Thursday, 26 November 2020

How to Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to BOOM your Lead Generation Instantly

 


LinkedIn Sales Navigator or the premium version of LinkedIn is the tool tailored for efficient lead generation.

It combines LinkedIn’s network data, relevant news sources, and your leads’ preferences to help connect and engage with your prospects in a better way.

But is LinkedIn Sales Navigator really worth it?

Yes, if you are into B2B business and KNOW how to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator. However,  if you DON’T, keep reading because you WILL by the end of this guide.

So, let’s start with…..

Why to Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator?

Let me answer this with a question!

Do you know LinkedIn limits your searches with the regular or free version?

If you’ve ever come across the warning seen below, you understand what I’m talking about.

search-limit-linkedin(How to Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to BOOM your Lead Generation)

LinkedIn calculates your search usage limit based on your activity on the platform. This activity includes:

  • Viewing lots of profiles that are not your 1st-degree connections
  • Searching for companies or employees of a specific company
  • Making too many 3rd-degree searches

Once you reach your free search limit, LinkedIn displays a warning as above. This search limit is reset at midnight PST on the 1st of each month. Also, you can’t view the exact number of searches left, nor they increase it upon request.

The reason behind this is that LinkedIn wants to ensure that you are not spamming people.

So, what if you spend your search limit long before the month ends? Will you wait for the search limit to reset? Can you really afford to do that?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

That means you should go for LinkedIn Sales Navigator!

Besides unlimited searches, Sales Navigator offers a bunch of features that can elevate your lead generation to the next level.

So, let’s learn what those features are and how to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to get the most out of the platform.

How to Use LinkedIn Sales Navigator?

LinkedIn offers a free 30-day trial of Sales Navigator so you can test it out and see if it works for your business. After the trial period, you can choose between individual, team or enterprise subscriptions.

Here’s how to get started with LinkedIn Sales Navigator:

Start your free trial

First, set up your account on LinkedIn Sales Navigator and start your 30-day free trial. Sales Navigator site is a different platform altogether, and won’t affect your normal LinkedIn account.

linkedin-sales-navigator

Set your preferences

On LinkedIn Sales Navigator, you can set your sales preferences; what type of leads you want to target based on location, industry, function, company size, seniority level and much more.

Build your leads list

Once you’ve set up your sales preferences, you are ready to search for prospects and build your leads list. 

To do so, click the ‘Lead Filter’ button to the right of the search box. Lead filter offers you advanced search filters to target your audience better.

linkedin-sales-navigator-filters

In the advanced search filter, you can search for job functions, seniority level, companies, industry, etc. to refine your search. 

After setting your search parameters, click ‘Search’ to see the results. Sales Navigator provides much more data in its search results than the normal LinkedIn account.

Best LinkedIn Sales Navigator Features for Lead Generation

Sales Navigator offers a lot of features that you can count upon for your lead generation.

Let’s look at those features and how they can serve you!

1. Advanced Search

That’s the most famous feature of LinkedIn Sales Navigator. There are over 15 advanced search filters you can apply to your search such as keywords, geography, relationship, industry, seniority level, years of experience, and many others.

So, you can narrow down your search as far as you like, and connect with the right prospect for your business.

Once you have your search results, you can connect with them on LinkedIn or collect their emails for an outreach campaign.

2. LinkedIn InMails

You’ve probably seen this golden ‘in’ icon before.

linkedin-golden-icon

That’s another advantage LinkedIn Sales Navigator users get. Anyone who uses the premium version of LinkedIn can display this icon on his or her profile. It’s an invitation to receive InMails on LinkedIn.

InMails are LinkedIn’s version of emails or direct messages and are an effective way to connect with your leads; even with ones you aren’t connected to on LinkedIn. 

3. Job change alerts

Sales Navigator allows you to identify prospects that have changed their jobs in the past 90 days. It’s an opportunity for you to make a new connection or continue the relationship with them even after the job change.

job-change-alerts-sales-navigator

It might be possible that their job change makes them your better prospect in the new position as compared to their previous one. 

For example, if somebody has shifted his job from company A to company B, and company B is amongst your target audience list, it’s a golden opportunity to grab it for connecting and engaging with them.

4. Sales Navigator Alerts

Other than the job change alerts, Sales Navigator provides you 3 other insights about your target prospects to know which action to take and when. These alerts include:

  • Mentioned in the news gives prospects who have been mentioned in the news in the past 30 days. Use this alert to congratulate your prospects and build a connection.
  • Posted on LinkedIn shows prospects who have posted content on LinkedIn in the past 30 days. It reveals the recent posts by your prospects to read, comment, and build connections with them.
  • Shared Experience uncovers the prospects who attended the same school or worked at the same company or belong to the same LinkedIn group as you. Connecting and engaging with prospects that something in common is far easier than completely unknown ones.
linkedin-sales-navigator-alerts

All the above insights help you tailor and personalize your outreach message in a better way.

