Connecting with new prospects should be a routine process for all sales reps. A metric should be set on how many prospects you want to connect with each day/week. Implementing a structured process will turn your time on LinkedIn from aimlessly sending out connection requests to a legitimate strategy that will turn cold prospects warm. Here are some simple steps to follow to add structure to your LinkedIn strategy:

1. Send the connection request!  You should always use a personalized message. Develop a message that can be reused to target similar prospects over and over again. This message should be brief, 3 sentences at most. Things you can include: a commonality with the prospect, a reason you are interested in connecting, very brief value proposition. Always include your phone number, you never know when someone might want to call.

 

2. Once the prospect accepts your connection, immediately send them a private message (Now is the best time to strike since you have their attention!). This message should be very brief; include your initial benefits statement, a note on what you are looking to accomplish, and an ask – e.g. “Can we set up a time to talk?”

 

3. Once you have sent the message you can use the Tag function to properly label the prospect in their corresponding category.  This step is important if you plan to drip marketing via LinkedIn to a specific group of buyers.

 

4. Once you have sent the message on LinkedIn, it is extremely important to get that prospect into your CRM. Include all relevant contact information so you can follow-up. If their information isn’t available, do the extra leg work and track down a phone number, address, work e-mail, etc.

 

5. Be proactive! Once the contact is in your CRM, schedule a call to follow-up on your LinkedIn message for a few days later. Just because you sent the message, doesn't always mean they'll respond.

  All too often business developers just send a connection request to a buyer and hope to see some sort of relationship develop. It is important to stay on top of your prospects to get to your end goal. Following these steps will put more value into your time on LinkedIn and create a system that keeps qualified prospects in your marketing target for months to come. For more information on how AltaVista can help your sales team utilize LinkedIn more effectively or leverage social media platforms, please contact us by filling out the form on this page, calling us at 410-760-6680, or emailing us at [email protected].