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4 Tips to Optimize LinkedIn for Outbound B2B Lead Generation (Featured Image)

4 Tips to Optimize LinkedIn for Outbound B2B Lead Generation

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LinkedIn is one of the most powerful tools online that utilizes both a social media platform combined with a professional user base. However, what some people don’t fully utilize is an outbound lead generation campaign using the platform. Networking sites such as LinkedIn can really power up your outbound lead generation strategy.

In the next couple of minutes, we will be discussing tips on ensuring that your outbound lead generation on LinkedIn is as efficient as possible.

Understand That It Is Similar to Looking for a Job

One of the primary purposes of the LinkedIn Platform is for people to find jobs and connect with other people that share network opportunities. It is by understanding the platform in this light that you can start your outbound lead generation strategy.

Many of the techniques that you will use to drive outbound lead generation are the same techniques that jobseekers or headhunters use. It is by simplifying the process and your mindset going into your strategy of lead generation.

Optimize Your Profile

The first step in your LinkedIn lead generation strategy is ensuring that your profile is fully optimized to reflect the professionalism of your company. This does not just purely mean filling up all the significant boxes with data, but ensuring that they are filled out properly.

Something as simple as optimizing your profile photo or cover can be overlooked so these mistakes should be prevented from the onset. For example, you might have a profile photo uploaded and it looks professional and all, but does the expression on your face garner the trust that you want from potential clients?

Is your profile fresh? Even in SEO, digital marketing experts all agree that having fresh content really makes the difference in showing profile visitors that you really know your market. Make sure that you’re always publishing articles and/or posts showcasing your activity to the people on the platform.

This establishes you as a market leader in your industry, bringing about trust and professionalism to potential clients and leads.

Know Your Market (We’re Serious)

People often fail to consider the market that they are in combined with the attitudes of the people on the platform. This can prove to be problematic in many occasions. Researching what your peers are doing is not something to be ashamed of since this can really lead you to improve on key aspects of your strategy.

Some markets react differently to what you showcase on LinkedIn and others demand a certain type of content from “industry influencers”. The more you get to know your market on the platform, the higher that success rate. This is part of your planning and strategizing process.

Persuade (but also pre-suade)

We talked about freshness and the content that you release earlier and this all coincides with the subconscious act of attracting your potential leads before you even reach out to them. Simple posts that you make or subtle advertising on the platform that reaches your target audience will help in the persuasion process before you reach out to them because they already have a rough idea of who you are.

This helps you seal the deal because before you even reach out to your potential clients, you already have them looking at the way you and your company does things.

Personalization is Key

This is a common problem that we see very often. By adding just a small paragraph that takes less than ten to fifteen minutes to compose, you can personalize your pitch to your potential lead.

The reason that this little bit of effort works is the fact that most people do not like being generalized and would rather have personalized correspondence designed for them. We’re sure that you can remember the last time you received a generic email and its non-effect on you because it felt so monotonous and effortless.

It is a fact that personalized correspondence really works wonders in reaching out to clients.

This also signals to your potential clients that you know what you’re doing and that you will go the extra mile to deliver great and reliable services for them. In addition to this, you can even automate the personalization process should you feel that you do not have the time to execute it properly. There’s a lot of software available that can help you automatically place in last names and other relevant information once you have collected and collated relevant information about your prospect.

By applying just a few of these tips, you can make sure that your efforts on this powerful professional social site aren’t wasted and that you’re efficient as possible. This leads to effective results utilizing minimal resources.

However, these are only just a few of the things that you can do on this platform and with just a little exploration and tweaking, you can definitely do more!

5 Lead Generation Strategies to Drive SMB Growth (Featured Image)

5 Lead Generation Strategies to Drive SMB Growth

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You must admit, there are plenty of lead generation tactics available for everyone. However, not everything is going to work especially if you own an SMB (Small or Medium Sized Business). In this article, we will be discussing the five basics of lead generation for SMBs.

This should provide you with enough coverage in order to start doing something about the tactics that you are currently employing.

Knowing Your Market (And Yourself)

The first thing that you have to realize is the size of the company that you own. SMBs do not usually seal the biggest contracts but rather use them as a stepping-stone for bigger contracts along the line. This means that you need to set up what kind of clients you need in order to move to the next step – growth.

Once you know your capabilities, it is important to know what kind of market you appeal and can appeal to.

Ask these questions:

  • What sort of companies should I be reaching out to for B2B deals?
  • What do my customers expect from me?
  • What do I expect from potential customers?
  • What kind of customers have I been attracting in the past?
  • Do I want to change this in the near future?

Industry Partnerships

Mostly all SMBs and SMEs once started out as smaller companies have depended at one point depended on word-of-mouth advertising to drive sales. This means it’s time that you also start doing things that work again.

Do not be afraid to reach out to your current industry partners and start reaching out again. Sometimes it’s best to stick with the things that do work and multiply those parameters in order to achieve better results.

Talk to your current clientele and find out how they can help you drive more business and how you can help them with theirs.

Personalized Email Marketing

Stop thinking of email as a marketing and start thinking of it as outreach. You want to be able to reach people and solve specific problems that they have. This means knowing who your audience is and creating a plan to reach them.

Proper email outreach involves you getting to know your audience and combining it with proper testing in order to ensure that you are getting proper results and maximizing the use of the resources that you have.

Make sure you follow-up as well. A lot of industry leaders fail to get through the front door properly because an email was lost somewhere in between. The habit of following up ensures you do not lose potential customers accidentally and helps you be more efficient with the leads that you have.

Email will still be a powerful tool in generating leads. However, if you do not do it properly it can be a complete waste of time for you and your business.

Proper Social Media Exposure

Proper social media use is dependent on the audience that you wish to secure. Make sure that you have a proper system in place so that you may be able to determine where your customers are “lurking”.

Some specific leads you will only find on LinkedIn, so this means you should have a proper systemic campaign to target these particular customers. This would entail releasing content for a targeted set of individuals to establish your relevance as an industry leader before you invite them to do something.

Facebook appeals to a different set of people and this allows you to be able to more direct with your approach.

Every social media platform requires different types of content and appeals to different crowds. Understanding this will enable you to create personalized content and make efficient use of the marketing resources that you have.

Localized Lead Generation

Using directory networks and Google My Business will help you be more geo-relevant when you are trying to acquire new leads. Think about Google My Business, having a branch in the center of the city that you are trying to reach will allow you to be able to make your services hyper-localized and appealing to potential customers.

A hyperlocal approach can also be used for directory networks such as Yelp and the Yellow Pages; you will be able to create customized ad campaigns that target specific individuals in a location. This allows you to be more personal with the approach that you have.

It can also give you great results when you’re running a campaign that you know has specific parameters in mind.

At the end of the day, it is important to note that resources are not unlimited and given the size of your business, you’ll have to make sure that you’re using your resources in an efficient and effective manner.

By employing these strategies, you will be able to make sure that you are making the most of your resources.