View Similar

Besides the advanced search filters, there’s an extremely simple hack to level up your lead prospecting on LinkedIn. 

Once you get a list of your selected leads, you can ‘View Similar’ leads by pressing the three dots in front of each lead. Since those leads are similar to the ones you already have, you can expand your leads list by connecting with them too.

view-similar-leads-sales-navigator

Saving your searches

With LinkedIn Sales Navigator, you’ll end up doing many searches in a day. However, it’s cumbersome to enter the same search terms repeatedly.

Luckily, in Sales Navigator, you can save your searches and come back later to pick up from where you left off.

save-search-on-sales-navigator

Building your custom list

Finally, you can organize and prioritize your saved leads and accounts by creating custom lists on Sales Navigator. 

You can create an unlimited number of custom lists based on geography, urgency, etc.

So, by now you have a pretty good idea of how to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator and its features for effective lead generation.

Conclusion

If you really want to build a quality lead list for your business, LinkedIn Sales Navigator is your go-to tool. Plus, it’s even more necessary if you wish to use LinkedIn for your lead generation, as the normal LinkedIn account limits your monthly searches.

And this guide will help you get started on how to use LinkedIn Sales Navigator effectively.

So, ready to make the most out of your LinkedIn Sales Navigator?

Share if you know any more hacks about using LinkedIn Sales Navigator!

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Tuesday, 17 November 2020

How to Drive Attention with your Best LinkedIn Headlines (4 Tips)

 How to Drive Attention with your Best LinkedIn Headlines


Think of the time when you last clicked on a person’s profile on LinkedIn!

What prompted you to click? Of course you weren’t attracted by their photo!

Think deeply! It was their headline on LinkedIn that forced you to check out their full profile.

Now, you don’t need any other proof for the importance of LinkedIn headlines! 

So, isn’t it time that you also give your LinkedIn headline a make-over?

Obviously!

But that makes you scratch your head! 

“What should I put as my headline on LinkedIn? What are the best LinkedIn headlines I can refer to as examples?” 


So, let’s answer these questions in today’s post with tips to write a killer LinkedIn headline and the best LinkedIn headlines examples!

Tips to write killer & Best LinkedIn headlines

Before the tips, it’s time to brush up on a few basics related to LinkedIn headlines.

Your LinkedIn headline appears next to your name and describes what you do. But the challenge is the word limit of 120 characters.

best linkedin headline example

That means you have to introduce yourself in mere 120 characters and intrigue the reader to check out your profile on LinkedIn.

Though LinkedIn uses your current work position to create a default headline, it’s not enough. Or rather, I would say, it’s not capable to highlight your unique traits and drive attention.

Follow these tips to write a stellar LinkedIn headline:

1. Know your audience

Your LinkedIn profile is the first marketing channel to advertise your business. And it all starts with your headline!

Remember the first rule of marketing?

Understand your audience in and out.

So, use designations in your headlines that everyone can recognize. 

For example, Business Development Manager, CEO, Founder, Sales Associate, etc.

Further, when you use such designations, they act as keywords to help your potential prospects find you easily on LinkedIn. 

2. Highlight your USP

By using your designation in your LinkedIn headline, you give your prospects some context of your profile. However, things don’t stop there!

Your LinkedIn headline should also highlight your value proposition. Think of it like a tagline of an advertisement.

You are lured by an advertisement because of its tagline. Similarly, follow your designation or job title with content that shows how you can help your customers.

For example, Director – Building reputations through effective PR

This headline reveals the readers what to expect from the person’s profile; how his company can serve you.

If you are not sure of what to add as your value proposition, refer to your company’s USP, as your value proposition will be closely related to the company’s USP.

You can also refer to the testimonials you received to get an idea of your value proposition.

3. Avoid using big words

It’s tempting to use big and fancy words to impress people with your LinkedIn headline. But resist the urge!

Don’t use big words or jargon your audience is not familiar with.

Big words might make your LinkedIn headline interesting, but not drive attention because your prospects won’t fully understand the meaning of what you convey.

To come up with ideas, check out the profiles of big names in your industry. Then use your creativity to pen down a memorable headline. Bonus if you can add humor to it!

Example: What you think of this headline? Simple, short, and catchy. Isn’t it?

Want to achieve Growth with LinkedIn, Marketing & Modern Sales, ask me how! ✨ LinkedIn Coach | Marketing Strategist | Speaker | Awarded Marketers & Women Leader in Malaysia | Founder, BEYOND99 | B2B

4. Avoid bragging

Some people don’t understand the thin line difference between bragging and highlighting your USP. Beware of such a mistake.

