A big part of running a service-based business is finding clients. This is the case for many types of companies, including those that provide consulting, perform engineering, or hire software developers. Yet sometimes doing that it’s easier said than done. If you have a method that works well for you, great. But if you’re looking for a tried-and-tested way to find ideal clients, consider LinkedIn. This platform is made for networking and exchanging ideas and business and includes effective features to help you do it.
For one thing, LinkedIn enables you to create a detailed profile describing your professional qualifications, including past experience, education, awards, publications, and special training. The more you populate your profile, the easier it will be for those seeking the services you provide to find you. On the other side of things, you can use the search function yourself to seek out clients with granular search filtering.
Because the information you provide and the information you can seek out on LinkedIn is so specific, you can end up with just the right clients for your business. Here, we offer tips for making the best use of this powerful tool.
There are two ways to make the most of LinkedIn, by helping those looking for your services find you and by performing searches to find them. Let’s start with the first. To help those looking for professionals like you, make it more likely that your profile will show up in relevant searches by creating a complete profile and using keywords that you want to be associated with.
Take advantage of the many profile sections. For example, use the About section to create a summary of your skills, accomplishments, and offerings. In the Experience section, use keywords (that is, words you think searchers will use to find someone who provides the services you offer) to describe your past work. If you have any publications, post them in the appropriate sections. Don’t be shy about describing your successes!
If you do business as a company, also create a company page that describes your products. The advice to publish as much information as possible is also applicable here. A company page allows you to create an overview of your services, list any jobs you have available, and highlight current employees.
You can post as your company in addition to posting as yourself. The idea of posting on your profile and company page is the same: to demonstrate your expertise in your profession.
One of the best ways to get noticed on LinkedIn is to post regularly. What should you post?
- Posts from others that you think your connections will find interesting
- Items (articles, studies, infographics) that you find outside of LinkedIn
- Achievements on the part of your company or yourself personally
- Industry news
You can also post promotional information for your business (such as a new product or service offerings) but keep it to a minimum. Also, remember that LinkedIn is a professional networking platform, not a social media platform. So, save the family photos and personal news for sites like Facebook.
The search algorithm in LinkedIn puts closer connections toward the top of the results. So, it’s to your benefit to connecting directly with as many people as possible. Keep in mind there are scammers on LinkedIn just like everywhere else online and you should watch out for any suspicious-looking profiles. Other than that, accept most connections, and request connections from people in your industry, especially those who are potential clients or referral sources.
LinkedIn has thousands of groups that you can participate in. Doing so is a great way to share your expertise and show others that you’re available to help your colleagues. When you do, you might have the opportunity to mention the services you provide, but don’t force it. Make helping the primary reason to get involved, and broadcasting your offerings secondary.
Now that you’ve made it easy for potential clients on LinkedIn to find you, it’s time to do some searches of your own to find them. First, define what is an ideal client for you, including things like job title, company size, and location. Then, use LinkedIn’s search function to identify those who fit the description. Send connection requests to anyone you think would be a good addition to your networking circle. If they accept the request, write them a short note introducing yourself.
If you need more robust functionality, such as additional search filters, the ability to connect with more people, or the need to keep track of prospects, consider upgrading your LinkedIn account. The Sales Navigator option offers all these features and more. At $79.99 per month, it’s not cheap, but it might be worth it if you think you’ll get many times that in additional business as a result of using it.
LinkedIn was built for helping people find others to do business with. If you haven’t yet explored how it can help you find ideal clients, follow these steps and see what happens!