LinkedIn Lead Generation for Small Business Owners

Blog Layout

LinkedIn Lead Generation for Small Business Owners

Alyson Scott • May 03, 2022

LinkedIn Lead Generation for Small Business Owners

Is LinkedIn lead generation part of your marketing plan? As far as social media goes, the platform is one of the best to reach new clients, particularly for B2B companies.

LinkedIn is an excellent way to network, make new connections, discover opportunities, and generate leads for your small business.

How do you use LinkedIn to find new clients? The more time you spend on the platform, the more comfortable you will become with features designed to help you and the easier it will be to grow your network.

LinkedIn Lead Generation

1. Define Your Ideal Client

With over 700 million people using LinkedIn, there's a lot of competition out there. Narrowing down your audience and focusing your time on your target market will help you be more efficient and effective.

Start with defining who your ideal client is on LinkedIn. Ask questions such as:

· Who can benefit the most from my product/service?

· What problems do I help them solve?

· What is top of mind for them?

· Are there any questions/concerns I can help them answer?

· What type of content are they engaging with?

· Are they part of any groups on LinkedIn that you could join?

2. Be active on the platform.

The more active you are on LinkedIn, the higher your chances of generating leads and getting in front of new clients. Aim to spend 15-30 minutes per day engaging with people and their content. Leave helpful responses, answer questions, and make insightful comments that share your expertise.

3. Actively seek out new connections.

Now that you have defined your ideal client spend time seeking them out. Join groups, look through your existing connections, and use the search filters to find your target market.

Personalize your connection requests, and send a quick note when you ask to connect. If you are connecting with someone you have already met, remind them of where you met and let them know you’d like to stay in touch.

If you are looking to grow your LinkedIn network and meet new people, create a simple script, saying something along the lines of "I see we both know_____. Would you like to connect?" or “I saw you’re your post on_______, and would love to connect.”

Keep it simple and start with the connection, rather than going in for a hard sell. LinkedIn lead generation works best when you take things slow, building your 'know, like, trust factor.

4. Fill out all sections of your profile.

Maximize your profile by filling in every section that is relevant to you. Keep all your information up to date, including a recent photo and contact information when people want to reach out.

Possible LinkedIn sections:

· Introduction (name, photo, headline, position, contact info, etc.)

· Summary (bio)

· Experience (professional and volunteer experience)

· Education and certifications

· Recommendations (you can request these from your peers)

· Honours, awards, publications

· Skills and endorsements (to help others understand your strengths and to increase your chances of popping up in searches)

5. Create a business page.

Whether or not to create a business page depends on the makeup of your company and where you envision your business going. Even if you are the sole employee at your small business, you may want to create a LinkedIn business page if you see yourself expanding and bringing on staff.

While your personal profile has connections, your business page has followers. (if you want to run ads through LinkedIn, you need a page). You need a personal profile to set up a business page, and what many sole proprietors do is begin with a profile and then focus on growing their page once the business starts to expand.

6. Maximize keyword placement

Keywords help people find you on LinkedIn. Try to get into the mindset of your ideal clients – what are they typing when searching for services? These are the keywords and phrases you want to include throughout your profile.

7. Create a compelling summary

A key to LinkedIn lead generation is a compelling, customer-focused summary. How do you help your clients solve problems and reach their goals? What is it that will make potential clients stand up and pay attention?

Your LinkedIn summary is a great place to let your personality shine through – how do you want your clients to see you? Let your brand voice shine through!

Tips for a strong LinkedIn Summary

· Start strong and hook your readers with a compelling opening.

· Make your summary visually appealing and easy to read with short paragraphs and bullet or numbered lists.

· Focus on your specialties and skills and how you help improve the lives of your clients

· End with a call to action and your contact information

· Provide data to back up your claims (like years in business, success rate, or number of clients served)

· Define your value proposition – why should clients choose you over your competition?

8. Stay consistent and relevant.

For best LinkedIn lead generation results, you want to show up and engage with your connections consistently. Not only does the algorithm like this (meaning you can get in front of more people), but it also helps ensure you stay top of mind.

LinkedIn Lead Generation – Key Takeaways

The more often you are active on the platform, the better your results will be. There is no quick fix to growing your network and generating leads from LinkedIn. Put in the time, create valuable content, actively grow your network, and be social!

If you want LinkedIn to work for you but don't have the time to invest, our experienced virtual assistants can help you grow and generate leads with our proven 4 point sales process.

< Older Post Newer Post >

Planning Business Parties: Summer Edition

By Alyson Scott • 26 May, 2023

Everyone enjoys a great business party to kick off the summer season! Do you know how to plan for a business party? Here are the best ways to plan your next business party.

6 Biggest Time Wasters for Entrepreneurs

By Alyson Scott • 26 Jul, 2022

Save Time by Delegating Tasks to a Virtual Assistant. As a small business owner, there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done! Your time is precious, and not all tasks are created equally. Say goodbye to these top 6 time wasters for entrepreneurs so that you can focus on the most critical areas of your business. 6 Biggest Time Wasters for Entrepreneurs: 1. Meetings. Whether you meet with clients, vendors or employees, prioritize and respect your time. Does it need to be a full meeting, or would a quick call or email do the trick? Look for other, easier ways to communicate. And if you need a face-to-face or virtual meeting, set a boundary beforehand as to how much time you have to dedicate. 2. Online Distractions. Getting swept up in social media, checking your email, or reading texts can be a big distraction and time waster. Setting times to sort through your emails and messages can help you focus on the task at hand. 3. Routine and Repetitive Tasks. Not all tasks are created equally. What jobs can only YOU do in your business, and which tasks can you delegate? Try keeping a list for a week or two, jotting down all the things you do in a day, then look it over and see what tasks are eating up your time that could be passed off. 4. Outdated Tools. Using the right tool for the job can save you time and energy. A few of our favourite tools are Calendly and Acuity for scheduling meetings, Dubsado for customer management, and Mailchimp for email marketing. 5. Lack of Strategy and Systems. Does it feel like you’re spinning your wheels and not making any progress? Creating a strategy for growth with measurable goals will help create a clear direction in your business. While systems and routines help you make the most of your time by ensuring you are as efficient and productive as possible. 6. Overthinking and Second Guessing. One of our biggest time wasters as entrepreneurs (and a significant factor in holding ourselves back!) is second-guessing our actions, overthinking, and not taking chances. Once you’ve done the research, don’t be afraid to jump in! Second-guessing yourself, your choices, and your abilities will only you back. How a Virtual Assistant Can Help Save You Time Take on the repetitive tasks that consume your time and take you away from the work only YOU can do. Set you up with systems and strategies to help run your business as efficiently and effectively as possible. Introduce you to tools and new technologies to help make your life easier. Run interference with clients and vendors, so you only take on the necessary meetings and calls. You didn't become an entrepreneur to work 24/7 – be sure you aren't giving more of your time to your business than you need to. Say no to some of these big time wasters and set yourself up for success! Check out a list of what a Virtual Assistant can do for you! If there’s anything we can do to help you save time (so you can get back to your LIFE), reach out here .

Email Marketing – 5 Things You Need to Be Successful

By Alyson Scott • 24 May, 2022

How does a business owner use email marketing to grow? Here are 5 tips for email marketing to help you build a solid email marketing strategy!

How Much Does a Virtual Assistant Cost?

By Alyson Scott • 03 May, 2022

If business is booming and you’re ready to hire help (but aren’t quite at a point where you need a full-time staff), a VA might be right for you. A virtual business assistant can take time-consuming tasks off your plate, so you can get back to the work you love. At Smart Choice Business Assistance, our experienced VAs handle a multitude of jobs.