Key Takeaways:
- LinkedIn is a powerful platform for generating B2B leads, both through its free and paid features.
- Leveraging your professional network, creating engaging content, and actively participating in relevant groups can help generate leads for free on LinkedIn.
- Paid options like LinkedIn Ads, InMail, and Sales Navigator provide more targeted and streamlined lead-generation opportunities.
- Partnering with a reputable B2B lead generation agency can help streamline the process and leverage LinkedIn effectively.
- Implementing best practices like optimizing your company and employee profiles, connecting with customers, and utilizing LinkedIn’s lead generation tools can enhance your success.
How To Generate B2B Leads On LinkedIn: Free and Paid Ways
LinkedIn is a powerful tool. It’s a great place to connect with others, find jobs, hire people, and share work updates.
LinkedIn can also help you get new business customers by letting you send messages to the right people.
These are people interested in what you sell and those who make decisions at their companies.
To use LinkedIn for getting new customers, first understand how it works.
Learn why people join and how to best reach them.
Read on for real advice and tips about getting new business customers on LinkedIn for free and by paying.
How to Generate B2B Leads On LinkedIn?
LinkedIn makes it easy for people with similar jobs or industries to connect.
This makes LinkedIn valuable for marketing to other companies.
LinkedIn provides the network, setting, and technology.
The question is how to best use the platform.
In sales, who you know matters as much as what you know.
LinkedIn lets you search for people using filters like:
- Background
- Industry
- Job title or role
- Location
- Level of seniority
- Group membership
With these filters, you can find professionals you haven’t met yet but share things in common.
These could be good customers for what you sell.
For example, if you run a marketing agency, you can connect with Marketing VPs about being their vendor.
If you’re a financial advisor in Providence, RI, you can reach local investors who may want to work with you.
If you’re both in an IT group on LinkedIn, you can discuss supporting their data center.
While some join LinkedIn just to have an online work profile, many want connections, info, and industry resources.
This makes them open to carefully crafted messages or ads that interest them.
How to Use LinkedIn to Generate Leads?
There are three main ways to use LinkedIn to get new customers:
- Use LinkedIn’s free features
- Use paid opportunities
- Work with an agency that gets business customers
- Getting Customers on LinkedIn for Free
1. How to Generate Leads on LinkedIn for Free
To get free customers on LinkedIn, work hard and be business-savvy:
- Make good profiles for yourself, your company, and employees.
- Search and connect with potential customers.
- Post about your industry, company, products, or services.
- Engage with connections through comments and messages to see if they’re a good customer fit.
2. LinkedIn’s Paid Platform Options
You can use paid ways to get new customers on LinkedIn without spending too much money. These make the process easier and help put your marketing money where it will help the most.
The paid options to get new customers on LinkedIn include:
- LinkedIn Ads (sponsored posts, sponsored messages, text and dynamic ads, lead generation forms)
- InMail messages
- Marketing and customer-finding tools like Sales Navigator
3. Partnering With an Established B2B Lead Generation Agency
Customers Working with a trusted agency that gets business customers can streamline finding, contacting, and vetting potential customers. But not all agencies are equal. Before letting an agency handle your marketing, consider:
- Do they focus on getting business customers and use LinkedIn to do it? If so, you’re more likely to succeed.
- What services do they offer and how much do they cost? Some agencies have low prices but add fees. Find out their services and if they have all-inclusive packages.
- Do they offer done-for-you service? Unless you want to be involved every step, find an agency that handles the whole process and you approve.
LinkedIn Lead Generation Tools
Free Tools
Messaging
Messaging connections on LinkedIn can get new customers. But LinkedIn limits how many free messages you can send and who you can message – unless using InMail. You may need to first connect with your target customer.
Paid Tools
Sales Navigator
Sales Navigator is LinkedIn’s paid sales tool. It streamlines finding customers, managing leads and communication. Check our pros and cons list and best practices post to learn more.
InMail
InMail lets you message people you’re not connected with. Learn more about using InMail powerfully in our post.
Sponsored Content and Ads
LinkedIn offers different levels of ads, each with its own pricing. These ads have features to target your audience, track conversion rates, and measure ROI. The ad types include:
- Sponsored Content – Reach people in their daily feed
- Sponsored Messaging – Start conversations with your target audience
- Dynamic Ads – Engage potential customers with personalized ads
- Text Ads – Use LinkedIn’s self-service platform to find and send ad campaigns to your audience
You can also add Lead Generation Forms to your ads. These forms are partially filled out, so potential customers just click a few boxes to become a lead.
LinkedIn Lead Generation Best Practices
Here are steps to start getting new customers on LinkedIn:
- Make a powerful LinkedIn page for your business – This may be the first thing potential customers see about your company. Fill it with key brand and product/service info. Keep it updated.
- Create valuable employee profile pages – Have all employees make honest, engaging profiles. When customers research your company, give them good info.
- Connect with current customers – Ask existing customers to connect to your company page. You can offer rewards. Their connections then see you as trusted.
- Join LinkedIn Groups – Join groups related to what you sell or that your customers are in. You can access more potential customers.
- Use LinkedIn’s lead generation tools – These tools help you get the most new customers from LinkedIn. Learn how to use them.
- Find a reputable partner – If learning LinkedIn lead generation takes too much time, find an agency partner to handle it for you.
Now you know how to get new business customers on LinkedIn. Use these skills to help your company reach its full potential.
FAQs about B2B Leads On LinkedIn
How can I generate B2B leads on LinkedIn for free?
To generate B2B leads on LinkedIn for free, leverage the platform’s free features. Create informative profiles for yourself, your company, and employees.
Search and connect with potential customers. Publish engaging content about your industry, products, or services. Engage with connections through comments and messages to gauge their interest and determine if they’re a good fit.
What are LinkedIn’s paid lead generation options?
LinkedIn offers several paid lead generation options, including LinkedIn Ads (sponsored content, sponsored messaging, text and dynamic ads, lead generation forms), InMail messages, and marketing tools like Sales Navigator. These paid options provide more targeted and streamlined opportunities for reaching potential customers.
Should I partner with a B2B lead generation agency for LinkedIn?
Partnering with a reputable and reliable B2B lead generation agency can help streamline the process of finding, contacting, and vetting potential clients on LinkedIn.
However, ensure that the agency specializes in B2B lead generation and effectively utilizes LinkedIn. Inquire about their specific services, pricing, and done-for-you options.
How can I leverage LinkedIn messaging for lead generation?
LinkedIn messaging can be a powerful tool for lead generation.
However, there are limitations on the number of free messages you can send and who you can message unless you use InMail. Start by successfully connecting with your target prospects through connection requests, and then engage them through messaging to gauge their interest and fit.
What is Sales Navigator, and how can it help with lead generation?
Sales Navigator is LinkedIn’s paid sales management tool. It helps streamline prospecting, lead management, and communication. Sales Navigator provides advanced search filters, lead recommendations, and insights to help identify and engage with potential customers more effectively.
What are LinkedIn Lead Generation Forms, and how do they work?
LinkedIn Lead Generation Forms can be added to your LinkedIn Ads. These forms are pre-populated with user information, so potential customers only need to click a few boxes to submit their information and become a lead. This streamlined process can improve lead conversion rates.
What are some best practices for generating B2B leads on LinkedIn?
Best practices include establishing a powerful and engaging LinkedIn page for your business, creating valuable employee profile pages, connecting with current customers, joining relevant LinkedIn groups, making use of LinkedIn’s lead generation tools, and finding a reputable partner agency if needed.
Consistently implementing these practices can enhance your success on the platform.