If you want to sound authentic, avoid using the following words in your LinkedIn headline:

  • Best
  • Amazing
  • Expert
  • Hardworking
  • Sincere
  • Dedicated
  • Capable
  • Smart
  • Competent 
  • Efficient
  • Gifted

These adjectives might be suitable for you, but come out as boastful or arrogant. And your goal is to come out genuine to drive attention to your LinkedIn profile. Isn’t it?

The golden rule for writing the best LinkedIn headlines: Show, don’t tell!

Rather than telling people that you are hardworking, show them how. This can be done by highlighting your achievements and prior experience. Let your work speak about you.

Now, let’s look at a few examples of the best LinkedIn headlines to inspire your own.

Best LinkedIn Headlines Examples

Easier said than done! I know it’s easy to give tips to write killer LinkedIn headlines, but while writing them, you are all lost.

So, look at the best LinkedIn headlines examples given below. Take inspiration from them to write or edit your own.

1. Judi Fox

This headline strikes a perfect balance between being promotional and factual. The first part of her headline tells what she offers to her prospects while the second part shows her personal traits.

She goes a step further with a call-to-action in her headline, which is a great way to promote your business without being too pushy.

2. Jon Ostler

In only a few words, Jon tells about his designation and achievements, with no fluff. It’s an easy-to-understand headline without being boastful.

3. Max Sinclair

Each part of Max’s LinkedIn headline is well-thought-out. Max is the CEO of Snowball creations. So, it’s obvious to mention his job title right off the bat. In the second part, he thoughtfully quotes the work he delivers to his prospects.

It’s a cleverly written headline delivering a good value proposition.

4. Kylie Chown

Her headline touches upon the value proposition first and then moves onto her key accomplishments. It’s simple, yet effective. Such headlines can work for any title or profession.

5. Fyiona Yong

She begins her headline with her designation, followed by information on what she does. That works great in introducing her work to her prospects instantly.

Conclusion

It’s rightly said, “The first impression is the last impression.” And your LinkedIn headline goes a long way in creating that first impression. Being a cluttered platform, it’s important you make efforts to stand out from the crowd to create the right first impression.

So, review the tips and examples above and peek through your LinkedIn headline. You’ll definitely find some room for improvement.

Want to share some more tips to write the best LinkedIn headlines? We are all ears! Drop them in the comments below!

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Discover How to Connect on LinkedIn with C-level Executives (5 Steps) in the Right Way?

 How to Connect on LinkedIn with C-level Executives

The digital world offers many opportunities for you to connect with C-level executives – emails, cold calls, referrals, etc., but LinkedIn tops the chart.

Over 45% of LinkedIn users are C-level decision-makers. And they are not there to find BuzzFeed quizzes or wedding photos or memes but to do business. They look for content that can change the way they do business and there lies the fruit of opportunity for you.

But the problem is How to Connect on LinkedIn with C-level Executives?

You don’t know how to connect on LinkedIn with these decision-makers! What to say with your connection request to these people? Or how to follow up while connecting on LinkedIn?

Well, that’s not a secret code to crack. You just need the right message to connect on LinkedIn with these decision-makers. And that’s what I will tell you in this post.

So, read on as I reveal the exact steps to connect on LinkedIn with your desired decision-makers; how to approach them the right way so they don’t bypass you.

5 Steps to How to Connect on LinkedIn with C-level Executives (decision-makers)

1. Define your target audience

define-target-audience

Heard this a dozen times? That’s because you can’t escape the truth!

Even to connect on LinkedIn with C-level decision makers, you have to be clear about your target audience. 

C-level decision makers are many, but everyone won’t show interest in your business; not everyone would benefit from your services.

Bottom line?

Define the personas of C-level decision makers you wish to connect on LinkedIn. This small initial step will take out all the hassle out of it.

To define the personas, write these key points about your target decision makers:

  • Age, gender, location
  • Industry to target
  • Their behaviours, motivations, and aspirations 
  • Their pain points or challenges in their profession
  • How can you meet those challenges with your solution?

2. Search for target C-level executives

Once you know the C-level executives you have to target, it’s time to search them on LinkedIn. For the purpose, you can:

  • Use search filters of LinkedIn like location, industry, company size, etc.
  • Save those searches to receive recommendations from LinkedIn
  • Identify the groups where your C-level decision makers are present

3. Send connection request with a message

connect-on-linkedin-with-connection-message

Majority of people send connection requests on LinkedIn by just clicking on the ‘Connect’ button one after the other. And then complain of not getting it accepted.

