having a network of people who are ideal clients for me. They are likely to find my products and services interesting. And they see interesting information from me on a regular basis.

That means they are very open to talking to me. And they often approach me asking how we might work together.

I have a simple four-stage process

1. Have a great profile that makes me interesting to prospects
2. Build my network on LinkedIn
3. Engage my network with interesting information that is relevant to them
4. Approach relevant prospects and have a 1-2-1 conversation with them, usually away from LinkedIn

So does this really work?

LinkedIn is now my primary new business channel. I don’t do any cold-calling. I don’t e-mail anyone who hasn’t heard from me before.

Look out for my following e-mails: I’ll be sharing some success stories.

P.S. Download my free e-guide “Ten Social Media Rules For Print Sales People” right now. You’ll also receive my regular “Views from the print buyer” bulletin, full of ideas on how to use social media and sell print effectively.

Also learn how to create a powerful social media profile: check out my book "Five steps to creating a social media profile that generates business".