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The Easiest Way To Find Prospects On LinkedIn

Author: Dan Sherman   |   September 23rd, 2011

We can always use more clients, yet picking up the phone and making cold calls is about as enjoyable as a tax audit.

Fortunately with LinkedIn, cold calls can be a thing of the past.

With all the various ways to prospect for business with LinkedIn, there’s no reason you can’t… use it as the perfect prospecting tool, too.

See who works at your target company

This strategy revolves around finding out who you know who works close to the decision maker you are trying to reach. By creating a relationship with them, you can infiltrate that department and get an introduction to the person who is in a position to buy from you.

Click on “Companies” along the top tool bar. From the “Companies” home page, you can type in the name of the company you are targeting. Let’s say I wanted to sell to the grocer Publix; I type in Publix and I find out there are 118 employees in my network. They are all second level, meaning I need an introduction to them. So I find the person who works in the department I am targeting, click on their name, and I see all my first level connections that are “shared connections.” Then, find a first level connection you know well, and I send an introduction request through them to the person I want to meet.

So what I get is a warm introduction rather than a cold call. It’s much more effective reaching someone this way, and it allows me to begin building rapport with a person in the area I’m hoping to sell into.

Leverage all the company information

LinkedIn provides you with tons of “intelligence” on the company pages you can use as ice-breakers and reasons to contact your target. Along the right hand side of their company page I see “Publix mentioned in the news.” I can scour that section for nuggets I can use when I begin building rapport with employees. Anytime something changes at a company, it can create new pains or needs you can address with your product or service.

I also see the “Publix Activity on LinkedIn” section, where there are personnel updates for the company. If you see a new executive has been hired, that may be your chance to become a new product or service provider. Whenever a new exec comes on board, they always take the “new broom” approach and bring in new suppliers. If you see a new hire, click on their name, see how you are connected, and request an introduction through your network.

Finally, you can have all the company changes sent to you by simply clicking on the blue “Follow Company” button on their page. Once you are following the company, you can click on the “Follow” button, select “Settings” and tell LinkedIn whether you want daily or weekly updates sent to you whenever new employees, leave, join, or are promoted; when jobs open; or when the company updates its profile.

So you see, the “Companies” section is where you can 1) find and target anyone you wish to connect with, 2) identify windows of opportunities, and 3) where you will get the inside scoop you need to create relevant discussions with your intended clients.

Try it out today, and begin making sales and building your business the most effective and efficient way possible today…LinkedIn.

About the Author: Dan Sherman is a LinkedIn Expert, Coach and Trainer. He provides seminars, webinars, and one-on-one coaching on building your business and creating a worldwide brand with LinkedIn. His website is www.DanShermanCoaching.com. Connect with Dan on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/linkedinspeaker.

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