Of course, you won’t be! Because your strategy of sending connection requests is faulty! With the above approach, LinkedIn sends a connection request to your desired audience with a default message, “Please add me to your LinkedIn network”.

Now, just put yourself in the shoes of the C-level executive you are connecting to. If you receive such a message with a connection request, how likely will you accept it? Very less, right?

Same holds true with the other person. Being a C-level executive, his LinkedIn inbox would be flooded with such messages. Why should he/she connect with you? Are you giving them a valuable reason to connect?

That’s the point! 

Always send connection requests on LinkedIn with a personalized message. And what that can be?

Let’s see a few examples:

Hey (name of the person),

I stumbled upon you through a mutual connection, (name). I love what you are building with (their business name) as every (importance of what they are doing)

Would love to connect to know more about you!

Your name

Dear (person’s name),

I’m also in the (common group name), and I’ve really enjoyed reading your posts. The piece you shared a week ago about the future of journalism was pretty thought provoking. I’d love to keep in touch and learn more about your work.

So, what are the key takeaways from these examples?

  • Send connection request to build a connection, not a sales pitch
  • What inspires you about them?
  • Why does it inspire you?
  • What do you want to happen from the message you send?

By following these points, you’ll increase your acceptance rate!

4. Keep your first outbound message short

Congratulations! Your target decision maker has accepted your connection request! That means you made a great first impression with your connection message. 

But that’s half the battle won!

What’s next? Keep them interested in you so that eventually they become your paying customer.

So, now it’s time to send them your first outbound message. 

Important thing to remember here is to keep your message short, catchy, and valuable.

A short welcome message comes in handy at this hour! Something like: 

“Thanks for accepting my request. Looking forward to a great mutual connection!”

5. Follow up with a thoughtful message

thoughtful-message-to-connect-on-linkedin

Well, many people have a varied opinion on this! Some prefer to send a direct sales pitch after the welcome message, while others don’t.

I consent to the second approach.

Though LinkedIn is a platform for B2B communication, we all are humans. And everybody wants to talk with a human, not a salesman.

So, rather than sending a sales pitch after the welcome message, I recommend sending a thoughtful message. 

To come up with one, read through the profile of that decision maker, and try understanding what their pressing business challenge could be. Share a tip or two with them from your knowledge bank, which you think might help them in overcoming their challenge.

This makes the opponent feel cared for; that you understand their business situation and are ready to address them with your expertise.

And Lo! You might have the decision maker asking for more info; thus, giving you a chance to showcase your product/service. Go for it now.

You have struck the chord to start your dialogue with the decision maker.

Here are a few examples of such thoughtful follow-up messages:

Hey (person’s name),

Upon publishing our recent blog post, “Post Title”, I immediately thought of you and your company.

The blog post examines many aspects of (what it talks about), complete with quotes from thought leaders and a variety of data points.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the post, including any feedback we could use in the future to provide our audience with better content. 

Of course, don’t hesitate to share some of your favourite blog posts. I am always keen to read what other industry professionals have to say.

Thanks for your time.

Cheers,

Your name and company

Hey (person’s name),

I recently learned that you are business acquaintances with a close friend of mine, (his/her name)

In a recent conversation with (friend’s name), he/she mentioned that you might be interested in a new service we are rolling out.

Do you happen to have a few minutes next week to jump on a phone call? I would appreciate the opportunity to share more about the service, while also getting to know each other a bit more.

Thanks for your time, and I hope to hear from you soon.

Cheers,

Your name and company

Hey (name of the person),

As an expert in the field of (your expertise), I take great pride in helping clients increase traffic and revenue through Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other notable social platforms.

I was reviewing your social profiles and love what your company is doing. There are a few other things you could do to take your strategy to the next level, such as (tell them the tools or strategies to use for improvement)

Do you have time to jump on a call to discuss some of these basic tactics? I simply want to talk more, provide some advice and learn more about your business.

If this sounds good to you, shoot me a quick reply. Thanks for your time!

Cheers,

Your name and company

What to take away from this post?

Connecting on LinkedIn with C-level executives is not as hard as you think. It just takes 5 steps in the right direction to connect and engage with your target decision-makers on LinkedIn.

Define your target audience first, search for them on LinkedIn, connect on LinkedIn with a welcome note, and follow up with a thoughtful message which could be your blog post providing valuable information to help their business, tools or strategies to implement and take their business to the next level or a genuine piece of advice.

Before I leave, a few words of wisdom!

Whenever you get a positive response from a C-level decision-maker, make note of what you did right to reuse it in your future LinkedIn campaigns.

Over to you now!

Did you try these 5 steps to how to connect on LinkedIn with C-level Executives (decision-makers)?

Let us know how it worked for you!

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