Whether you’re looking to make a sale or fill a position at your company, LinkedIn can be a great way to find qualified leads.
Unfortunately there are a lot of fish in the LinkedIn sea, and if you’re not careful, you can waste time trying to catch the ones you should let get away. Here are a few ways to screen qualified leads on LinkedIn.
#1: Let LinkedIn build them for you.
In case you didn’t know, social media platforms like LinkedIn have an algorithm that will suggest connections based on previous connections you’ve made.
If you’re looking for a particular type of person, put those requirements into the search parameters (for example, sales, marketing, wholesale supplier). Start friending and connecting with those people, and LinkedIn will feed you more.
#2: Put out the bat signal.
Why not attract some potential bites by putting out your own line? You may get a lot of bites, but if you’re specific about what you need from people, who can automatically weed out those who don’t follow your directions.
For example, you could require a cover letter that discusses how a potential hiree has dealt with a topic in the past.
Of course, if you’re not looking to hire someone, but instead to sell something, you can just post some pictures or put up an ad of your own.
#3: Take a look at their profile.
A good profile will be optimized with keywords—not for robotic SEO purposes, but because the person has crafted some genuine content around the vertical that relates to your needs.
You can use your intuition to scan their profile, but if you’re not sure exactly what you’re looking for, you could make a list of words and use the control+f function to search for those words on their profile.
#4: Look at their articles and posts.
If they have published articles, this is a big selling point. Read the articles and see if they have authority and/or expertise on the matter at hand.
While it’s preferably to hire savvy, competent, and knowledgeable employees, it’s also great to work with savvy buyers and partner with people who know the business.
#5: Give them a call.
If they have a phone number listed, give them a call. Why beat around the bush with a message on Linkedin?
Unfortunately, LinkedIn messaging has become pretty trite and worthless, what with so many people offering unsolicited services. You could also email the potential lead if they don’t have a number listed.
In any case, you’ll want to get to the in-person (or by phone) part of the screening process as soon as possible, because the best way to screen someone is in person.
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